Shower Doors
Part 1- The Basics (this page)
Part 2 - Measuring & Installing Shower Doors
Part 1 - The Basics
When installing any type of shower, provisions must be made to make sure the water stays in the shower area. This can be most easily accomplished by use of either a shower curtain or a shower door.
Shower curtains have the advantage of being generally inexpensive and easily replaced, but their disadvantages are that they are hard to clean; they lack durability and wear out rather quickly. Light doesn't penetrate them well. Most important, they're also usually inefficient at holding water in the shower.
Fixed doors solve all of these problems.
Shower doors are sold in a variety of configurations depending on the opening that they are designed to cover. This may be the opening over a tub, the open side of a one-piece enclosure, or the doorway to a custom shower.
Shower doors may operate as sliding (bypass) doors, swinging doors, or a combination of both (bi-fold). The choice depends largely on personal preference, but also on the layout of the bathroom.
ADA compliant shower doors do not have a bottom track and must provide barrier free access. For wheel chair access, safety reasons and/or individual needs, a heavy-weight, hotel style shower curtain could be the best choice.
Sliding Doors
Sliding, or bypass doors are the most common. These doors are sold in two or three sections. They use the least amount of space. They glide in a track, both at top and bottom. Sliding doors are attractive and are easy to care for.
Most problems that occur involve the track, which can be difficult to keep clean. The rollers can wear out or fail over time and may need to be replaced, but quality units can give many years of trouble-free service.
Sliding doors are most frequently mounted over bathtubs because of the length of the opening. They require a space at least twice the width of one door.
A disadvantage of this type is that they restrict access to the tub, making it more difficult to clean and provide an obstacle when bathing children or pets. They can sometimes be difficult to clean thoroughly because they overlap even when closed.
Bi-Fold / Curved Doors
Bi-fold doors are a good choice when the opening is narrow and circumstances don't allow for a large sheet of glass to swing into the bath area. These doors are made in folding sections that open like an accordion and use minimal space, while providing full access to the shower.
Opening inward, bi-fold doors prevent water from dripping onto the bathroom floor.
The disadvantage of bi-fold doors is that they ride in a track like a bypass door, usually at the bottom, and sometimes the twisting movement of the doors causes them to bind and not move freely. The tracks also tend to collect dirt and oils and can be difficult to keep clean.
Like the bi-fold door, curved shower doors offer the advantage of "zero clearance" and are the perfect solution for corner installations.
The door itself is a curved glass panel attached to a frame at both the top and bottom for stability and smooth operation. The door is reversible for right or left access.
The tempered glass door is arced for a full 90°, creating a larger and more spacious shower area than standard corner enclosures
Swinging Doors
Swinging doors are made as wide as 48", but rarely are they more than 36" in width.
When swinging doors are used to cover a wide opening, they're usually combined with matching fixed panels.
In large, spacious baths, a wide swinging door adds a touch of elegance and grandeur, but care must be given to ensure that the door doesn't swing into sinks, towel bars, doorknobs, or other barriers that might present a hazard.
Swinging doors may be hinge-mounted or pivoting, and are secured with magnetic catches.
Large, heavy doors are normally hinged, and these hinges can be single action (one direction only), or double-action (swinging both ways).
Safety standards require all single-action hinged doors to open outwards to prevent someone from being trapped inside the shower should he become incapacitated.
A double-action hinged frameless door, on the other hand, may swing both ways.
Framed / Frameless Doors
Doors may be framed or frameless. Framed doors have aluminum framing on all sides of the panels. Frameless have none.
On frameless doors, the handles and hinges are mounted directly through the glass rather than being attached to the frames.
Frameless doors have the advantage of giving a room a larger, more open feeling, and in being easier to clean. Fitted with clear glass, they show off a decorative wall tile or marble.
Because they lack the protection of metal framework, they are usually made of thicker, heavier glass (3/8" to 1/2" vs. 3/16" to 1/4"on framed doors); this gives a feeling of luxury and durability.
When the doors have mounted side panels, those panels are often framed even when the door is not.
Frameless doors are no more dangerous than framed doors. Glass, while being quite fragile, is actually very strong on its edge. Thick tempered glass is extremely durable and difficult to break.
It also becomes safety glass through the tempering process. Should it break, it will shatter into tiny pieces, thus reducing the risk of injury.
The Frames
Frames are generally made of anodized, extruded aluminum.
Anodizing gives the frame a corrosion-resistant surface that is chemically inert, but porous and able to accept dye into the coating. In the final stage of the process, a seal coating is applied that helps retain the color and helps the aluminum to better resist staining and corrosion.
The color can fade over time if exposed to ultraviolet light or to harsh cleaning chemicals, however.
Hard water can leave mineral deposits on the glass or extrusion that can cause spotting; these deposits can be removed by wiping off the door each time it is used.
Any chemical strong enough to remove accumulated mineral buildup will also attack the anodic coating. That is why most manufacturers recommend only Glass Plus or Comet Bathroom Cleaner (not cleanser).
Most manufacturers offer frames in a wide variety of finish colors to match any decor. Frameless doors are typically fitted with polished brass or chrome hardware, although the trend is to even more stylized materials.
Glass Options
Glass is offered in a variety of styles. While they are generally either clear or opaque, several other types are available, from reflective to a choice of patterns.
Obscure is the most popular pattern, but glass may also be fluted, etched, or beveled. Some manufacturers even offer stained glass in some models. Clear glass is popular in some locales, but it should be noted that clear glass is very unforgiving when being cleaned. Streaks and spots are much more obvious than in opaque styles.
Basco sells a number of units specially built to fit specific branded shower enclosures. These also market a special line offering a Quick 'nStall feature, designed to fit a number of typical situations. This system cuts installation time in half and eliminates glazing, because glass panels are snapped into the framework at the factory.
Custom / Specialized Doors
Specialized units are available for neo-corner showers, and for curved showers. Custom Enclosures can be designed in any height, width, and configuration. A number of matching accessories are also available for most units/.
Whether for standard or custom applications, curved shower doors add practicality as well as elegance to any bath.
The tempered glass door of BASCO's Contours is arced for a full 90°, creating a larger and more spacious shower area than standard corner enclosures. The curved glass panel is attached at both the top and bottom for stability and smooth operation.
If the door is to be used for a steam unit (as shown at the right), a transom panel over the door seals the enclosure to the ceiling.
In these cases, regardless of whether a sliding or swing enclosure is preferred, vinyl gaskets are installed between the panels and completely around the unit to keep the steam from escaping.
Considerations
When choosing a shower door, some thought should be given to where to place towel bars where they will be convenient.
Some doors come with integrated towel bars. In these cases, note that towel bars are not substitutes for grab bars. They are not designed for this purpose.
Installation
Whether you are replacing an existing shower door, or building a new shower enclosure, proper measuring is critical for a perfect fit.