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Panel, door, and panel shower glass layout in a bathroom

How to Buy Custom Frameless Glass Shower Doors

Bathrooms are one of the costliest rooms in the home to remodel. However, many homeowners have discovered that remodeling just the shower area in their bathrooms can prove to be a more cost-effective option and one that can instantly upgrade and change the look and feel of their bathroom. If you follow bathroom renovation trends across the country, then you probably already know that frameless shower doors are in and have taken the place of the outdated framed shower doors that have fallen out of favor. Frameless glass shower door enclosures have the power to turn an outdated and basic bathroom into an elegant retreat, and for a fraction of what you would pay for a total bathroom remodel.

Beautiful Glass Shower Doors for Your Bathroom Upgrade Project

With the lack of a metal frame, a frameless glass shower door provides a sleek, clean, and modern look that’s easy to maintain. The lack of the frame allows for an unobstructed view of the shower areas, which adds an aesthetic dimension to an otherwise basic bathroom and makes it appear more spacious and elegant.

Cleaning and maintaining their flawless look is also virtually hassle-free. There’s no chance of rust, mold, soap scum, or mildew accumulation since there’s no metal frame or rubber in the door’s design.

But their functionality, low maintenance design, and aesthetic appeal aren’t the only reasons these doors are so popular.

Design Flexibility

A frameless shower door fits in well with contemporary bathroom designs, regardless of bathroom size.

If you want to do a total bathroom remodel, then you’ll have more flexibility in terms of choosing a new glass shower enclosure. If you’re replacing an existing shower door, you will need to consider the size of your shower area, including the room needed for the door’s movement and the size of the bathtub. You should also have your current plumbing inspected to determine if anything needs to be replaced.

Accurate Measurements are a Must

Before you explore your design options, you must take precise measurements. Accurate measurements will pinpoint how much space you have to work with, can help you determine which type of door and enclosure is compatible with your bathroom's layout, or it can indicate you need a company that offers custom frameless shower doors. Custom shower doors are fabricated with your bathroom's available space in mind. Without perfect measurements, you may end up with a door with poor clearance or one that cannot achieve a perfect seal.

Bathroom Design

Bathroom space is everything. If you have a smaller master or guest bathroom, the goal is to maximize every inch of bathroom space and install a shower door enclosure that makes the most of the space you have, while adding to its functionality. Frameless shower doors are a great option for bathrooms of all sizes, depending on your personal style preference.

Shower Layout

The layout of the shower will help you decide on a shower setup that will work with the space available and your bathroom's design, making the room flow well, while maximizing space.

Door

A glass shower door can open to the right or left and the hinges can be attached to another pane of glass or a wall, depending on your shower’s layout.

Walls

For most shower shapes you can have a variety of half and full walls. Once you’ve selected a shower shape, an expert glass installer can show you the most common configurations to help you choose one that will work the best for you.

Frameless Glass Shower Door Designs

Choosing a shower design will impact the look and feel of your bathroom. Depending on the width of the bathtub or shower area, you can choose a hinged or sliding door. Hinged doors can have a door with a panel or a simple single-door design.

90-Degree Frameless Glass Doors

90-degree shower doors feature two glass sides that meet at a right angle to form a rectangle or square.

Neo Angle Shower

A neo-angle shower door is diamond-shaped with two tile walls and three glass sides.

Single Doors

Single glass shower doors are commonly installed on shower stalls and are usually the only glass element on a shower enclosure, with tile on the three remaining sides. A single door is perfect for smaller spaces or stand-in showers.

Door and Panel

A door and panel shower is perfect for showers that have an opening that’s greater than 33 inches. The single door is combined with a knee-in or full glass panel.

Sliding Shower Doors

Sliding shower doors are possible if you work with an experienced glass contractor that offers custom glass doors.

Bypass Sliding Shower Doors

A bypass sliding door features a square bar and a two-rail design that allows both glass panels to bypass each other.

