Once you’ve decided on a new glass shower enclosure for your bathroom, there are still plenty of decisions to make: 

• door type
• glass style
• hardware style
• hardware finish
• layout 

In this piece, we will focus on three of the most popular options for the shower door itself: rolling along a bar, swinging on side mounted hinges, and pivoting on pivot hinges. Each option has its own features, pros, and cons. After delving into their respective characteristics it will be easier to determine which one is best for your design objectives and practical considerations.

 

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Frameless Rolling Glass Shower Doors

 Rolling shower doors are an answered prayer for those looking for both frameless glass AND excellent space efficiency. However, their sleek look and ease of operation make them an appealing option even if there is plenty of clearance around the shower’s entrance. Key characteristics of this type of shower enclosure include: 

• Panels of unframed tempered glass
• A bar that extends across the top of the enclosure
• Rollers on the bar
• Either one door panel beside a stationary panel or two rolling panels 

Components for this kind of glass shower include a kit with frameless sliding shower door hardware, such as one of these, as well as pieces of heavy glass cut to the appropriate dimensions. Options for customizing the door include your choice of pull handle and hardware finish.

 

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Swinging Doors on Side Hinges

As long as there is enough clearance around the entrance to the shower, you can also consider one or two swinging doors with side mounted hinges. Depending on the layout of the bathroom and shower, the door panel(s) will either attach to the bathroom wall (wall mount hinges) or to an adjoining piece of fixed glass (glass-to-glass-hinges). Configurations include an in-line door and panel enclosure which has one swinging door next to a stationary piece of glass as well as French doors. Wall mount and glass-to-glass hinges allow the door to seal when shut, and their look is classic.

 

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Pivoting Door on Pivot Hinges

 Some home decorators prefer to keep the focus on the glass as much as possible. Pivot hinges are less prominent than side mount hinges, but they don’t allow the door to seal. These hinges attach the upper edge of the door to the surface above it and the lower edge of the door to the surface below it. If the enclosure does not go all the way to the ceiling, a header can be installed as an alternative upper surface. The hinges create a pivot point from which the door opens and closes, and the overall look is more modern.

 

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Which type of door would work best for your bathroom upgrade? Glass Simple offers hardware for all three types, and we are happy to work with contractors and glass companies as well as DIYers. Our Virginia based team is ready to answer questions, help business clients unlock lower prices with a B2B account, or take your order – (571)707-7760.