COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
Bathroom designs have evolved significantly in recent decades to adapt to our ever-changing needs. You might have seen bathtubs as a common fixture in the bathrooms of older homes and apartments, while newer properties typically sport shower cubicles.
This change has become the norm, and it’s not uncommon to see homeowners replace their bathtubs with cubicles to save on bathroom space. If you intend to perform such a renovation in the near future, you might be wondering how to choose shower glass enclosures and doors.
In this guide, we will go over the different types of shower enclosures and doors to help you make the perfect choice for your needs.
Why Choose A Shower Glass Enclosure Over a Curtain?
You might be surprised to learn that shower glass doors and enclosures were introduced as late as 1963. Prior to this, showers enclosures typically featured tile walls with a curtain covering the entrance. While some people still use curtains for their shower cubicles, many have shifted to the use of glass enclosures.
Some reasons why a shower glass enclosure is preferable to a shower curtain include:
Aesthetic
The most obvious reason to choose a shower glass enclosure is aesthetic. Glass has a sleek and modern appearance to it that shower curtains simply can’t compete with.
You can definitely deck out your shower cubicle with a colorful shower curtain that displays a nice pattern. However, this pales in contrast to the luxurious appearance that clear glass provides. Glass also works well with just about any bathroom color scheme or fixture. The same can’t be said about shower curtains.
Keeping Your Bathroom Dry
Shower glass also does a great job of keeping your bathroom dry. If you have ever showered in a cubicle with a shower curtain, you might have noticed the curtain’s bottom swing outwards from the shower stream striking it. This creates a gap that water can pass through and wet your bathroom floor.
Such issues aren’t likely with shower glass enclosures because they are solid. Your cubicle’s glass door isn’t likely to swing open, even when your shower stream is aimed directly at it. The seal it provides also ensures that little to no water ever escapes the enclosure. This keeps your bathroom nice and dry and reduces the possibility of dangerous wet patches being created during your shower.
Durability
Shower curtains are made from thin fabrics that are designed to be light and easy to fold up. This is useful because you can move the curtain to the side to enter and exit your shower space easily. However, such thin fabrics also tend to lack durability.
It’s not uncommon for shower cubicles to rip and tear over time. For example, some people accidentally rip their shower curtains by grabbing them for support after slipping in the shower. Therefore, you might need to replace your shower curtains each year.
Shower glass doors are far more durable because they are made from solid glass that doesn’t break under ordinary circumstances. In fact, shower glass is designed to be four times as strong as ordinary window glass. This means you won’t have to worry about replacing your shower glass door for many years.
Hygiene
Bathroom fixtures are generally designed with hygiene in mind. For example, bathrooms generally have tiled floors because they are easier to clean than wood floors or carpets. Similarly, toilets and sinks have smooth and hard surfaces that are easy to wipe down regularly. Glass shower enclosures follow this same trend by sporting smooth non-porous surfaces that can be cleaned easily.
Shower curtains, on the other hand, can be very unhygienic. This is because shower curtain fabrics often have rough and porous surfaces that become breeding grounds for bacteria. You might not be able to clean these curtains as easily as you could clean your shower glass.
For this reason, shower glass doors and enclosures are far more hygienic than curtains.
How to Choose the Perfect Shower Glass Enclosure?
Choosing the perfect shower glass enclosure can be a challenging task if you are unfamiliar with this process. The good news is that the steps outlined below should offer some valuable guidance on the subject.
1. Review Your Budget
It is important to review your budget whether you are planning to install a shower glass enclosure in a new bathroom or intend to replace an existing tub with a shower cubicle. After all, your budget will determine your financial limitations for the project.
A shower cubicle is a significant part of any bathroom, so you should set aside a good portion of your bathroom renovation budget for it. As a rule of thumb, it generally costs around $1,000 to complete the installation itself.
You will then need to calculate how much money you have left for the actual cubicle fixture itself and plan your selection accordingly. Glass shower enclosures can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand depending on their size and shape.
For example, a shower cubicle with solid walls on three sides will be relatively affordable as you will need to install only a shower glass door. However, if you opt for a corner shower cubicle, you will need to pay for a shower glass door as well as glass panels for the enclosure’s glass walls. This design type will be pricier than the previous one.
2. Determine Your Bathroom’s Size
As mentioned earlier, many people replace their existing bathroom tubs with shower cubicles to help save on space. This is because a shower cubicle is designed to be used while standing. However, these shower spaces can also greatly vary in size.
If you have a relatively small bathroom, the shower cubicle you fit into it might not be large enough to spread your arms in. On the other hand, you might have ample space for a shower enclosure that you can move around in. Some people even install seating platforms in large shower cubicles to make it easier for seniors and disabled individuals to shower.