Barn Door Slider

To create an opening, the barn door slider moves a single panel over the other. However, unlike a bypass sliding door design which is equipped with two rails and a square bar, with a barn door slider, a round bar is installed that only allows the barn door to slide.

Steam Showers

All shower shapes can be built with a transom at the top or a full enclosure that you can open to allow steam to escape or it can be closed to trap the steam inside.

Shower Door Glass Options

The type of glass you choose will depend on personal preference and the look you want to achieve.

Typically, you’ll have a few options:

Clear and Ultra-Clear

Clear glass looks stylish and can give a small bathroom a more spacious look. The interior of the shower is easily visible, making clear glass a great choice for showers with beautiful tilework.

Frosted

You can also choose frosted glass for your frameless shower doors. Frosted glass doors feature an opaque finish and are commonly chosen for the added level of privacy. Frosted glass also doesn’t require as much upkeep as clear glass shower doors.

Patterned

Patterned glass for frameless shower glass doors is available in a variety of etched patterns, including rainfall or raindrop. Patterned glass is also more translucent compared to frosted.

Glass Thickness

A frameless glass shower door is made out of sturdy, thick tempered glass. Unlike a framed door, these doors are not supported by a frame or any metal panels. The only metal elements on a frameless door are the handles and hinges. Typically, the glass used to make these doors ranges from ⅜’ to ½’ thick, which makes the doors structurally strong.

Essential Hardware Finishes and Colors

The right hardware colors and finishes can tie a room together and allows your new shower enclosure to blend well with your existing bathroom decor.

You’ll have your choice of:

  • Polished chrome hardware
  • Brushed nickel
  • Oil rubbed bronze
  • Matte black
  • Satin brass

Hinges

You’ll also have your choice between pivot hinges or side mount hinges. Pivot hinges are affixed to the top and bottom of the shower door. Side-mounted hinges are similar to the hinges used on the interior doors in a home.

Handle Designs

Available handle designs include:

  • Pulls
  • Square knobs
  • Round knobs

Mounting Options

You can choose between channel or clamp mounting options.

Channel

The channel option utilizes a u-shaped strip of metal that’s the same length as the glass edge. The glass is slotted in place with the channel secured to the floor and walls.

Clamps

The clamps are affixed to the walls and the floor of the shower and clamp the glass in place.

Let the Installation Pros Handle this Type of Complex Remodel

While some homeowners are tempted to try the DIY approach, installing frameless glass shower doors is much more complex than most people think. One small mistake, such as inaccurate measurements, or mounting the glass incorrectly, can result in high costs and project delays. Installation pros with significant experience working with showers of all shapes and sizes know what will work for your bathroom and what won’t.

Meeting with a glass contractor can end up saving you time, stress, and money. You can discuss your style preferences, space concerns, and explain exactly how you want your shower to look. A company that fabricates its own frameless glass shower doors is a huge plus since they can ensure your new glass door and enclosure fit your bathroom perfectly. You’ll also have more options in terms of design, hardware styles, and hardware finishes.

Get a Quote from Shower Door Experts

Any reputable glass company will offer a free quote. This will give you a good idea of what you can anticipate in terms of installation and fabrication costs. If you’re on a budget, getting a quote is a must.

Always Look at a Glass Company’s Work Portfolio

Most shower door companies will have their work portfolio readily available online.

Looking at a company’s portfolio will not only give you more style ideas but will also give you a clear idea of whether the company is capable of creating the bathroom of your dreams.

At GCS Glass, we’re proud of the beautiful glass shower enclosures and shower doors we’ve created and installed for our clients all over the state. If you need a team of experienced glass contractors that can deliver the results you’re looking for, our portfolio speaks for itself.

Are You Ready for Your New Frameless Glass Shower Door?

