You’ve just taken a warm, calming shower. You take a deep breath, feeling clean, refreshed, and relaxed.
You step out of the shower and… your foot lands in a cold puddle. The tranquility is shattered.
It’s moments like these that make quality shower doors so important. If you’re remodeling your bathroom or you’re just sick and tired of your old shower door, we’re here to help you decide on a new one.
Read on to discover tips for choosing the best shower doors for you.
1. Know Your Expectations: Set Standards
Shopping for a shower door is a different experience than shopping
for clothes. You can’t exactly just go out, browse random doors, and
pick one that looks pretty.
This is because all bathrooms are different. So, you need to establish some clear expectations.
Asking (and answering) some questions like these might help with that:
- How much space do I have?
- What is my budget?
- What aesthetic am I going for?
- What level of privacy do I need?
- How accessible does my shower need to be?
It might seem silly, but setting clear standards can help you save time and money when shopping for shower doors.
2. Know Your Space: Make Measurements
One of the most important questions on the above list is, “How much space do I have?”
You don’t want to go falling in love with a shower door, only to realize that it’s not the right size.
Or worse, you could order one with the wrong dimensions on the
internet. Then you’re actually in possession of a useless shower door.
Take careful measurements of your space, and store that information in a safe and accessible place for easy access when shopping.
Be sure to find both the height and width of your current shower door or planned door space. Measure to the nearest 1/16th of an inch.
It is also advisable to measure in several different places. In other
words, measure the width at the top of the shower door, in the middle,
and at the bottom.
Hopefully, all three match up. But if they don’t, go with the biggest measurement.
3. Know Your Frames: Framed vs Frameless Doors
Frameless doors are all the rage when it comes to bathroom trends right now – and for good reason.
Frameless glass shower doors have a number of benefits. For one, they
look nice. Their seamless design is modern and minimalistic.
Plus, they allow you to show off more of your shower’s interior. If
you have one of those gorgeous showers with the patterned, tiled walls,
then a frameless door might be for you.
Last but not least, they are easier to clean and are more
mold-resistant. If you own a framed door or a shower curtain right now,
then you know how susceptible a shower is to mold.
Frameless shower doors, on the other hand, have fewer crevices for
mold to sneak into. And scrubbing is rarely (if ever) required. Simply
wipe the door down with some natural glass cleaner.
But all of this doesn’t mean that frameless doors are the only
choice. You can still find an attractive and functional framed door.
With a framed door, you get the chance to match the metal with other
hardware in your bathroom, like the sink. This can create a more
cohesive style.
Additionally, you have a smaller chance of leaks with a framed door, since the framing acts as insulation.
Can’t make up your mind? That’s okay, because semi-frameless doors are also available.
4. Know Your Glass: Tint, Texture, and Design
Picking a glass type is a big decision when it comes to finding the best shower doors.
For starters, you’ve got tempered glass vs laminated glass. The
majority of shower doors are made with tempered glass, which is the same
kind of safety glass that is used in car windshields.
In rare cases, laminated glass may be used. Laminated glass is made
with a layer of plastic in between, which helps catch any glass if the
door were to break. However, it would be more dangerous if glass did end
up on the floor.
Then you’ve got clear glass vs frosted/opaque glass. On one hand,
clear glass opens up space and makes the room appear larger. On the
other hand, frosted glass gives you more privacy.
If you want privacy but regular opaque glass doesn’t appeal to you,
etched glass is also an option. Etched glass is a combination of clear
and frosted glass, often with patterns and designs.
5. Know Your Budget: Pricing
From the get-go, you should be expecting to spend several hundred dollars on your new shower door.
The cheapest type of shower door is typically the kind that you install on a bathtub. These can range anywhere from $100-$800.
Framed shower doors are a little bit more expensive, usually going for anywhere between $200-$1,000.
It’s true that you might be able to find a frameless door at a
bargain, but most of these are going to fall in the $500-$900 range.
Things really start to get expensive when we bring in custom shower
doors. If your shower has an unusual proportion, this might be your only
option.
But custom shower doors aren’t a curse; they can be a lot of fun.
With a custom door, you know that your bathroom will truly be one of a
kind.
The Possibilities for Shower Doors Are Endless
Finding shower doors that are right for you might seem like an
impossible task. But stick to these tips, and you’ll find the perfect
door to complete your bathroom in no time!
No matter what kind of door you get, one thing is for sure: you’ll want to keep it sparkling. Check out this article for tips on how to keep your new shower door squeaky clean!
