Skip to Content
Glass-Sliding-Shower-Door-with-3_8_-tempered-rain-glass

How to Decide On Clear Vs. Frosted Glass Shower Doors

Shower doors are designed to prevent cold air from entering your shower space during use while containing water to keep your floors dry. While shower curtains are often used for this purpose, custom glass shower doors can be a better option for homeowners who want to add elegance and value to their homes. If you’ve decided to make the switch to glass or if you currently have a glass shower door and want to upgrade it, the next step is choosing between frosted or clear. This can be a big decision, based on budget, personal preference, bathroom size, and privacy needs.

How to Decide On Clear Vs. Frosted Glass Shower Doors 

Choosing the right type of glass for your shower remodel mainly boils down to personal preference. However, you should weigh the pros and cons of each type of glass to help you make your decision based on functional needs, style preferences, and budget.

What Are the Different Types of Shower Doors Available?

There are dozens of shower doors options available, including:

  • Frameless glass shower doors
  • Pivot doors
  • Bypass doors
  • Framed-in
  • Barn doors
  • Neo-angle
  • Bi-fold

Shower doors are a distinctive part of a bathroom’s style and the main focal point. If you’re having a difficult time determining what type of shower door will work best for you and your family, the first step is deciding whether clear or frosted doors will be a good fit based on cost, maintenance needs, privacy needs, and your budget, 

Pros of Clear Glass Shower Doors 

For people that don’t have spacious shower areas, clear glass is the obvious choice. Clear shower glass panels are 100% transparent, lacking any type of opacity. Frameless shower doors with clear glass can provide a sparkly finish and high sheen that can instantly update the look of your bathroom while giving the impression that your bathroom is much larger than it actually is.

Clear glass is a popular option for a couple of reasons:

  • Clear glass can make a bathroom space look larger, allowing more light to flow throughout the space. This can make a bathroom brighter and feel more open.
  • Spot-free, clear glass can make a bathroom look cleaner, more modern, and more elegant.

Cons of Clear Glass Shower Doors

The biggest drawback of clear glass is its maintenance requirements. If you have cleaning issues and cannot stay on top of shower maintenance, transparent shower doors can become a major problem. Daily cleaning, ideally after each shower, is needed to remove streaks and spots. Clear glass doesn’t hide water streaks, water drops, or soap scum, making every small speck of dirt highly visible. Weekly deep cleans and using a squeegee to wipe down the glass after each shower can keep the glass looking pristine. 

Additionally, if you have a large family, privacy can be another major issue, especially in homes with smaller children. Frosted or textured glass can provide more privacy.

Pros of Frosted Glass Shower Doors 

Frosted shower doors are created by applying heated fluorite to the glass. This method results in a refined and soft finish where the glass is melted to create layers that reflect light differently. This reduces the translucency of the glass. Sandblasting is another process used to create frosted glass. With this process, particles are sprayed on the glass at high velocities, stripping off the surface area, and producing a microchipped finish that affects the translucency of the glass.

Since frosted glass masks imperfections, such as fingerprints, drops of water, smudges, splashes of water, water stains, and hard water spots, the glass is very low maintenance, which is a huge bonus for most families.

There are also many design options to choose from. Frosted glass shower panels are available in a variety of patterns and textures, so you can choose a style or pattern that showcases your personal style.

A frosted glass bathroom shower will provide the level of privacy you need if you have small children in the home that need to use the bathroom as you shower.

Cons of Frosted Glass Shower Doors 

If you have a smaller bathroom space, frosted glass doors may not be the right option, making the bathroom feel dark and cramped. Because frosted glass does not allow much light to flow into the shower stall, it can make a space seem much smaller than it is. In a smaller space, frosted glass can also make the bathroom darker, especially if there is limited natural light. This is something you should take into consideration if you plan to sell your home in the future. Many homebuyers pay careful attention to the kitchen and bathrooms in a home. A home with large, spacious bathrooms will be more appealing to potential homebuyers.

Contact the Glass Experts at GCS Glass & Mirror 

As you can see, both clear glass and frosted glass can impact the entire look of your bathroom. Before you make a final decision, consider bathroom size, natural light, privacy needs, and budget. At GCS Glass and Mirror, our glass contractors and design team can help you choose the right type of shower glass for your custom frameless glass shower door and enclosure, creating the bathroom you've always dreamed of while adding value and functionality to your home. Contact GCS Glass and Mirror today!




If you enjoyed this article, check out these other articles about Custom Mirrors:
The Magic of Minimalism: How Frameless Glass Enhances Interior Design

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 & Mirror 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

Get Started Today & Have a Quote in 5 Minutes or Less

We pride ourselves in having fast and professional staff that are always ready to help you with your next project.

Get A Quote
GCS Commercial Van