To be clear, many beautiful shower enclosures have a door panel hinged to a fixed piece of glass, and we sell an assortment of glass to glass hinges for this very purpose on our Glass Simple site. However, if your design could go either way – an in-line door and panel enclosure with plenty of clearance across the front of the enclosure, for example – there are arguments in favor of attaching the door panel to the bathroom wall rather than to the piece of glass in line with it.

1. Hinging the Door to the Bathroom Wall Can Save You Money

The most obvious savings is in the door hinges themselves, since glass to glass hinges tend to have a notably higher price point than their wall mount counterparts. Additionally, cut-outs are needed in two pieces of glass – the door panel and the fixed panel – when using glass to glass hinges, which raises your glass fabrication costs. With wall mount hinges, on the other hand, only the door panel needs to have cut-outs added.

2. You Eliminate Some Design Restrictions by Hinging the Door to the Bathroom Wall

As we’ll see in this section, attaching a shower door to a fixed glass panel comes with restrictions that need to be observed to maintain the safety and stability of the enclosure. When a door is hinged to glass, the fixed panel must be 1/2" thick or be attached at the top to the ceiling or a bulkhead. Of course a taller piece of glass is going to be pricier, and if you go the route of 1/2" glass, you’ll need to upgrade to heavy duty hinges like VER135G, which cost more than standard hinges. As you can tell, the design restrictions also impact price, so these considerations are directly intertwined.

3. Wall Mount Hinges Are Better for Keeping the Focus on the Glass

Finally, in the world of glass shower design, a frameless “all glass” look remains popular and relevant. If you are looking to use as little metal as possible, it’s important to note that wall to glass hinges are smaller than hinges that connect two pieces of glass. Thus, choosing wall mount hinges cuts back on the overall amount of metal on your custom shower. Also, their placement on the edge of the glass enclosure makes them less conspicuous than glass to glass hinges which are between two pieces of glass and sort of “right in the middle” of the enclosure.

Get the Help You Need Choosing the Right Hardware for Your Shower Project

In summary, then, the benefits of choosing wall mount hinges include:

• Cutting costs
• Avoiding design restrictions
• Minimizing metal when you want to keep the focus on the glass

Would you like more tips for choosing the right hardware for your glass shower? Do you have questions about which hinges, clamps, pull handles, etc. are best for your design? Glass Simple’s staff has many years of industry experience and a commitment to customer service. We never route calls to an off-site center and are happy to speak with clients, answer questions, and provide recommendations. We invite you to browse our site and give us a ring at (571)707-7760!