Home designer blogs and online magazines can be fantastic sources of glass shower design ideas, and you’ll see many installations worth drawing inspiration from. However, you’ll also come across designs that are unsafe, impractical, or destined to cause problems down the road. At Glass Simple, our team has many decades of experience working in the glass industry. We also draw from the expertise of the glaziers at our sister company, which does shower doors and other custom glass, to bring you professional tips and insights for your glass shower project.

No-No #1. Building a Glass Enclosure with Unbelievably Few Pieces of Hardware

If you see a picture of a shower that seems to be almost truly “all glass” with hardly any metal fasteners, beware. Not everything that can be done should be done. It’s possible to construct a very low-metal glass shower that will hold up initially, but if industry standards were ignored the structure may fail over time.

For example, you may wish to avoid using a header bar across the top of your enclosure due to a wish for an “all glass” look. However, there are particular guidelines in place that dictate when a header is needed for stability, rigidity, and longevity. For example, if the width of the overall enclosure exceeds 88-7/16” a header should be used.

Similarly, it is crucial to use the correct hardware for your situation, For instance, if a fixed panel will have a door hinged off it, it must either be attached to the ceiling or bulkhead or be made of 1/2" glass instead of 3/8”. 1/2" glass, in turn, requires the use of a heavy duty hinge.

No-No #2. Just Replacing Your Shower Curtain with a Glass Splash Panel

If you’re replacing a shower curtain with glass for the first time and working on a budget, the idea of a splash panel can be appealing. It’s just one piece of glass, typically hinged or clamped to the bathroom wall. This means the cost is lower, and the open entrance helps the bathroom and shower/tub area seem more spacious. However, leaving the entrance open means that some water will escape, especially if it’s a shower-only stall without a tub wall. For a splash panel to be practical, you’d also need to do a fair bit of waterproofing in the bathroom itself to prevent potential issues like mildew growth, and even rot.

No-No #3. Installing a Glass Shower that Is Impractical in a Modestly Sized Bathroom

Finally, it’s possible to fall in love with a glass shower design that is flawless and still go wrong. That’s because it might be flawlessly built and suitable for the bathroom in which it’s installed but not right for your space. A common issue is trying to add upgrades that don’t work in a modestly sized space. For instance, there is a movement toward having a soaker tub and a separate glass shower as well as a trend of having a free-standing tub and a shower area both housed in a large enclosure. This is fine and good if the bathroom is large enough to comfortably accommodate these layouts. However, trying to squeeze these designs into a tight space can lead to problems including:

• A swinging door that hits the toilet or vanity when opened.
• An uncleanable gap between the tub and the glass or another fixture.
• Trip hazards.
• A crowded space that is inconvenient to use.

Instead, choose something proportionate to your space. This could be a tub/shower combo with glass doors or even just a glass corner shower with no tub.

Do you want pro tips and guidance choosing hardware for your shower project? Give Glass Simple a call at (571)707-7760 and speak to one of our knowledgeable customer care specialists.