I vote for glass slider. We recently remodeled our guest bath and the new slider is gorgeous. For us the bathroom is small so it makes it look bigger and you can see the gorgeous tile we put in.
We recently remodeled the hall bath with the tub/shower combo and I never had a second thought about using a shower curtain and rod. Every single place I’ve ever lived that had the sliding glass door caused me endless aggravation in trying to keep the channels in which the doors slide clean, not to mention what a royal pita it is to clean a bathtub with a door. I think they are dated and tacky.
I am not sure if they are all this way, but my sliding door doesn’t have channel. I am not exactly sure how to explain it but it is flat with a lip on the outside.
I would do the rod/curtain if you are planning to sell. It’s easy for someone else to install a glass door if they want it.
Perhaps TMI, but when renting out a house with the sliding glass door on the tub, a lesbian couple stated they needed it removed, as they are in the tub together a great deal and the door would be in the way. They didn’t take the place, but the comment was memorable. Regardless, the doors tend to build up soap scum, though are gorgeous when clean. With shower curtains, I get white ones and bleach out the soap deposits and signs of dirt every few months.
Maybe the larger question is about shower/tub combos. I hate them. When I built my house a long time ago, I put a large free standing tub in the master bathroom, then showers with a frameless glass door in the other bathrooms.
It’s a Hobson’s choice, but I guess a shower curtain is better with the tub since it can easily be replaced once it gets cruddy.
I would do rod and curtain. I buy the mildew free lining and replace it every few months. I use hotel white curtain on the outside. I always have the lining inside the tub and curtain outside, so my guests could just pull it. I do not like glass with a tub because it feels too confined. The half glass is nice looking, but not very practical. In my master bath I just have a shower.and it has a glass door.
On additional benefit of the curtain/rod combo over the glass door is that it allows for siblings to use the bathroom while one is in the shower. E.g., my son can be in the shower and my daughter can go in (once he’s in the shower) to brush her teeth or put in her contacts. if the shower had a glass door she’d have to wait until he’s done his shower to be able to do that.
Prefer rod with curtain
Rod with curtain, hands down. I hate cleaning the shower with door. It also is an easy way to change the look of the bathroom with a new curtain if you or a new owner wants to.
A bath remodel is on my to-do list. I had been considering glass, but now realize that a shower curtain is the right choice. It has the only bathtub in the house. I was swayed by the comments about bathing kids and the closed in feeling when soaking in the tub.
Thanks, all, for answering a question I didn’t know I had.
We have a triple glass sliding door on our tub. It was the compromise to having a door and bathing a baby in the tub. With the door open 2/3 of the way easy to get in and out etc. It is not frameless and I have the crud problem mentioned above (also my water is very hard and has done a real number on all of the metal parts - handles etc.) I don’t see that any solution is perfect. I hated the shower curtains we had before - the tops tearing and the bottoms getting dirty etc. I was replacing it often.
Curtain! That’s what we have in our hall bath and had at houses with son when he was young. Being able to reach over the tub and take care of kids is important. H’s relatives have the door- I hate it when we are there. It would make cleaning the tub harder as well- I can easily reach all corners with no hitting sharp edges. Visiting elderly M in law has no trouble with our vinyl inside and cloth outside curtain. Visiting son managed to pull down the tension rod- got in tight again. I never know which side of the door is to be slid to which end.
Yes, a plain shower and a tub are best- but given space needs it is much better to have the tub shower combo than to give up either one. Resale to families means having a tub. One in a master bath does not count, especially larger/deeper tubs with possibly a step et al. I once had two preschoolers (son and his cousin) in our corner tub- difficult to reach to help with hair.
There are many good looking outer shower curtains to choose from (when son was small had a colorful plastic one). Nicer looking than glass doors. I dislike any clear glass- there is no way I will squeegee. Frosted glass looks boring as well while you have a decorative design with a curtain.
I’d way rather buy a fairly study liner curtain and wash it in my washing machine a few times a year with vinegar and baking soda, and replace it every couple of years, than deal with the shower door cleaning. My apartment has one of each type now (shower I use daily has glass doors, other bathroom has a curtain, which is also what I had in house previously). That shower door is the biggest pain, and I have to wipe it down after every use with a small towel to keep it from getting scummy/cloudy. And stand in the tub in stocking feet to actually wash it. Ugh. Worst chore.
We get clear plastic shower curtain liners at the dollar store. They are perfectly fine. When they get gross…we replace with another clear plastic $1 liner.
I like being able to change the “look” of my bathroom by just changing the outer shower curtain and rugs.
Relatives have smaller kids, and they have a lot of fun with shower curtain changes. Right now, they have snowmen. Very cute, and they couldn’t do that with…doors.
We have a beautiful glass enclosure…which is almost impossible to keep clean. For a hall bath I’d do the rod and curtain. We never had an issue with water damage - kids can manage.
Another vote for a shower curtain. It’s too hard to clean the tub with a door, and it makes getting in and out in a tight bathroom (which ours is) much more difficult. If you are worried about messy kids, extend the wall tile further out from the shower and put in a floor drain. That is what I’d do if I had a do-over.
When we remodeled the second bath, we found a double rod - decorative curtain on outer rod, fabric liner on inner rod. either could be removed easily for cleaning or seasonal decor. Since that tub/shower was only used for guests, I often left the liner off until company was expected.
Our master bath had sliding glass doors. We renovated it a couple of months ago and wanted to change the shower to an opening door. Our contractor said there wasn’t enough room, so we replaced the old sliding door with a frameless sliding glass door.
Available space could determine whether you can get/use a door or shower curtain, or sliding glass door.
If you get a nylon fabric shower curtain, you don’t need a waterproof liner. Place it inside the tub when showering. It dries easily and only needs to be thrown in the wash every few months.