Glass for a shower cabin: how to choose and install with your own hands

The need for glass installation may arise during the installation of a new shower or, if replacement of the old railing is required. To save money, you can do all the work yourself. However, for starters, it will not hurt to determine the type of new glass and find out all the subtleties of the installation process, agree?

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

In addition, we described how to install glass for a shower cabin when using the mechanism on casters or when replacing a fixed partition.

The advantages of glass over plastic

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

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

• differentiate the shower from the rest of the bathroom;
• prevent water from entering the area outside the shower during bathing;
• hide in the shower, and this is very important with a combined bathroom.

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

A spectacular shower can serve as a chic decoration of the bathroom, often for this design turn to the real masters of design

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

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

So, plastic has the following advantages:

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

As you can see, this material is suitable for the installation of a shower cabin because of its high practicality. Many people prefer plastic products, especially polycarbonate.

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

But plastic has one significant drawback - with prolonged contact with moisture and exposure to high temperatures, it quickly loses its appearance and can crack. Slots may form black mold. For this reason, plastic fencing is very short-lived.

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

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

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

• fragility - accidentally breaking the partition while swimming, you can seriously injure yourself;
• high price - a door and a glass fence are much more expensive than plastic analogues;
• daily care - every time after bathing, the shower cabin needs to be cleaned.

But, despite the above disadvantages, glass partitions are becoming increasingly popular. This is easy to explain.

To achieve greater strength, you need to choose a tempered glass railing - this is not a cheap pleasure, but if you spend it once, the owner will receive an excellent shower room for many years.

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

If, after all, there is not enough money for red-hot glass, that is, options are simpler - cover the glass with a special film, several layers of acrylic in order to increase strength, or purchase triplex glass. After an impact, it does not scatter into sharp pieces, but is only covered with small cracks.

Glass overview for showers

After analyzing the above, we conclude that the most rational and effective option is the choice of fencing made of tempered glass. Consider what types of glass there are for arranging a shower cabin.

Option # 1 - molded

This is curved glass, which is obtained by heating to a temperature above 600 ° C. After this procedure, the glass surface can be bent according to the template or until the panel is shaped. Then comes a very slow cooling process.

Thanks to a special production technology, molded glass can be used to design showers of any shape, except that it is very durable

After bending, the 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 give preference to it.

Option # 2 - faceted

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

We advise you to choose glass with processed edges for the shower cabin, it is better to bevelled, so you can avoid injuries and cuts

It looks very beautiful, as a polished border creates an additional play of light. The facet can be curly or straight. We advise you to choose a beveled glass for the 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 gives a special sandblasting method. To avoid stains that look very ugly on a matte surface, such glass is treated with a special composition.

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

There is one peculiarity - it is necessary to exclude the ingress of oils or other fat-containing agents onto the surface, as well as liquids in which there is acetone. You need to think carefully about whether to put frosted glass in the shower.

Option # 4 - stained glass

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

Stained glass in itself looks like a magnificent precious detail of the interior, so often real artists make it

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

Option # 5 - Patterned or Patterned

The necessary pattern is applied by sandblasting or photo printing. The first method is quite simple, in any large store you can find a rich assortment of such glasses. But glasses with photo printing need to be ordered specifically, or, if you have the necessary skills, do it yourself.

Sandblasted glass looks very decorative and can serve as a bright decoration of the interior of any bathroom and not only

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

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

How to install glass in the shower yourself

Most often shower cabins sold as a set, and the installation of glass partitions and doors is carried out by the master-assembler along with the rest of the parts. Our instructions for installing glass for showers will concern those cases when the glass has cracked for some reason and needs to be replaced.

In order not to call the master, you can try to mount a new partition or door in the soul yourself, fortunately, this is not difficult. So, you have already picked up the glass. What should I look for next? Of course, on mounts. Sometimes their replacement is required, especially if you want to outweigh the door or change the mechanism for opening it.

Mounts for glass parts of a shower cabin should be made of high-quality metal, and also have a stylish appearance

The hardware should last a long time, so you need to choose high-quality models made of metals that are not susceptible 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 be needed

Here is a list of the necessary tools and supplies for installing glass do-it-yourself in the shower.

Having these tools at hand, you can independently carry out all the work of 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 filler;
• self-tapping screws;
• building tape measure.

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

Types of glass doors for a shower

Let's consider what mechanisms of opening and closing shower enclosures are the most common.

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

Pendulum. This type is a kind of interpretation of swing. But here the door frame is missing, and the door can freely open both outward and inward.

It is also inexpensive, moreover, it looks very impressive with absolutely transparent glass fencing - a sort of "weightless" cabin. No installation of a special dome and pallet. The only drawback is that sometimes the door can spontaneously open.

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

Folding. Reminds sash of a screen. Sure, it looks very elegant. But it requires more installation work. Used less often than others.

Door glass replacement mechanism on casters

If it was the movable glass that cracked, then it is not difficult to replace it. It is necessary to slightly squeeze 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 cabin from the lower guide profile - press the lower rollers down and release the lower part of the door

Then we remove from the profile the glass to be replaced together with the upper rollers, after lifting it slightly. Next, remove the upper rollers and fix them already on the new glass.

And the opposite is true. First, we install the upper door rollers in the guide profile.

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

We dress the door, then, placing its lower edge on the bottom profile, mount the rollers in the lower grooves. We adjust the wheels to ensure smooth running of the door. We must not forget to put gum 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 it is possible to damage new glass if the purchased rollers are not correctly “put up” in their place. Here the expression "mean pays twice" will be right in place.

Replacing the fixed partition

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

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

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

Using the hexagon, carefully unscrew the hinges that hold the glass partition, for this someone must support the panel so that it does not fall

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

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

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

To make the fixed fence better adjacent to the floor, it is advisable to use a clamp profile to fasten it.

Sometimes when replacing glasses, it may be necessary to dismantle the domed part of the shower cabin, this greatly complicates the work. Before disassembling, you need to make sure that all devices are disconnected from the electric, gas, and also from the water supply network.

When disassembling, be sure to consult the instructions for assembling the cab, as different models may have different mounting nuances. Do not forget that you will need to buy a sealant, as well as its flushing.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

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

All these methods are suitable not only when it is required to replace glass for a shower cabin on their own, but also if necessary to assemble a hydrobox with your own hands, when some skills are needed.

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

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