Installing a new glass shower door and enclosure can drastically change the look and feel of your bathroom. It can give you that small piece of paradise at home, one you’ll look forward to relaxing in after a long day at work. If you’re ready for this important bathroom upgrade, contact the experts at GCS Glass today for a free quote. We offer competitive prices, fast and expert installation, and excellent customer service for the best customer experience. We can meet with you to discuss your design options, budget, and turn your vision of a dream bathroom into a reality. Contact us today to learn more.




If you enjoyed this article, check out these other articles about Glass Showers:
Common DIY Fixes for Frameless Shower Doors & When to Call the Pros

What People Are Saying About Us

I did everything from my iPhone! Easy peasy!

The team at GCS was so easy to do business with. I did everything from my iPhone. I received quotes for my project with options to choose from. We scheduled appointments by text. Measurements were precise and the glass install looks great. When it was all done I made payments through an app on my phone. Easy peasy.

– Philip Capizzi

Very Accommodating!

Just had our new shower glass and frame installed and we are very pleased. Brendan and Tyler did a great job and we really appreciated them working around the other flooring project we had going on at same time. Very accommodating. The glass and framework looks great. I'm looking forward to using the shower tomorrow with the new look. VERY pleased. The company is very responsive, quick to come out and measure, and got the job done. Thanks!

– Steve Gerhart

A Great Experience!

A great experience from the first estimate, measuring and install. Really well priced and was surprised at how quickly the shower doors were delivered and installed an entire week early. Was very pleased with the entire experience from start to finish.

– Kathleen Ruhl

Super Fast Turnaround Time!

I found this company after looking at many top-rate glass companies in Denver and seeing that I had to fill out forms and wait for them to get back to me. Some took days, and others have yet to call or email back. GCS was easy to text in from the website and talk to someone and get a quote rather quickly with examples over the text message. Within a few mins, I had a quote and an appointment set! That's how you earn the business! Make the initial request EASY and prove what the client is looking for! They were on time for every appointment and were professional. The glass took a few weeks to arrive, but the team kept us in the loop via text and never missed a detail. We are so happy with our choice, and the glass looks fantastic! They even added a complimentary glass coating to keep the soap scum at bay for two years. I'm starting a new project and will use them again in the next few weeks! Highly recommend.

– Alex Tooke

Look No Further!

No need to search any further for a new shower door. Not only is GCS very fair on pricing (believe me, I did my due diligence) but their customer service is out of this world (so rare these days). From working with Chance on pricing, Austin on installing, and Tom on measuring and follow through, everyone was extremely professional. Tom is a perfectionist in the best of ways. His attention to detail is reflective in the quality of work. Thanks team!

– Caitlin Kinnett

Best Experience Ever!

We had the best experience work with GCS Glass! We knew going in some of our product was on back order and would take awhile. We were so impressed with GCS Glasses communication! They always communicated what was going on every time they got an update. We never felt like they “forgot about us” because they were in constant contact. Their workers were great and professional. Price wise they were slightly cheaper than competing companies. We could not be happier with this company.

– Jessica Laue-Flint

Highly Recommend Company

I would highly recommend this company for your shower door. Brandon was quick to respond to my request for quote. He provided excellent details about the options and prices including pictures, all in text so was very convenient.

– Teresa Hastings

Professional staff, Outstanding installers

GCS Glass is the premier company in AZ. Professional staff, outstanding installers. I ordered 3/8" Starphire clear tempered glass, brushed nickel hinges and hardware to match my bathroom fixtures. Emily sent me a detailed invoice with photos of the hardware. This was the finishing touch to the custom bathroom I built. If you want the absolute best GCS will deliver.

– Mark Plennes

Smooth Process, Amazing Quality

We absolutely Love our Glass from GCS Glass Supply. The whole process went so smoothly and the quality is Amazing. Joe and Tim were very responsive each step in the process. The install by Junior and Camden was above our expectations. They were very polite, clean and provided quality craftsmanship. Many thanks GCS Glass. Best regards, Jim & Susan M.

– Jim Mohrig

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