Clear glass? It looks great and is very much on trend for resale. Might be difficult to keep spot free and might give too much of a peep show if sharing a bathroom.
Textured glass? Offers some privacy.
Frame vs frameless? Clean look, but any thoughts on stability?
We have a 4x4 walk in shower which is now being redone with 12/24 tiles. The plan is to sell our home within the next 2 years. For the most part this is being done for resale, so while I want it to look updated I don’t want to break the bank.
I would be happy to hear any thoughts or opinions!
We have a very thick clear glass frameless enclosure with door. It was the existing door when we purchased the home. I love it, with one important suggestion:
Ours is a 2-hinge style. I regret that it does not have 3 hinges, even though it only required 2 hinges. There is too much weight for just 2 hinges and, shortly after moving in, had trouble with proper operation of the door. Had to insert clear wedges under the hinges. Eventually will need to replace the wedges.
A reputable shower glass company will tell you how to make sure your shower door and glass is stable. We went with a clear glass, frameless shower door, however for stability we needed a channel at the top. Neither the door or the shower walls wobble at all.
As for keeping the glass clear, we squeegee the water drops off the glass after each shower. Takes a few seconds.
Don’t shy away from clear glass because of spots. You can either have the glass company apply a sealant that lasts 10 years or you can apply EnduroShield yourself as soon as it’s installed. The package says it lasts 3 years but I’m on year 4 with no problems. Every couple weeks I spritz the doors with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water and wipe with a microfiber cloth. It’s the easiest shower cleaning I’ve ever done.
I will be ripping out a bath/shower combo and putting in a large walk-in shower. What kind of flooring would you recommend? I like the look of river rock but wonder how it lasts/cleans/feels over the long haul.
Went from textured to clear glass years ago, and have never regretted it. Very sharp look. Squeegee after each shower, and occasional cleaning with magic eraser.
Also, door is frameless, but side panels trimmed in oil rubbed bronze. But then, of course, all of the other fixtures and hardware had to be changed to oil rubbed bronze. Just time and money, right?
We have flat river rock on the floor of our shower and love it. It feels nice on the feet and it’s pretty easy to clean. The pieces are relatively small (2-3" or so) so there’s adequate grout that they’re never slippery. I would not want the non-cut river rock – ouch!
We have clear glass, one frameless and one framed. Happy with both. I think obscured glass looks dated and, if one is sharing a bathroom and the second person comes in while the first is showering, I’m inclined to think they don’t need privacy glass.
I have used RainX on shower doors in the past but, in this house, we just took the door off entirely as it really isn’t necessary for a 4x4 or larger shower if the surrounding floor is tile. There is so little over splash. We just lay a large towel on the floor before stepping in, then step out on it and dry off. The towel is barely even damp and, here in AZ, the shower and towels are bone dry in about 30 minutes. Also, the bathroom and shower look a lot larger without the door.
The clear glass makes the bathroom and the shower look larger. We just re did the master bath and went with a faux marble tile look. White with subtle rivers of gray on the walls and floor. We took out the old tub and put in a free standing tub. Took out the flourescent lights and replaced with LED spots. Took out the old curtains and got beautiful Hunter Douglas Piroutte shades in a very pale seafoam green. Bought matching towels. The place looks like a European spa now.
Love all the comments! I am now convinced that clear glass and frameless is the way to go!
@ChoatieMom - interesting comment on removing the doors. Ours is a full 4x4 and as you enter the shower the shower head is on the left wall 24 inches away from the door opening. I wonder if I can get away with just having a 20" wide clear glass and full height splash. I will test this option before ordering doors.
How we came to door removal was during the master bath renovation in our previous house. We had the shower enclosure enlarged and tiled and ordered a frameless clear glass door, but it was back-ordered for three weeks. Our GC told us it was fine to use the shower until the door arrived, just put a towel down. We were amazed at how little over-splash there was and debated cancelling the door. We did eventually install it but regretted it almost instantly. No more doors now.
