Tips On Choosing Shower Doors

Choosing new shower doors can be more complicated than you would think - simply because of the sheer number of excellent options available today.

If you're remodeling, renovating, or building new construction, one of the first things your designer or custom shower glass company will ask is what design style you like. Did you design your space based on what's in trend, or are you attracted to a more eclectic, contemporary, modern, or traditional style?

Before you dive headfirst into choosing shower doors based solely on the design style you like, take a look at these functional aspects to consider.

The Thickness of The Glass and The Framing on the Shower Doors

One of the first things you'll be considering when shopping for custom shower glass is the thickness of the glass. The thicker glass is the strongest and safest option.

Frameless shower doors are definitely in trend, but the framed and semi-framed styles are also available.

Frameless - Thickest glass, minimal hardware

Framed - Thinnest glass, fully framed on all sides

Semi-Framed - Medium glass thickness, some sides framed

How The Shower Doors Open and Close

Sliding Panels - There is usually a fixed glass panel with one moving sliding door on a shower. However, a larger shower can accommodate two sliding doors.

Swinging or Pivot Doors - A single door attaches to the wall and will swing or pivot from the left or right.

Door with Panel - For larger openings, a narrow pane is attached to the wall, and then the door either closes onto the panel or is hinged to it.

Fixed Pane - Instead of a door that opens and closes, just one pane of glass is attached to the wall to protect the rest of the bathroom from splashing, and the rest of the shower opening stays uncovered.

Shower Enclosure - The shower is enclosed with one or more panels. Steam shower enclosures may also be covered over the top in cases where the ceiling is too high.

Sliding Doors for the Tub

If your bathroom has a bathtub as well, you'll want to make sure to match the sliding doors with the shower doors. Instead of a fixed panel with one sliding door like there is on a shower, there are usually two sliding doors on a tub. The sliding panels both move and slide past each other in either direction, allowing you to open or close from the left or right.

The Style of the Shower Hardware

The door handles, hinges and framing for showers are available in a wide variety of finish textures and colors. Contemporary, modern, and traditional mounting hardware styles can be smooth or textured. You'll easily be able to choose the shower hardware finish, which matches the other hardware in your bathroom.