Are you finally ditching the shower curtain in favor of glass doors? This is an effective way to improve a bathroom, but it’s crucial to choose the right type of door for your décor and practical needs. We’ll take a close look at several options, the hardware used by each, and their pros and cons.

  

---

 

Glass Shower Door Basics

There are certain characteristics that glass shower doors share, regardless of their specific type. For one thing, they are almost always made of tempered glass. Annealed glass breaks more easily and forms more hazardous shards, so its use is forbidden by building codes. In situations of high risk, laminated glass is sometimes utilized instead of tempered because it stays intact even if it gets broken. Along with the glass, metal components are used to hold the glass in place and allow the door to operate. The specific pieces of hardware needed depend on the look and functionality you want for the door and overall enclosure.

 

Hinged Glass Shower Doors

If you want to dress up the bathroom, replacing a curtain and liner with one or more swinging shower doors is a great way to achieve this. A traditional approach is to use wall-mount hinges or glass-to-glass hinges to attach the side of the door to the tiled wall or glass panel next to it. Doors can seal when closed if these hinges are used, and their look is timeless. If you want a hinged door with more contemporary flair, consider pivot hinges. Instead of attaching to the side of the door, pivot hinges connect the glass to surfaces above and beneath the door. These hinges are more low-profile, so they are a favorite if you want to highlight the glass more than the metal. Also keep in mind that doors closed with pivot hinges do not seal. Whichever type of hinges you’re considering, know that a swinging door will need sufficient clearance to open out into the bathroom. If a swinging door in your bathroom would hit the toilet or block access to the sink, consider the option we’re going to discuss next.

 

Frameless Sliding Glass Shower Doors

Rolling shower door hardware kits allow you to use the same unframed glass that is usually installed on the swinging doors discussed above. However, the door does not swing out into the bathroom but instead moves along a header bar on rollers. This type of shower door is perfect for bathrooms where the toilet or vanity is near the shower entrance. However, keep in mind that this door operation requires more hardware and moving parts, so cleaning and upkeep are likewise more involved. As in the case of hinged doors, you can personalize the look of the enclosure through your choice of glass style, hardware style, and metal finish.

  

---

 

Do you need frameless glass shower hardware for your business or for a DIY project? While we offer reduced prices to B2B accounts, Glass Simple also makes it easy for homeowners to order our products by not requiring account creation or an order minimum. Call today at (571)707-7760!