Shower Doors: A Definitive Guide

Summary

An Introduction To Shower Doors

Unless you have a walk in shower, your shower enclosure will need a door. The door stops water from escaping and prevents any breezes disturbing you. If you have a frosted glass shower door, your door also provides a layer of privacy. You may be wondering; how do I choose the correct shower enclosure door for my shower?

Shower Door Materials

Most of the time, shower enclosures are made from glass. This is because glass is waterproof, allows light flow and is easy to maintain. Naturally, because of this, shower doors are also typically made from glass. There are actually several variations of the type of glass you can employ for a shower enclosure. Let’s explore some.

Clear Glass Shower Door

Clear glass allows for the most light flow and by being completely transparent, helps the shower feel roomy by creating a visual connection between it and the bathroom. However, it does not provide privacy. If your windows are clear, or if someone walks in then there is nothing to protect you from being seen.

However, these issues can easily be prevented by taking an active approach to privacy. This includes closing the blinds on your window and locking your door while you are in the shower.

Frosted Panels Shower Door

Frosted panels have a slightly reduced, but still tremendous, light flow but also offer a drastically increased amount of privacy. The frosting effect on the glass completely obfuscates vision, rendering your form unseeable when you are behind it. However, by having panels of frosting on clear glass, this means there are small gaps you can peek through so you can still see into the bathroom from the shower. This obviously does not give as much privacy as the full frosting, but it allows you to maintain your visibility which is very useful.

Frosted Glass Shower Door

Fully frosted glass has no gaps of clear glass, meaning you cannot see out or in. This means there is slightly less light flow, but it still lets in a considerable amount of light which is useful. Plus, the privacy can help you feel at your most secure. This is especially useful if you live with people, as even if someone accidentally walks in, you can be safe and sound behind the obfuscating frosted glass shower door.

Should I Have A Single Door Or Double Door?

Something else to consider when choosing a shower door is whether you want a single shower door or a double shower door. Typically, you will find that most showers feature single shower doors, but it is not uncommon for some to have double shower doors. The main benefits of double shower doors are aesthetic. This is because double doors look more extravagant and luxurious than single doors, which can give your bathroom an opulent aesthetic which is very appealing.

Types Of Shower Door

There is quite a variety of shower door to choose from, each with its own pros and cons, so let’s dive into the details surrounding these doors so you can make an informed decision.

Sliding Shower Door

A sliding shower door requires no hinge and instead operates on a rail that it can glide along to open and close. This has a lot of benefits, such as the door taking up much less room. This is because by forgoing the hinge, the sliding door completely eliminates door swing both into the shower and out of the shower. This means you have more space to maneuver in the shower and in the bathroom.

Sliding doors also have the benefit of being more accessible than their contemporaries again due to the fact they eliminate door swing which can be inconvenient for those with mobility issues to navigate.

The downside of sliding shower doors is that they technically need more cleaning than their brethren. This is because of their tracks which will have to be maintained to prevent rusting or build up. Comparatively, other kinds of doors only need the door itself to be cleaned. So, if you are looking for an easier cleaning cycle then this may not be the door for you. However, if you are looking for a modern, space saving and accessible shower door, then the sliding shower door is perfect for you.

Hinged Shower Door

A hinged shower door is the classic model of shower door. It features the ability to be pulled outward to open and pulled inward to close. If you are looking for a classic shower aesthetic, a hinged door is perfect. As well as this, hinged doors are easy to clean as they feature minimal parts, so you only have to focus on the glass body.

However, there are some caveats to consider when choosing a hinged shower door. Because they have door swing, they can severely reduce the amount of space you have in the bathroom. This is because you have to keep the area in front of the door completely clear to allow it to work. This renders a potentially substantial part of your bathroom unusable.

Pivot Shower Door

A pivot shower door is very similar to a hinged door, except with a key difference. It features special pivoting hinges that allow it to open and close in either direction. This means that while the door relies on door swing, it is more accessible than the traditional hinged door because you can always choose to open it in the most convenient way. This is especially useful if anyone in your home is forgetful or young and may accidentally try and open a door the wrong way, because by installing a pivot shower door, every direction is the correct direction. However, you would still have to treat the area in front of the shower as dead space, so that the door could be opened into the bathroom.

Bi-fold Shower Door

Bi-fold shower doors feature a unique ability. They possess multiple sets of hinges that connect multiple glass panes. Through the use of these hinges, the door can collapse to the side and fold itself against the wall. This completely eliminates any potential door swing issues while also making the shower more accessible, as the door is easier to maneuver around than some other doors, such as the hinged door.

