Designing a custom glass shower can be enjoyable and rewarding – especially when the project is complete and you get to use your new shower! However, mistakes along the way can lead to costly repairs or a finished project that you’re not happy with. Benefit from our team’s experience with glass by avoiding the following common mistakes.

1. Holes in Glass Tiles

The glass enclosure is a key aspect of shower design, but the tiles you choose are also crucial to the complete look. Glass tiles can be a gorgeous part a shower area. However, if you drill holes in glass tiles to install clamps or hinges, the glass is likely to crack. Place glass tiles elsewhere on the shower walls, but in spots where you must drive screws or drill holes use tiles made of ceramic, porcelain, or stone.

2. Treating a Glass Shower Like a Fish Bowl

Glass shower doors provide reliable water containment and are simple to use. However, an enclosure does not seal up like an aquarium. If you aim a shower spray at a gap or seam, you should expect leaks. If you have a frameless sliding shower door for instance, don’t aim a jet at the space between the sliding door panel and the fixed panel. Thoughtful placement of the shower head and body jets as well as judicious use of the handheld spray will help avoid leaks. Of course it’s also important to use the appropriate vinyl seals and wipes to assist in keeping water off the bathroom floor.

3. Installing a Door on a Wrongly Sloped Curb

Whether you’re doing the work yourself or supervising the project, it’s always important to consider how different installations interact with and impact each other. A shower curb that slants toward the bathroom floor – or even one that is level – will lead to water falling onto the floor. Instead, the top of the curb should be slightly angled toward the shower floor so water rolls back into the stall.

  4. Not Reading the Technical Specifications when Ordering Hardware

As you place orders for the various metal components needed for your glass shower, be sure to take careful note of measurements and requirements. For instance, the piece of hardware needs to be suited to the thickness of your glass. Likewise, a towel bar can’t be so wide that it doesn’t fit on the glass panel where it’s being installed! You also want to note design details like whether the piece has beveled or square edges, so that you can use one profile throughout the enclosure.

5. Mismatched Shower Hardware

It’s also important to check the finish and sheen of the hardware. For example, polished nickel and brushed nickel look different. The color is the same, but polished nickel is shiny, while brushed nickel is much less glossy. You would not want to use both brushed and polished nickel fixtures on the same shower as this would look like a poor matching attempt.

Do you have questions about the shower hardware needed for your enclosure? Give the helpful Glass Simple team a call at (571) 707-7760. Our knowledgeable staff is happy to assist, and we can set up business accounts for professional clients to unlock reduced prices.