Approach to Designing a Custom Glass Shower Door

Written by Central Glass Company on August 28, 2019. Posted in Uncategorized

When shower stalls and tubs need enclosing, homeowners typically opt for glass enclosures. Glass enclosures are luxurious and easy to maintain. A main feature of glass enclosures is the door.

If you want a custom glass enclosure, look into designing a customized door. The first step is to decide what kind of door you need. A main driver of the decision is the type of door needed, be it a glass shower stall or a shower and tub combination. Below are some main steps for further planning the customized door.

Your decision on a door type will drive the second planning step. Generally speaking, walk-in shower enclosures take a swinging door. The contractors attach the glass door to the wall or adjacent glass panel with hinges. The hinges can be discreet or visible. With a framed shower enclosure, the hinges are usually in the metal of the frame.

With the shower and tub combination, you often see sliding glass doors. One option is to mount wheels to the top of the door. The wheels slide along a track bar. The glass panel can also go on tracks, which provide the mechanism for sliding.

Hinged doors are less common with shower and tub combinations. However, if you design a custom glass enclosure for your tub, you could specify a swinging door. Such doors typically feature a more transparent profile, which is ideal if you want to show off tile work in your stall.

A hybrid option is the bi-fold shower door. The corners of the framed door attach to tracks. However, the center of the door is hinged. So, you open the door accordion style. Bi-fold doors are recommended for times when you’d want a hinged door but lack the clearance space. Such doors are for both walk-in showers and tub enclosures.

For a custom shower door, the glass offers a range of options.

Safety

Glass for bathroom projects is typically tempered, which is a heating process that changes the physical structure of the glass at the molecular level. The end result is that the glass doesn’t shatter into shards but rather into smooth pebbles. This makes it safer for high-use areas such as a shower stall.

Color

Standard glass for bathroom projects features a minimal undertone of green. The green hue is from the iron oxide in the silica that makes the glass. Most homeowners don’t even notice the tinge. However, you can choose low-iron glass that produces perfect transparency.

On the other hand, manufacturers can add different ingredients to color the glass. The colorants are usually metals and metal oxides that result in deliberately tinted glass. Smoked glass, which is charcoal-colored, is a sleek alternative for a custom shower door.

Patterns

Glass also comes in different pattern options. You might be familiar with frosted glass, which features designs from abrasions on the surface. Etched glass is similar, though the designs are often more elaborate. Glass can also come with three-dimensional patterning.

The hardware that goes into your door can make a big difference in its appearance. Obviously, if you want frameless glass, the attachment fixtures are supposed to be invisible. With fully framed enclosures, your main choice in hardware will be the style and color of the framing. To that end, look for framing that complements colors and styles in the rest of your décor.

A main area of customization comes in the shower handle. Your choices can range from minimalist to highly decorative. Generally, your choices are between back-to-back pulls, single-mount pulls, and knobs. Knobs are the most discreet option. Back-to-back and single-mount pulls add more style. You see sleek C-pull designs, crescents, and elaborate ladder pulls.

Augment your beautiful new shower or tub enclosure with a customized glass door. Visit with the experts at Central Glass Company for more advice.