What You Should Know Before You Buy Glass Shower Doors

If you want to add a touch of modern elegance to your bathroom but can’t afford a complete remodel, you should consider installing glass shower doors.  Immediately, you will notice a change in your bathroom décor.  However, before you decide to install glass shower doors, there are few things that you should know.

Many people are apprehensive about installing glass in their bathroom.  Everyone has dropped a glass or bottle at some point in their lives and watched it shatter on the floor.  Wouldn’t it stand to reason that a glass shower door would be prone to the same kind of breakage?  Glass doors, especially the frameless variety, can be up to ½ inch thick.  At this thickness, glass will very rarely break, and certainly not if you or your child accidentally slips and falls into it.  If you are still concerned about the durability of your glass shower door, you can always opt for the framed variety.  This encases the edges of the door in a metal frame that can add stability.  However, glass is strongest along its edge and so the lack of a frame doesn’t translate to a lack of safety.

When you decide to replace your shower curtain with glass shower doors, you also need to know that glass requires a lot of cleaning.  With a shower curtain you can often get away with soaking it in a tub of hot water, running on the gentle cycle, or even just replacing the whole thing if cleaning it gets too arduous.  Shower doors are a life time investment and therefore need to be kept clean.  

For starters, you can get an after shower cleaning spray and use it after each wash.  This will keep down the everyday soap scum stains.  If you decide you want a clear glass shower door, know that every single water droplet will be visible.  Keeping the door clean with a streak-free finish can be a time consuming job.  This chore is lessened if your glass has a pattern to it.  Even that requires scrubbing at least once every two months with a mildly acidic solution such as lemon juice or vinegar to break up hard water and soap stains.

Keep in mind that glass shower doors are heavy.  This is more important if you are planning on installing it yourself.  However, should it pop off the track, you would need professional assistance to reinstall it.  This problem can be alleviated by substituting traditional glass for a clear plastic composite called plexi-glass.  Plexi-glass is lighter and also nearly 100% break proof.

Glass shower doors are also transparent.  Even if you choose a heavily clouded model they will never be completely opaque.  If you feel that this lack of privacy does not work well with your living situation or modesty, a glass shower door might not be the right choice for you.

Now that you know that glass shower doors are durable, require diligent cleaning, heavy, and semi-transparent, you can make an informed decision about their installation in your bathroom.

About the author

Jacob Houser is an expert on Shower Doors and has been working in the Field for the past 15 years. For more information on Glass Shower Doors please visit: http://www.abcglassandmirror.com

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