In-Swing Shower Door

An in-swing door is the inverse of a hinged door. It is fundamentally the same, except for the fact the hinge is fitted as so to make the door swing inwards towards the shower, instead of outwards towards the bathroom.

This frees up space in your bathroom and allows you to use the space outside of the shower as you wish, however it simply moves the issue of door swing into the shower enclosure itself. This could actually be an even worse situation as if your shower isn’t especially roomy, it could make it very frustrating and difficult to enter the shower and close the door behind you.

This potential is something to consider when choosing your shower door.

Steam Shower Door

A steam door is completely air tight and is used for a specific kind of shower, a steam shower. A steam shower is a type of shower that can also function as a steam room/sauna. This can be incredibly relaxing; however, it is also incredibly expensive. These kinds of doors only work properly when attached to the correct kind of shower, so make sure you don’t buy one by accident!

Walk In Shower Enclosure

The final option regarding shower doors, is to choose the absence of a door. A walk in shower enclosure is designed in such a way that doesn’t require a shower door. This is because they feature a long body and a large shower tray that can catch all of the shower water, meaning the shower door isn’t necessary to prevent the water escaping.

This is by far the most accessible option and the easiest to clean because there is simply nothing to block access or to clean.

However, it is worth keeping in mind that walk in showers require a much more complex installation than the average shower enclosure. Equally, you cannot just take the door off of your existing shower enclosure and hope that it works as a walk in shower enclosure, they have to be designed to not need a door. So, if you are looking to replace your shower door, you could get a new door, or you could upgrade to a walk in shower. However, if you are on a budget or a timeframe, it is probably best to opt for one of our doors.

Shower Curtain

To quickly expand on the idea of having no shower door, you can also choose to have a shower curtain instead. Before the invention of the shower door, shower curtains were used. They involve a waterproof material, typically a plastic sheet, being hung from a rail in front of the shower enclosure. A shower curtain performs the same basic task as a shower door, just not as effectively. This is because they can move and leave gaps during the showering process, making it much more likely to allow some water to pass. Shower curtains are ideal for the person looking for a retro aesthetic, but in general it is much more beneficial to opt for a shower door.

Shower Door Shapes

Now you know what kind of door you want, it’s best to decide what shape of door you would like. This will depend on your type of shower enclosure. For example, if your shower enclosure is made of straight panels, then you will need a normal, rectangular shower door. However, if you have a curved shower enclosure, then you will need a curved door to match. This is to make sure your enclosure and door fit together properly. As an example, quadrant shower enclosures are curved shower enclosures that are designed to fit into the corners of bathrooms and save space. By nature, they require a curved shower door and if you were to try and fit a straight, rectangular shower enclosure, then you would break the enclosure, as the door would not fit.

Shower Door Sizes

The shower door size you will need will depend on your shower enclosure. You need to get a door that perfectly fits the gap in your enclosure. The smallest size shower door Durovin Bathrooms offers is the 700mm shower door which is perfect for space saving shower enclosures. You can even install two 700mm shower doors to create a 1400mm double shower door if you have the room. We even sell up to 1600mm shower doors, for those with extra large bathrooms and shower enclosures. Make sure to take measurements of your space before you commit to an enclosure or door, you don’t want something that’s too big or too small.

Framed Shower Door Or Frameless Shower Door

Another big decision for you to make is to decide between a framed shower door or a frameless shower door. This dictates how your door is attached to your enclosure. A framed shower enclosure is the traditional type of enclosure and door and utilizes a metal band to hold the door and enclosure together. Whereas a frameless shower enclosure is designed to not need the metal band. This design philosophy extends to the door and creates a cleaner and more modern look.

Other than visuals, the main difference is that the frameless shower door is both more hygienic and easier to clean. This is because the metal bar of a framed shower door can collect build up of cleaning residue which can collect, fester and turn into mould or cultivate bacteria. Meanwhile, the frameless shower door is only glass, so does no such thing.

If you are looking for an easy to clean, modern look, go for a frameless shower enclosure and shower door. However, if you would like a classical aesthetic, seek out a framed shower enclosure and shower door.

Final Thoughts On Shower Doors

As you can see, there is a great big variety available to you when it comes to shower doors, and it is in your best interest to think about your specific utility needs and your aesthetic preferences when choosing a door. Hopefully, this guide has enlightened you to the point you now feel comfortable looking around for shower doors and if it has, you might as well start here with Durovin Bathrooms and our great selection of shower doors.