Things To Know About Frameless Shower Enclosures

A frameless glass enclosure should never utilize “U” channel. A properly templated, manufactured and installed enclosure should be directly bonded to the substraight.

Glass thickness should never be less than 10mm (3/8”). Enclosures greater than 60” width or 84” height should be manufactured with 12mm (1/2”) glass - this will ensure structural rigidity. It is not advisable to mix glass thickness on any given enclosure. A seller who advocates a 3/8” door and ½” panel may be doing so to compensate for lower quality hinges, which lack the capacity to carry a ½” door.

Coatings: Shower Guard, Clear Shield, Endura Shield, etc., are all coatings applied to glass as a soap scum repellent and, while they are effective, they do have there limitations . Before choosing, one should educate themselves as to the merits of the particular product as well as the possible drawbacks.

Hinges, Handles, Fittings: Hardware should be solid brass and of the highest quality. 10mm doors should be designed with 110 lb hinges and 12mm doors with 150lb hinges.

Proper Height: Enclosure height should always be above the showerhead, typically 84” on a standard shower and 72” on a tub enclosure.

Safety: All frameless shower doors must be manufactured with safety tempered glass and should be stamped as such.

Installers: A frameless enclosure requires very exacting standards for fabrication and installation, and thus a certified technician will have a minimum of three years of experience exclusive to shower enclosures.