Glass for a shower cabin: how to choose and install it yourself

The need to install glass may arise when installing a new shower stall or if an old fence needs to be replaced.To save money, you can do all the work yourself. However, first, it won’t hurt to decide on the type of new glass and learn all the intricacies of the installation process, don’t you agree?

You will find all the necessary information in this article. We have prepared an overview of different types of shower enclosures, outlined their advantages and disadvantages, and also provided recommendations for choosing the best option.

In addition, we described how to install glass for a shower stall when using a mechanism on rollers or when replacing a stationary partition.

Advantages of glass over plastic

Since many owners now prefer a small and practical shower instead of bath, then the design of the cubicle and its partitions play a big role in the interior of the bathroom.

In addition to beauty, they must correspond to their functional purpose, namely:

• separate the shower room from the rest of the bathroom space;
• do not allow water to enter the area outside the shower while bathing;
• hide the person in the shower, and this is very important with a shared bathroom.

Partitions in the shower can have a frame made of plastic or metal, or they can be frameless, that is, consist only of glass or plastic panels.

A spectacular shower cabin can serve as a chic decoration for a bathroom; real masters of design are often turned to for its design.

There is a variant of a cylindrical partition; special radius glass or bent plastic is used for it.

When comparing fencing materials, you need to consider all their pros and cons.

So, plastic has the following advantages:

• low price;
• pliability, the ability to bend to give the product any shape;
• lightness and strength.

As you can see, this material is suitable for installing a shower cabin due to its high practicality. Many people prefer plastic products, polycarbonate is especially popular.

A round-shaped shower cabin at the base has one clear advantage - it saves a lot of space in the bathroom, which is often cramped

But plastic has one significant drawback - with prolonged contact with moisture and exposure to high temperatures, it quickly loses its appearance and can crack. In the cracks it can form black mold. For this reason, plastic fences are very short-lived.

Glass partitions do not have this disadvantage. They also have other undeniable advantages:

• ease of installation – only a few special fasteners are required;
• durability – with proper care, glass fencing lasts a very long time;
• resistance to all kinds of influences – glass, as a material, is not subject to the influence of high humidity and temperature, nor to the effects of chemicals, nor to the occurrence of fungi and mold;
• aesthetics – a glass shower screen looks very impressive.The surface of the panels can be painted in various colors, covered with patterns, decorated by sandblasting, and also covered with a special decorative film.

In addition to the above advantages, glass also has some disadvantages:

• fragility – accidentally breaking the partition while swimming can seriously injure you;
• high price – glass doors and railings are much more expensive than their plastic counterparts;
• daily care – every time after bathing, the shower stall needs to be cleaned.

But, despite these disadvantages, glass partitions are becoming increasingly popular. It's not difficult to explain.

To achieve greater strength, you need to choose a fence made of tempered glass - this is not a cheap pleasure, but after spending once, the owner will receive a magnificent shower for many years.

If you cover the glass with a special film, or purchase triplex glass, then even with a strong impact it will not crumble, but will only be covered with a network of cracks

If you still don’t have enough money for tempered glass, then there are simpler options - cover the glass with a special film, several layers of acrylic to increase strength, or purchase triplex glass. After an impact, it does not shatter into sharp pieces, but is only covered with small cracks.

Overview of glass for shower cabins

Having analyzed the above, we come to the conclusion that the most rational and effective option is to choose a fencing made of tempered glass. Let's consider what types of glass there are for arranging a shower stall.

Option #1 - bent

This is a curved glass that is obtained by heating to temperatures above 600°C.After this procedure, the glass surface can be bent according to the template or until the panel is given the desired shape. Then there is a very slow cooling process.

Thanks to a special production technology, curved glass can be used to construct showers of any shape; in addition, it is very durable

After bending, glass not only acquires a complex shape, but also becomes much stronger.

Of course, it costs more than ordinary glass, but taking into account its advantages and beauty, designers and home owners often prefer it.

Option #2 - beveled

In this case, a special beveled edge is created around the perimeter of the glass sheet - a bevel. Afterwards it is polished and as a result of processing it becomes transparent or matte.

We advise you to choose glass with processed edges for the shower cabin, preferably beveled, thanks to this you can avoid injuries and cuts.

It looks very nice, as the polished border creates an additional play of light. The facet can be curly or straight. We recommend choosing beveled glass for your shower cabin - this will greatly improve the interior of the bathroom and create additional safety during operation.

Option #3 - matte

The opaque appearance of the glass is given by a special sandblasting treatment. To avoid stains, which look very unsightly on a matte surface, such glass is treated with a special compound.

Frosted glass with a pattern is a bright and effective touch in any interior, and in bathroom design it also helps to hide the bather in the case of a combined bathroom

There is one feature - you need to avoid contact with oils or other fat-containing products, as well as liquids that contain acetone, on the surface. You need to think carefully about whether to install frosted glass in the shower stall.

Option #4 - stained glass

This type of glass is created by hand gluing together colorful pieces of glass to create a pattern or image of some kind. It looks incredibly impressive in any interior, including in the bathroom, but is more fragile. The cost of stained glass can be very high, so it is often made to order.

Stained glass itself looks like a magnificent precious interior detail, so real artists are often involved in its production

Stained glass can decorate any interior, but if the design of your bathroom is in a laconic style, stained glass will look too pompous. If you just need a shower stall, and not a work of art, then it is better to refrain from using stained glass.

Option #5 - patterned or with a pattern

The required design is applied by sandblasting or photo printing. The first method is quite simple; in any large store you can find a wide range of such glasses. But glasses with photo printing need to be ordered specially, or, if you have the necessary skills, you need to do it yourself.

