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, 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 today!