Choosing a Door for Your Glass Shower
Posted on: 20 May 2021
A glass shower enclosure opens up a bathroom and infuses it with an airy feel. Because nowhere is closed to view, the room will appear larger. However, rather than transparent glass, you could install frosted panels that provide privacy in the shower. These obscure panels let soft, diffused light flow around the room, which won't seem so expansive as with clear screens. Another practical factor that you'll need to address when planning a new shower is what door style to install. Two standard options, swinging and sliding doors, are explained below.
Outward Swinging Doors
Once they rotate outwards, swinging doors leave a wide entryway into the shower. The opening equals the width of the actual door. Thus, these doors help those with mobility issues by improving access. The enclosure will need solid and high-quality hinges to carry the door weight. Otherwise, the screen can sag over time. You also need to think about the bathroom layout and space when selecting a door. Outward swinging doors need available floor area in front to open.
Sliding Doors
Sliding shower screens move to the side along tracks at the bottom, though some models are manoeuvred from the top of the glass panel. These screens typically work as bypass doors, with several panels moving on parallel tracks. They'll leave a smaller entryway into the shower, but the doors won't consume open floor area, allowing you more design freedom when planning the layout. Unfortunately, channels along the bottom can collect dirt and water, which will require cleaning if you want to keep mould and mildew at bay.
Thus, which door is best depends on your circumstances. If you prioritise a wide entryway into the shower, a swinging style may be preferable. Alternatively, if your bathroom is cramped, you might wish to preserve scarce open floor space. Sliding doors don't limit your design options as you can compose the layout any way you wish without having to factor in additional space.
Another consideration is how much cleaning you're willing to undertake. Hinged doors often require less cleaning than sliding models with channels that trap moisture. Another factor that influences the cleaning is the degree of framing around the outer edges. Fully framed showers with metal encircling the panels can catch more debris than frameless showers with hinges and large smooth glass areas. Less hardware will let you enjoy a luxury shower with less work. For more information, contact a shower screen company.
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