Frameless Glass Shower Door Guide

Shower Door Guide for Northern VA Homeowners

 Shopping for glass shower doors is made easy with our shower door guide! Understanding the terms used in the shower door world facilitates your search for the perfect glass enclosure for your space. Once you’ve brushed up on shower door vocabulary, contact the glass team at ABC to learn more about the products and services we offer – 703-257-7150!

• Shower enclosures – The term “shower enclosure” refers to a glass door or doors along with at least one piece of fixed glass used to enclose a shower area. Thus, a shower enclosure could be a door next to a wall of glass or a free-standing shower stall constructed entirely of glass.

• Frameless glass shower doors – The “frameless” designation tells us that a shower door or enclosure is constructed from sections of unframed glass. On these shower systems, the aluminum framing is replaced by clips, hinges, and caulk joints. This is the most popular style for new and remodeled bathrooms.

• Semi-frameless glass shower doors – “Semi-frameless” means that some framing is used in the construction of the enclosure while other glass edges are left frame-free. The bypass doors discussed below exemplify this since the door panels themselves are frameless and framing is used elsewhere on the enclosure.

• Swinging shower doors – Swinging shower doors consist of glass door panels that swing on hinges attached to an adjoining wall. Both single and double door configurations are used on shower enclosures.

• Sliding shower doors – Sliding shower doors, on the other hand, open and close by sliding along a track, bar, or other apparatus.

• Rolling barn style shower doors – Barn style doors are frameless sliding shower doors that glide on rollers along a bar that spans the top of the shower stall. A unit of this type includes one door panel beside a glass wall that it moves in front of as it opens.

• Bypass shower doors – Bypass shower doors, on the other hand, are generally semi-frameless with frame-free door panels and a thin strip of aluminum around the enclosure as a whole. Bypass systems include double doors that move in parallel metal tracks.

• Bathtub doors – The term “bathtub doors” is used to describe shower doors that are installed on the edge of a bathtub as opposed to on the bathroom floor. These are also referred to as tub doors, and they represent an easy upgrade for a bathroom that already has a tub/shower combo in place.

• In-line door and panel – This label designates a shower door that is next to a glass wall on the same plane. When a homeowner opts for a tub door, this configuration is frequently used.

• Neo angle shower – Neo angle showers (sometimes called new angle showers) allow homeowners to make the most of the available bathroom space. They are installed in a corner of the room and consist of three pieces of glass. The middle section is a swinging door, and it meets the two side panels at 135º angles. The fixed walls that flank the door adjoin the bathroom walls at 90º angles.

• Right angle shower – Right angle showers can also be installed in corners, but do not have to be. The term simply refers to the fact that all junctions of glass to glass or glass to tile form 90º angles.

See also: Understanding Your Three Shower Door Options 

In addition to the various types of shower enclosures and doors, there is a diverse selection of glass offered by ABC. Tempered glass is usually used for showers; it is more durable than annealed glass and less hazardous if it breaks. However, a client can order laminated glass or laminated tempered glass if there are special concerns about breakage. Laminated glass is the type of glass used on windshields. It is made up of exterior layers of glass attached to a middle layer of transparent vinyl, so the panel remains intact even if the glass gets fractured.

Almost always, though, tempered glass offers an appropriate level of durability for bathroom applications. The appearance of the tempered glass can be altered to match different types of décor and to offer the desired level of privacy, so let’s take a look at your options.

• Clear glass is the trending choice for shower enclosures and doors today. Its flat surface adds ease of cleaning, and its transparency gives the shower and the bathroom an open, spacious ambiance.

• Ultra clear glass has lower levels of iron than standard clear glass, which reduces the greenish hue that appears at the edges of glass. This upgrade is chosen by homeowners for whom maximum glass clarity is a priority.

• Acid-etched glass (completely frosted) is one of our most frequently chosen options for privacy glass. This glass has a completely “frosted” surface that offers a nice level of privacy in high-traffic bathrooms. It is also available with low iron content.

• Acid-etched glass (frosted design) features a frosty pattern on the surface of the glass, and various designs are available. 

• Pattern glass is also characterized by a patterned surface. However, these patterns are achieved through texture, rather than acid etching. An assortment of patterns ranging from subtle to bold are offered.

• Tinted glass is available from ABC in two colors, bronze and grey. Clients select tinted glass when it enhances their chosen décor scheme for the bathroom.

• Cast glass has appeared on the shower door market fairly recently. It is a specialty glass that is formed by pouring molten glass into a mold. This heavily textured custom glass really makes a shower enclosure pop.

See Also: Everything There Is To Know About Frameless Glass Shower Doors 

As you explore the many possibilities for your custom glass shower, keep in mind that there is usually a specific selection of glass options available for a particular door type. It’s easy to get detailed information about the products you’re interested in. Call ABC Glass and Mirror at 703-257-7150 and speak to one of our in-house glaziers or make an appointment for a free consultation at your home. Or contact us online!