If you do decide to go with a large shower glass enclosure, you should be prepared to spend more money due to the amount of material required to build it.
3. Consider the Shower Enclosure Style
Once you understand how large your shower enclosure should be, you should think about which style you would prefer. So far, we have used the term “shower enclosure” interchangeably with “shower cubicle”. However, the truth is that a shower enclosure doesn’t necessarily need to sport a cuboid shape.
While most shower cubicles feature flat glass panels, it is also possible to find curved shower enclosures with sliding doors that fit neatly into corners. Such cubicles don’t have sharp edges and are ideal for small bathrooms with limited space.
If you’d rather go for a cuboid glass shower enclosure, you can choose from many types, such as those with framed, semi-framed, or frameless doors. Let’s examine what each of these styles mean.
Framed Shower Glass Doors
Framed shower glass doors typically have a heavy-duty metal frame around each edge. This metal keeps the door steady, which reduces the likelihood of the glass panel breaking. Such protection also means that framed shower glass door panels can be thinner than frameless versions, which makes them cheaper.
The frame’s protection also means these doors can be fixed to a shower enclosure gap above any type of material without requiring special hinges. This design also tends to be watertight, so you won’t need to worry about water escaping through gaps.
The downside of this design is that it looks relatively outdated compared to modern frameless designs. The frames can also develop mildew over time because they are harder to clean. The metal in these frames may also rust over the course of many years.
Semi-Frameless Shower Glass Doors
Semi-framed or semi-frameless shower doors share some of the advantages and drawbacks of framed and frameless shower glass doors. Such doors typically feature a metal frame around their top and bottom portions.
This means they have the stability of framed glass doors and can consist of thinner glass that is cheaper than the thick glass used in frameless glass doors. Their frameless sides also give them a sleeker and more modern look than fully framed shower doors.
Semi-frameless shower doors still experience issues with rust and mildew. However, such issues might be less significant due to the limited amount of metal on the door.
Frameless Shower Glass Doors
Frameless shower doors typically do not feature any metal on their edges. Such shower doors have a luxurious modern appearance that gives the shower cubicle a prestigious “all glass” appearance.
These doors are made from thick glass to compensate for their lack of a frame. Their frameless designs can also be cleaned easily and you won’t have to worry about mildew or rust building up along their edges.
Frameless shower doors do require special hinges for their installation, and this can drive up installation costs. Their thick glass also makes them more expensive than framed varieties.
4. Choose a Handle Type
You might consider your shower enclosure’s handle to be an afterthought, but it could impact its overall look as well as its usability.
There are many different shower door handle types to choose from. However, you should generally choose the one that suits your enclosure style. Some factors to consider when you are choosing your shower door handle include:
Material
Shower door handles come in many material types. This includes metals such as brass, nickel, and chrome. Brass has a traditional look that could work well for bathrooms with a vintage appearance. Nickel and chrome handles look more modern, and work well in bathrooms with neutral colors.
It is also possible to find shower door handles made from materials such as acrylic. Such handles can be clear to match the glass door’s clear appearance, which makes them great for frameless doors.
Shape
Shower door handles typically feature a back-to-back design, meaning that handles of the same shape are typically used on either side of the shower door glass. These shapes can vary greatly depending on your preference.
A large proportion of shower door handle designs are curved. Such handles feel good to grip and work well with both swinging and sliding shower door styles.
Some shower door handles feature right angle edges. These “square” designs have relatively sharp edges, which could pose a safety hazard for children or seniors. However, such square designs look great for swinging shower door designs.
What you need to know before selecting a Glass shower for your Colorado Springs Bathroom
Why Choose Judd’s Glass
As you can see, there are plenty of considerations to keep in mind when you are choosing the perfect shower glass enclosure for your bathroom. The above guide should help you narrow down your choices significantly and pick one that suits your needs. However, you might still need some assistance at the end of the day.
If you need help with choosing a shower glass enclosure and door, please contact Judd’s Glass and Mirror. We offer high quality custom glass shower enclosures. This includes those with framed and frameless shower door designs. Our Colorado Springs shower glass experts can visit your home and assess which style works best based on your current bathroom setup. They can then complete the entire shower glass enclosure installation for you.
Judd’s Glass and Mirror of Colorado Springs has been offering services to residents Teller, El Paso, Chaffee, and Park countries for over four decades. We have built up an excellent reputation by always providing our clients with high-quality products they can count on. Contact us today to learn why we are considered one of the premier glass and mirror providers in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
Judd's Glass & Mirror is a locally owned provider of replacement & repair of windows, Mirrors, shower glass, commercial glass services to Teller, El Paso, Park, Chafee, Buena Vista Counties in Colorado operated since 1978 through top-notch service at rock-bottom prices.
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