Sandblasted glass looks very decorative and can serve as a bright interior decoration for any bathroom and beyond.

If you are not a supporter of very complex or colorful options, then we recommend giving preference to tempered or triplex glass.

You can choose its shade depending on the color scheme of the bathroom, or purchase a completely transparent version according to your own taste. The main advice is to purchase glass no thinner than 8-10 mm.

How to install glass in the shower yourself

More often shower cabins are sold as a set, and the installation of glass partitions and doors is carried out by a master assembler along with the rest of the parts. Our shower glass installation instructions will cover cases where the glass has cracked for some reason and needs to be replaced.

In order not to call a specialist, you can try to install a new partition or door in the shower yourself; fortunately, this is not a difficult task. So, you have already selected the glass. What should you pay attention to next? Of course, for fastenings. Sometimes they need to be replaced, especially if you want to rehang the door or change its opening mechanism.

Fastenings for glass parts of the shower cabin must be made of high-quality metal and also have a stylish appearance

The fittings should last a long time, so you need to choose high-quality models made from metals that are not subject to corrosion and premature wear, that is, stainless steel, aluminum or brass.

Pay attention to the manufacturer: it is always better to purchase accessories from a well-established company, despite the difference in price.

What tools will you need?

Here is a list of the necessary tools and supplies to install glass in your shower stall yourself.

With these tools at hand, you can independently carry out all the work on replacing the glass partition in the shower (+)

You will need:

• drill;
• set of wrenches;
• hexagon;
• level;
• plumb line;
• plumbing sealant or waterproofing tape;
• magnetic or silicone strip;
• self-tapping screws;
• construction tape.

This list of tools is optimal not only for installing a fixed glass panel or shower door, but also for other work when installing a shower stall. But first you need to understand the design of the door.

Types of glass shower doors

Let's look at what mechanisms for opening and closing shower enclosures are the most common.

Swing. The easiest and most popular option, but it requires a special door frame, as well as some space to ensure the door opens freely. Many people prefer this design due to its relative cheapness.

Pendulum. This type is a unique interpretation of the swing type. But here there is no door frame, and the door can open freely both outward and inward.

It is also inexpensive, and it looks very impressive with absolutely transparent glass enclosures - a kind of “weightless” booth. No need to install a special dome or tray. The only drawback is that sometimes the door can open spontaneously.

Sliding. This is analogous to the sliding door of a regular wardrobe; the door moves along guide rollers. This option is chosen by those who need to save space in the bathroom. Also a very popular solution.

Folding. Reminiscent of screen doors. It certainly looks very elegant. But it requires more work to install. Used less often than others.

Door glass replacement mechanism on rollers

If it is the moving glass that is cracked, it is not difficult to replace it. You need to slightly press the bottom edge of the door using the button on the lower rollers, then the door will be easy to remove from the lower guide profile.

This is how you need to remove the sliding glass door of the booth from the lower guide profile - press the lower rollers down and release the lower part of the door

Then we remove the glass to be replaced from the profile along with the upper rollers, having first slightly lifted it. Next, remove the upper rollers and attach them to the new glass.

And we do the opposite. First, install the upper door rollers into the guide profile.

The figure shows how the upper part of the glass shower door is installed: the upper rollers are installed in the guide profile

We put on the door, then, placing its lower edge against the profile from below, we mount the videos into the lower grooves. We adjust the wheels to ensure smooth movement of the door. Don't forget to put rubber bands and magnets on the ends of the glass.

Technically, this operation is not difficult, but in this model the choice of high-quality rollers is very important, otherwise during installation you can damage the new glass if the purchased rollers do not “fit” into place correctly. The expression “the miser pays twice” would be most appropriate here.

Replacing a fixed partition

If the glass of a fixed shower enclosure is damaged, or you need to replace it for some reason, then you will most likely need someone's help.

Carefully holding the glass to be replaced and the door, use a hexagon to unscrew the glass-to-glass fastening hinge connecting the stationary partition to the door, first remove the door, and then unscrew the glass-to-wall hinges and remove the glass from the grooves.

Sometimes special screws with a decorative head are used for beauty; they require special keys.

Using a hexagon, carefully unscrew the hinges holding the glass partition; to do this, someone must support the panel so that it does not fall

Next, we secure the new glass with seals using stoppers, and then hang the door. We make sure that the seal is not broken.

It will be better if the gaps between the wall, glass partition and floor are sealed using silicone strips. This measure, however, will not stop the directed water flow, but it will cope with splashing.

After installing the new glass, it should be sealed. This can be done using sealant or using silicone or magnetic strips, which are sold in the store.

To ensure that the fixed fence adheres better to the floor, it is advisable to use a clamping profile to secure it.

Sometimes, when replacing glass, it may be necessary to dismantle the dome part of the shower cabin; this makes the work much more complicated. Before disassembling, you need to make sure that all devices are disconnected from the electrical, gas, and water supply networks.

When disassembling, be sure to check with cabin assembly instructions, since different models may have different installation nuances. Don't forget that you will need to buy a sealant, as well as a remover.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

In this video you can clearly see the entire process of installing a shower stall, including the installation of glass.

All these methods are suitable not only when you need to replace the glass for a shower stall yourself, but also if you need to assemble a hydrobox with your own hands, when some skills are needed.

If you seriously intend to design a shower room yourself, we still recommend choosing the simplest model. Otherwise, it is better to contact professional assemblers—representatives of a company that sells plumbing fixtures.

Share with readers your experience in choosing and installing glass enclosures for your shower. Please leave comments on the article, ask questions and participate in discussions. The feedback form is located below.