Everything You Wanted to Know About Your Shower Door Options

When it comes to updating your shower or adding a new one, there will be many important decisions to make, and the shower doors are one of the big ones. You might assume that your choice will be as transparent as - glass - but it’s a bit more complicated than that.

There are many options when it comes to choosing shower doors, like if you want to go frameless or framed. Whether you want clear or textured glass, and how you want the shower doors to open. The dimensions of your shower space and even fixture locations will play a big role in the choice you end up with.

Let’s look at the different options you have when it comes to choosing your shower doors:

Shower Door Options

Frameless Shower Doors

You’ve probably heard of frameless glass shower doors and it seems everyone wants one.

This type of shower enclosure uses a strong tempered (⅜” to ½” thick) that has no metal support around the edges. This results in a modern, clean-lined look with no visual obstructions. That means that these doors will better show off your intricate tile designs, beautiful stoneworks, and shining hardware.

Price:  A frameless shower usually costs twice as much as a basic, metal-enclosed unit.

Semi-Frameless Shower Doors

If you really love the contemporary look of a frameless shower but your budget doesn’t allow it, you should consider a semi-frameless model. A semi-frameless shower will still have metal around the entire structure but the door will be frameless.

These units come with thicker glass than framed units, giving them a sturdier feel. They also have good adjustability since there is still plenty of metal associated with these models. So the install will be cheaper and easier.

Price: Around $1,000 to $2,100.

Framed Shower Doors

Framed shower doors are much more affordable and can still be as eye-catching as frameless designs. These units feature heavy-duty aluminum framing for added strength and support. Framed shower doors come with each glass panel framed in metal but some feature a frameless door. However, they have thinner glass panels which are more difficult to replace due to all the metal.

Price: From $600 to $1,600.

Glass Tub Enclosures

What if you just can’t part with your bathtub but want a cleaner and sleeker look than shower curtains? A glass tub enclosure is your answer. You can get a sliding tub door made out of ⅜” thick glass. This door will effortlessly slide on stainless steel wheels over a stainless steel overhead bar.

Price: Around $1,000.

Shower Door Opening Styles

Once you figure out what kind of shower doors you want, the next step is to determine how you want them to open. This will depend on your style but even more so on your bathroom layout.

Sliding Doors

Sliding doors, (also known as bypass doors) are sliding doors that work in a similar way to your patio doors. These work well in narrow bathrooms with fixtures that are closely spaced since it doesn’t need extra room for the door to swing into. You can use sliding doors for shower/tub enclosures as well as stand-alone showers.

Pivoting Door

Pivoting doors also called hinge or swinging doors, operate like a standard door. Keep in mind that if you choose this option, it’s important to make sure you have enough room for the door to open. This type of shower door is usually used for stand-alone showers since it requires the extra space.

Bi-Fold Shower Doors

Bi-fold or folding shower doors are great when you want a wider walk-in space but don't’ have room for a pivot door. They consist of several glass panels and fold similar to some folding closet doors.