Aside from the kitchen, the most-used room in a home is the bathroom. Over the years, we’ve seen bathroom design trends change from bright, colorful tile walls, sinks, and bathtubs; to wallpaper and wainscoting surrounding a soaking tub; to simple, yet elegant features intended to give the homeowner their own private oasis of escape. If you are ready to update your bathroom to incorporate today’s design trends, consider replacing the bathtub altogether with a frameless glass shower. If you’re not certain what a frameless glass shower is, keep reading to learn and also to understand the pros and cons of installing this type of shower enclosure.
What is a frameless glass shower?
Older showers, which can be incorporated into the bathtub or separate, can have a glass door that slides or pulls open and closed, and the homeowner steps over the tub or other barrier to enter the shower. The perimeter of the shower door is trimmed completely around in metal, such as aluminum or chrome, that stabilizes the glass and holds it in place along the front of the bathtub or in the shower space. A frameless shower is usually a standalone shower (that is, separate from the bathtub) enclosed in thick, heavy glass that is attached to a wall and/or ceiling with minimal metal or hardware. These glass walls appear to be large panels of clear glass, and give the entire bathroom a cleaner, more open look and feel.
What are the pros of a frameless glass shower enclosure?
A frameless glass shower looks beautiful in any style bathroom and the glass can be sized to meet your specific space requirements. For example, if your shower is in a corner of the bathroom, you would only need two glass panels to enclose the shower. Or, if one side of your shower is partially enclosed by a half-wall, you can install a glass panel from the top of the wall to the ceiling (or whatever height you want) and then full-size glass panels to enclose the other side(s) that is open. In other words, frameless showers are both versatile and fully customizable, whereas framed shower doors are usually one-size-fits-all. And frameless showers minimize the use of metal, which means there is no channel at the bottom of the framed shower door and less elbow grease is needed when it comes time to clean.
Frameless shower enclosures are available in different styles and with different opening types, which means you can customize them in a variety of ways. Their look and style, while contemporary, is also timeless, as they appeal in terms of both design and function.
What are the cons of a frameless glass shower enclosure?
One con to keep in mind during the decision process is the cost of a frameless shower enclosure, which tends to be higher than the cost of a standard framed shower door. The cost to install a frameless shower enclosure might be higher as well.
Additionally, you will want to ensure the placement of the shower head does not contribute to water leaks where a gap might exist between a less-than-perfectly-measured-and-cut glass panel and the wall or floor. In this area, a framed shower door might perform better.
Lastly, and in spite of frameless glass shower doors being highly durable, they have, on rare occasion, been known to shatter. This might happen if the glass is not properly installed or if there is damage to, or imperfections in, the glass.
Sovereign Construction Services is a full-service home construction and remodeling company. If you are thinking of redoing your bathroom and want to learn more about the pros and cons of frameless glass shower enclosures, contact owner Steve Rush for a free consultation. Steve is highly experienced in bathroom renovations and happy to discuss options with you. Call him today at 610-639-2986.