Showers usually fall under three types and the shower door you select mainly depends on the style. There are bath tub showers, walk-in enclosures located in a corner and alcove stand-alone stalls.
A 4th type, barrier-free showers, is a subset of alcove showers or corner showers. This kind of installation has a doorless style with a modern look. It can also supply a smooth entry to enhance availability for wheelchairs.
In addition to the kind of shower enclosure you have, you'll need to consider the restroom's design, the dimensions of the opening and the offered area around the shower to determine the direction in which the door opens.
Bypass or Sliding Doors
Bypass or sliding shower doors are a typical option for a small bathroom or tub showers.
- Consist of 2 and sometimes three panels that slide along each other on tracks
- Sliding door operation needs no flooring area for opening door
- Ideal for wide openings, with a typical opening of 60-inches broad
- Some designs are created for alcove walk-in showers
Pivot or Hinged Doors
Hinged shower doors swing open from a single side on corner or alcove walk-ins.
- Ideal for openings that are too narrow to accommodate a bypass door
- Can be combined with inline fixed panels in broad alcove enclosures
- Some models have hinges to enable door to swing both inward and external
Round Doors
Round shower doors are a space-saving alternative for corner walk-in shower stalls.
- Ideal for corner standalone showers
- Often reversible for right or left access
- Open by slider or design can have a bypass operation or hinged opening
- Curved glass design minimizes the shower's footprint in the restroom
- Attached to the top and bottom of the frame for stability and smooth operation
Neo-Angle Doors
Neo-angle doors are created to fit neo-angle shower enclosures for corner setups.
- Take up less flooring space than a rectangle design
- Some models have reversible doors for left or right entry
Barrier-Free
Barrier-free showers have a fixed door panel near the shower head.
- Fixed door panel shields spray from the bathroom floor, but no door at the opposite end
- Design can make a bathroom feel larger and contemporary
- Opening is typically broader than standard shower doors, supplying much easier gain access to for those who require it
Measurements and Measuring
Precise measuring is vital to ensure a proper suitable for your shower door.
Most brand-new shower doors can be changed a little to fit a series of openings and accommodate walls that aren't completely square. Nevertheless, the door you pick need to really carefully match both the width and height of your shower's opening.
Tip: If the enclosure location is brand-new, do not take any measurements up until the shower is complete and the walls are completed. Material on the wall, such as backerboard and tile, can reduce the wall-to-wall width by as much as 1-inch on each side.
Follow these steps for precise measuring:
- Measure the opening width. Determine the range from wall to wall at the top and bottom of the opening. The measurements should be to the closest 1/16- inch. If these vary, select a door utilizing the bigger width for a bypass door or the smaller width for a pivot door.
Identify the range from the top of the tub edge or shower base to the top of the wall unit or tile wall where you want the door to be situated. Select a door with a height less than or equivalent to the smallest of these measurements.
Suggestion: Single panel doors are hardly ever wider than 36-inches wide. For bigger openings, set a door with a stationary inline panel.
If you are considering a hinged door, make sure that the door has space to swing open without striking any obstructions. Extend a tape measure to the width of the door. Hold one end of the tape where the door hinge will lie and pivot the other end to make sure there is clearance for opening.
Frame Design
Shower doors are framed or frameless.
Framed doors
- Have aluminum, stainless steel or composite material framing the glass panel
- Include a track that collects and traps water, needing routine cleaning
- Framed pivot shower doors only open outside
- A range of surfaces are readily available to complement your decor
Frameless doors
- Have a newer design style with through-the-glass installed hardware and various densities of glass
- Easier to keep tidy
- Create a feeling of spaciousness
- Frameless pivot doors often can open in or out
Glass
The thickness of the glass in your shower door is dependent on structural and style aspects, such as whether the door is framed or frameless. Glass density isn't an issue for framed doors because the glass is secured in a metal frame. Typically, the thicker and much click here now heavier the glass is, the more steady and smoother sliding the door will be.
Clear glass shower doors display tile and stonework in the shower and can make the little area of your restroom feel bigger.
Frosted, textured or patterned glass shower doors use differing levels of personal privacy and can add a stylish element to the bathroom.
Pacific Mirror & Glass LLC is Kauai's Glass Shop for Mirrors, Shower Enclosures, Storefront Glass, Glass Railings, Sliding Patio Doors and more.
For more information contact:
Pacific Mirror & Glass LLC
5675 Kawaihau Rd Ste B2
Kapaa, HI 96746
(808) 635-9696
https://www.pacificmirrorandglass.com/