What is a Frameless Shower Door?
Bathrooms are no longer ordinary bathrooms. They’re a way to get away from the stresses of everyday life. Frameless shower doors have been a big part of the bathroom’s change from a place to clean up to a place to relax. The best frameless shower doors are simple and elegant, and they can either slide or be hinged. (Basco Shower Doors 2020)
Types of Frameless Shower doors
There is no metal frame around the edge of a frameless shower door. They can either slide or open like a door. Either type can be attached to a frame or rail, but the metal doesn’t go all the way to the edge of the door.
Single-sliding
A frameless shower door with one sliding panel has two glass panels, but only one of them moves. They are common in designs that are truly frameless, which means they don’t have a frame or bottom rail. The fixed panel acts as a base for the sliding door in the design. These shower doors are good for bathrooms with a lot of room. You might never need to use the other side of the shower in a big bathroom. These doors are cheaper than frameless shower doors that slide both ways.
Dual-sliding
Both shower doors can slide open or shut in a dual-sliding design. This style is good for medium-or small-sized bathrooms since you may enter from any side. They’re difficult to install and cost more than single-slide doors.
Hinged
Hinged (pivot) frameless shower doors open like bedroom doors by swinging open. Some hinged shower doors only open outward, while others can swing both in and out. Some have a hinge in the middle of the door so that it can be folded like a bi-fold closet door. They can be made with either one or two panes.
Single hinged.
Single-hinged frameless glass shower doors are perfect for small bathrooms. Soap scum and mineral deposits don’t get trapped in the tracks of hinged doors. Instead of a shower curtain, a tub frameless shower door may be fitted. They can be hinged or slide and they can be full or half. These doors are smaller than full-size frameless shower doors, so they cost less. They look sleek like a frameless shower door and are easy to use as a traditional shower/tub combo.
Things to think about when picking the best frameless shower doors
It’s not easy to pick out the best frameless shower door for the bathroom. They come in many different shapes, sizes, and styles. This guide may help you choose the style, door thickness, and hardware for your bathroom.
Door Size
When choosing a shower door, make sure to measure. Wait until the backer board, tiles, and other embellishments are completed before measuring. A word of warning: installing a frameless shower door can be hard and may require extra permits. Unless they have a lot of DIY experience, most people will need help from a professional.
Most frameless shower doors are between 22 and 36 inches wide. Most bathrooms are 72 inches tall, but this might vary.
Pro tip Takeaway: Frameless shower doors must fit to prevent water leaks.
To make sure you get the right-sized door, you need to take several measurements. Height comes first. Take a measurement from the top of the tile or fiberglass on the wall to the floor of the shower. This number tells you how tall a standard door needs to be. If you want an extra-large or custom door, you can measure higher.
Next, measure the door’s full width. Measure the shower opening at the top, middle, and bottom. If these measurements are different, you can use a level to check the angle. In an ideal world, the walls should be parallel. If the walls aren’t exactly parallel, you might be able to adjust the opening with a tapered filler.
You should also measure from the middle to the edge. For sliding shower doors, you’ll need this measurement to make sure the doors line up right.
Consult a professional after collecting measurements about choosing a similarly sized door.
Pro tip takeaway: If you want a hinged door, make sure it can open without hitting anything else in the bathroom.
How thick is the glass?
The thickness of frameless shower doors varies from 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch. Frameless doors may tumble during installation and it doesn’t happen often, but it can happen. As you might guess, the thicker the glass, the less likely it is to break if it falls or gets dropped.
But thick glass is more expensive and, of course, heavier. Some bathrooms may not be strong enough to hold a large glass door that is 1/2 inch thick. Doors of this size might need extra support, or it might not be possible at all. Most of the time, a lighter, 3/8-inch glass door is enough. Also, they are easier to ship and set up.
Material for hardware
In general, you should try to match the hardware in your shower to the rest of the hardware in your bathroom. For clear doors, make sure that the hardware on the inside matches the hardware on the outside.
Most hardware is made of aluminum, stainless steel that has been polished, or a combination of the two. Many shower doors feature black, chrome, nickel, brushed, satin, or matte hardware.
Option to Install Backwards
Shower doors that may be fitted either way can open to the left or right. This option is not on all doors. Make sure before you buy something. You don’t want to get to the door and find it only opens to the left, when you need it to open to the right.
Advantages of glass shower doors without frames
1. It can be used to make any kind of design.
Frameless showers can be made to fit your needs and come in many different styles and sizes. You aren’t stuck with mass-produced standard-sized doors, which give your design more freedom. A frameless shower can be built for either a small walk-in shower or a large spa shower. One of the best things about a no-frame shower over a framed shower is that it can be made to fit your needs
2. It gives doors that are much more useful.
A frameless shower door can be opened both in and out, while a framed shower door can only be opened out.
3. It’s not too hard to clean.
Because you have a frameless shower, you are more likely to clean your bathroom often. It’s easy to clean. The glass in the shower can stand up to the weather. Before you clean the floor, you only need a squeegee for the glass door and walls.
4. The bathroom looks and feels lighter, brighter, and bigger.
A frameless shower reflects natural light, making the bathroom seem larger. Because there isn’t a frame blocking your view, you’ll feel like the space is bigger. Having natural light come into your bathroom can also help you see better and make it look clean and modern.
5. It makes the shower look clean and new.
On a frameless shower, there are no rubber, metal, or other seals that you might find on a shower with a frame.
6. It minimizes mold risks.
Frameless shower doors are less prone to produce mold and mildew since there are no door seals.
7. It’s beautiful to look at.
Frameless showers are a popular choice for people who want their homes to look modern and simple. They don’t look as cluttered as shower doors with metal or rubber seals and aren’t as big as framed showers. They add a touch of luxury to the look of your home as a whole. Frameless shower doors are also stylish and have a classic look that will never go out of style.
8. It makes your property worth more.
People looking to buy a house are interested in the kitchen and bathroom. These two things can have a big effect on how much a house is worth. When your home is being valued, a modern, elegant frameless shower can be a big plus.
What’s wrong with a frameless shower?
Even though a frameless shower has a lot of pros, you should also be aware of its cons. This will help you decide which shower style is best for you.
1. It’s more expensive.
A shower without a frame can cost 4 to 9 times more than a shower with a frame at first. Frameless doors cost extra because they need stronger glass to be sturdy without a frame.
Most no-frame shower designs use 10 mm (or 3/8″ equal) and 1/2′′ shower glass. The thinnest shower glass that can be used for a stable and well-built glass shower door is 10 mm. 10mm shower glass is excellent for those who desire a frameless shower. Frameless shower doors cost extra since they need solid brass hardware.
2. It may cease to function.
A no-frame shower doesn’t have seals around its door to keep it from leaking. If the door wasn’t cut exactly right, there could be spaces between it and other parts of the shower. This can make it possible for water to get on the floor. In certain circumstances, the issue is created by a terrible design. For example, the showerhead pointed towards the door.
3. It doesn’t give as much privacy.
Frameless showers with transparent glass walls might be too exposing for shared bathrooms. You can choose frosted glass if you want a little more privacy, but it can still give you the same modern, open feel.
A frameless glass shower is a terrific way to enhance the aesthetics of a bathroom and a house. With your investment, you get value for money. (New Town Glass Ltd 2020)
Are You Ready to Remodel Your Shower?
To ensure the design works, get a glass installer as soon as possible. You can call Smart Remodeling LLC to talk to someone for free. In over 15 years, we’ve designed and installed glass showers and enclosures.
Please call us at 832-808-8889 if you have any questions. We serve the area around Houston, Texas, and Houston itself.
