Gunmetal Showers

Gunmetal is the dark, smoky grey finish that has taken over modern and industrial-look bathrooms, a softer alternative to matt black that still goes with almost anything. This range of gunmetal showers covers kits and valves: concealed sets where the valve hides in the wall, exposed bar valves for an easier fit, and riser-rail kits with an adjustable handset.

The main decision is concealed versus exposed, and it comes down to how much wall work you are willing to take on. The guide and quick answers here should get you to the right type before you start comparing products in the grid, and if you want to weigh up other finishes and types, the wider showers range is the place to do it.

What to look for in a gunmetal shower

Two things decide it: the type of shower, meaning how it is plumbed, and that it is thermostatic. The finish is the easy part.

Concealed, exposed or riser kit: how it is plumbed. This is the real decision and it is mostly about install effort, so settle it before you pick a product.

A concealed set buries the valve in the wall so only the controls and the outlets show. It is the cleanest, most high-end look and also the most work to fit, because the valve and pipework have to be chased into the wall, which makes it a job to plan into a refit or a retile rather than a Saturday swap. The Core Gunmetal Thermostatic Valve, Fixed Head and Shower Rail Concealed Shower Kit at £299 is the all-in-one concealed option here: solid brass, thermostatically controlled with built-in anti-scald protection, and a two-outlet valve.

A rigid riser kit puts the head, the valve and the rail together in one exposed set that fixes to the wall surface. It is far less work than concealed and looks smarter than a bare bar valve, which makes it the sensible middle ground. The CORE Thermostatic Round Gunmetal Rigid Riser Shower Kit at £209 is the one to look at, with a fixed round head that gives a gentle, even spray, a handset for rinsing hair or the bath, and a telescopic riser rail you can set to suit whoever is using it.

An exposed bar valve is the simplest fit of the lot. The valve and pipework sit on the wall surface, so it is the natural choice for a like-for-like swap with no chasing and no retiling. The Core Thermostatic Barvalve in Gunmetal at £129 has separate temperature and flow controls, solid brass construction, a bottom outlet and a lifetime manufacturer’s guarantee. On its own it is just the valve, so pair it with the Core Gunmetal Fluted Riser Rail Handset at £139, which brings the rail, the fluted handset, the hose and an integrated elbow together and lets you set the handset height. Do the sum before you commit, though: the valve and rail together cost more than the complete rigid riser kit above, so this route makes sense when you want that fluted handset specifically, or when you only need to replace the valve itself, rather than as the budget option.

Go thermostatic. Every shower worth buying for a home is thermostatic, and the valves picked out above are. A thermostatic valve holds the temperature you set and cuts the flow if the cold supply drops, which is what happens when someone runs a tap or flushes a loo elsewhere in the house, so nobody gets scalded. It is a safety feature rather than a luxury, and the reason never to fit a cheap manual mixer in a family bathroom.

Check it suits your water pressure. Thermostatic valves have a working pressure range, so the one thing to check before you buy is that it matches your system. A combi or mains-fed system runs at decent pressure, while a gravity-fed system with a tank in the loft can be low. The Core concealed kit above is rated to operate between 0.5 and 5 bar. For anything else, read the pressure rating on the product page rather than assuming it matches.

The finish. Gunmetal is a dark grey-bronze tone that sits between brushed bronze and matt black. It suits modern and industrial schemes, and it pairs well with gunmetal taps and accessories if you want the whole room to match rather than one feature standing on its own. The concealed kit’s gunmetal finish is specified to resist tarnishing, and both that kit and the bar valve are solid brass underneath.

Quick answers

What is a gunmetal shower? It is a shower kit or valve finished in gunmetal (you will also see it written gun metal), a dark smoky-grey tone with a hint of bronze. It is a softer, warmer alternative to matt black that still goes with most tiles and furniture, which is why it has taken off in modern and industrial-look bathrooms. The showers here come in that finish across concealed, riser-rail and exposed types.

Concealed or exposed gunmetal shower: which should I get? Concealed if you want the cleanest look and you are retiling or doing a full refit, because the valve hides in the wall and only the controls and outlets show, which also makes it the most work to fit. Exposed, meaning a bar valve or a rigid riser kit, if you want an easier job or a like-for-like swap, because the valve and pipework sit on the wall surface with no chasing. The finish is the same either way. What changes is the install effort, and the price: the concealed kit is £299 against £209 for the rigid riser kit.

Will a gunmetal thermostatic shower work with low water pressure? It depends on the valve’s working pressure range and on your system. A combi or mains-fed system usually has enough pressure, while a gravity-fed system with a tank in the loft can be low. The Core concealed kit is rated from 0.5 bar up to 5 bar. For anything else, check the rating on the product page before you order rather than assuming.

Is the gunmetal finish hard-wearing? The concealed kit’s gunmetal finish is specified to resist tarnishing, and it sits on corrosion-resistant solid brass. As with any finished tap or shower, wipe it with a soft cloth and keep abrasive or harsh cleaners away from it, which protects the colour.

Do you sell gunmetal shower enclosures or screens? Not in this range. What you will find here is the showering kit itself: valves, heads, rails and handsets in gunmetal. The glass and frame are a separate product, so if an enclosure or a screen is what you are after, it sits outside this category.