Pro Tips for Avoiding Mistakes when Ordering Hardware for a DIY Shower Door Project
22nd Jan 2024
A DIY glass shower project can be daunting, but with the right skill set you can save money by taking care of this part of your bathroom remodel. Nothing is worse than having a project held up by avoidable errors or realizing you bought the wrong part. These pro tips from the Glass Simple team can help you order the perfect frameless glass shower hardware in terms of both practicality and aesthetics.
1. Measure first, order once.
A towel bar – see options here – serves as both a door handle and a place to hang towels or washcloths. When browsing towel bars, pay close attention to their total length to make sure that a given item will fit within the borders of your door panel. Also allow for the space needed for the holes that must be drilled in the glass for installation. If you find a style that you like, but it won’t fit, see if it is available in shorter lengths, as this is usually the case.
2. Match the edgework.
Hinges and clamps come with square or beveled edges. This is a small detail, but it’s one that you want to match across the entire shower enclosure. Beveled edges have a more traditional look – click for an example – while square edges are more contemporary – see example. All clamps and hinges should match with regard to the edge design.
3. Determine door closure preference.
Shower door hinges typically come factory set for either 90 or 85 degrees of closure. With 85 degrees of closure, the door closes with extra pressure against the vinyl jamb. However, many 90 degree hinges have a pin that can be adjusted to switch to 85 degree closure if preferred. This is a good option if you are unsure about your preference at the time of ordering.
4. Go over these details when replacing a shower door pull.
Sometimes a DIY glass shower project involves repairing and updating the existing enclosure rather than tearing it out and installing a new one. Switching out the pull handle is a relatively easy upgrade, but check these points when ordering a new item.
5. Double check hinge type before ordering.
You will need to choose the finish and profile – square or beveled – of your shower door hinges. However, be sure that you are ordering the right type of hinge for your system. There are three general categories:
6. Consider pros and cons when choosing a door system.
The above tip assumes that your enclosure will have a swinging door. However, some bathroom layouts do not allow a swinging door to open without blocking or striking another appliance. In a case like this, you will need some different hardware. If you like the look of frameless glass, consider a frameless sliding door system . On this type of enclosure the glass door panel hangs from a header and glides along it to open, making it space-efficient.
7. Take care to match hardware finishes.
When ordering various parts of shower enclosure hardware – as well as bathroom hardware in general – pay close attention to the finish of each piece. For instance, polished chrome and brushed chrome are noticeably different finishes. Looking at pictures online, matte black and oil-rubbed bronze hardware may look very similar. However, matte black maintains its appearance with time and use, while oil-rubbed bronze will develop a distinct patina. Double checking these small details will help ensure your happiness with the finished project!
We invite you to check out what Glass Simple has to offer. We have both local pickup and shipping options available. Also, everything on our website is in-stock, and we provide discounted pricing to companies who set up a B2B account with us. Call (571)707-7760 to learn more!