How Do I Choose a Shower Glass Door?
Glass shower doors add a modern touch to your bathroom space and allow for enhanced light. These doors also give the illusion of a bigger space, are easier to clean, and can be customized to suit your needs and preferences. At Allied Glass & Mirror, we have over 115 years of collective glass experience, and we will help design and install a high-quality glass door. Here are tips for choosing the right shower glass door:
Evaluate Your Budget
Before you start assessing the available glass shower doors, determine how much you’re willing to spend on this investment. Depending on the style, design, and features, glass doors can range in price. Setting a budget allows you to evaluate doors within your range and avoid wasting time looking at products out of your budget. Set a budget with wiggle room. That way, if you find a better glass door slightly above your budget, you can still purchase it. Allied Glass & Mirror welcomes all individuals no matter their budgets. Since our products are custom, we will work together to create a quality solution within your budget.
Determine Your Preferred Door Swing
Your glass professional will install the door to open in various ways depending on the space available and your preferences. Door swings are available in three main types: standard, pivot, and sliding. Standard glass shower doors operate the way regular doors do and feature a hinge allowing the door to open either on the inside or outside. A pivot door has a special hinge that allows it to swing 180 degrees and open both inside and outside. Sliding glass doors feature a track that you slide to open or close the door. These doors are ideal for bathrooms with limited spaces because you don’t need to plan for swing space. No matter your desired door opening style, the experts at Allied Glass & Mirror will help you achieve it.
Choose Between Framed and Frameless
When it comes to glass shower door design, the two main styles available are framed and frameless. Frameless glass shower doors do not have frames around them, giving them a modern and elegant look. Frames can sometimes detract from the overall appearance, and their absence in these doors offers a clean look.
Framed glass doors have a metal frame around them for extra support. While these doors have frames that do not provide a seamless look, they’re usually more stable and budget-friendly. You may also get semi-frameless doors with frames on specific sides but not on the whole door.
Choose the Glass Type
Shower door glass is available in different types depending on your desired privacy levels and appearance. Clear glass doesn’t have any special design and allows a clear view into the shower. While it brings light into the space, it doesn’t offer much privacy. Patterned glass features special designs for decoration, bringing a unique, decorative touch to the space. Common patterns are dew glass, simple grid lines, geometric patterns, and more. Patterned glass allows light in and offers some privacy. Frosted glass is another option, and it undergoes processing through sandblasting or acid etching to make it look semi-opaque. It creates a blurred effect, preventing people from seeing through it.
Assess the Thickness
Glass thickness determines how strong and sturdy your shower door will be. A thicker shower door can withstand pressure better and looks more luxurious. The downside of a very thick door is that it may be heavier and require robust hardware to keep it stable. Thinner glass is lightweight and makes it easy to open and close the door. While it may be cheaper, it may not be as strong. Allied Glass & Mirror can help you strike a balance to find the right thickness. You can get a door with just the right thickness to withstand external pressure and suit your budget.
Attach Quality Hardware
Glass shower doors have various accompanying hardware for functionality and support. These hardware pieces must be high-quality to provide the best performance. If hinges are not quality, you risk your door becoming dislodged and breaking. Other hardware pieces are door handles, frames, and towel bars. Prioritize items resistant to corrosion because showers are humid environments. We only use high-grade hardware at Allied Glass & Mirror, providing sturdy installation results that last.
Measure the Size
The shower door space requires proper measuring to get a product that fits perfectly. Call Allied Glass & Mirror to measure the space professionally and get the exact dimensions. After getting the dimensions, we can evaluate other aspects with you to provide a quote. We’ll assess your desired door swing, glass type, door design, thickness, and required hardware. We will then use these factors to determine how much your preferred door will cost. After establishing this information, we will get started with the installation project.
Contact Our Team for Quality Glass Shower Doors
If your shower feels outdated with an old glass door or curtain, it may be time to bring beauty and elegance with a glass shower door. Allied Glass & Mirror is an experienced glass shower door installer that uses quality products and techniques. Our experts can evaluate your needs and preferences and design a glass door installation that turns your dream into a reality. Contact us today to discuss your project.