Listed below are some of the most common questions homeowners have asked us over the years. If you have a question about something that isn’t listed here, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to answer your question.
You Have Questions? We have answers.
What is the difference between a frameless shower and a seamless shower?
Do you need to use a laser to measure for a frameless shower?
What type of glass do most people choose?
What is the most cost effective way to build a frameless shower?
What is the best hinge to use?
Is it true that frameless shower doors leak?
Can you hinge the door off another piece of glass?
Do I need to have a header?
If a shower door has a header how can it be considered Frameless?
Can I go all the way to the ceiling with the glass?
What is the best way to keep a frameless shower clean and looking new?
How big should the door be?
Can you replace a framed door with a frameless door without redoing the tile?
Can you install a frameless door in a fiberglass shower stall?
What is a header?
What is a Neo-angle?
Can you build a frameless shower with custom angles? something other than a 90 degree or 135 degree?
Do you do work down at the shore?
What is the difference between a frameless shower and a seamless shower?
“Seamless showers” is a commonly misused term. It is synonymous with frameless shower.
Do you need to use a laser to measure for a frameless shower?
Yes! No shower opening is perfect. A good installer wants the glass to fit correctly. Tempered glass can’t be altered, so you only get one shot at getting right.
What type of glass do most people choose?
The majority of frameless showers are made with standard 3/8″ thick glass.This the most cost affective option.
What is the most cost effective way to build a frameless shower?
The most cost effective way to build a shower is to have the door “wall-mounted” with either “side mounted hinges” or “butt-hinges”. The other option is to have “top and bottom pivot hinges”, but this option is a slightly more expensive endeavor.
What is the best hinge to use?
A “pivot hinge” is more efficient because the weight of the door is resting on the bottom hinge and if properly installed will not move over time, whereas a “butt-hinge” the door can sag over time, especially if it is not properly installed. Also, the wall that the door is hinged on must have framing directly behind where the hinges are attached to support the weight of the door. If there is no framing there, or if the installer can’t determine if there is framing, you must use a pivot hinge. Be careful that you don’t have any horizontal detail such as a chair rail that might interfere with the swing of the door.
Is it true that frameless shower doors leak?
If properly installed, they should not leak but there are things to watch out for:
- You want to make sure that the curb, threshold, or shower pan has a slight pitch inward towards the drain of your shower. If there is no pitch, then installation of a dam is required to keep the water in the shower. On a 6″ curb, you want 1/8″ to 3/16″ pitch. Don’t over pitch.
- Be careful when you design your shower not to point body sprays directly at the door; also do not point a handheld shower fixture directly at the door either.Frameless showers are not built to withstand high pressure water sprayed directly at the door!
Can you hinge the door off another piece of glass?
Yes, but It is not recommended to use a side mounted glass-to-glass hinge. No matter how carefully they are installed, the door is going to move over time and if water strikes the hinge directly it will leak.
The alternative is to use a header and pivot hinges, or a more expensive glass-to-glass pivot hinge.
Do I need to have a header?
In some cases, you have to use a header because there are certain limitations with building a “header-less” or “free-standing” frameless shower. The best example is a “neo-angle” (or 135 degree shower). Almost all neo-angle showers have headers or they are ceiling mounted. The header makes the shower more rigid and stable.
If a shower door has a header how can it be considered Frameless?
Showers with headers are considered to be frameless because the door itself has exposed glass edges.
Can I go all the way to the ceiling with the glass?
It is not recommended building a “floor to ceiling” shower unless you want a steam shower. You will always want to leave space over the top for ventilation to avoid mildew issues.
What is the best way to keep a frameless shower clean and looking new?
Water has minerals such as iron and calcium, which can oxidize the glass over time. It is best to not to leave water on the glass; it is recommended that you squeegee it off after every shower. If you have “hard water”, I strongly recommend buying a shower that has glass with a permanent protective coating. There are also products that you can apply regularly that will protect the glass.
How big should the door be?
The average height of a shower is 76″ and the average width of the door is 28″. The size can be customized as long as you do not exceed the weight limit of the hinges.
Can you replace a framed door with a frameless door without redoing the tile?
Yes. We do it frequently. You may be limited to the hardware that can be used because it is impossible to determine if the walls have been properly reinforced.
Can you install a frameless door in a fiberglass shower stall?
Yes, but it requires using a header mounted on top of the shower stall.
What is a header?
A header is a 1 1/4″ wide bar that is mounted to the walls at the top off the shower door the provide stability.
What is a Neo-angle?
A Neo-angle is a shower with at least one 135 degree angle (or 45 degree angle or half of a 90 degree angle. All are the same thing.
Can you build a frameless shower with custom angles? something other than a 90 degree or 135 degree?
Yes but you may limit the type of hardware that can be used. It is also very important to remember that where glass is attached to a wall, either a door or a fixed panel. It must be at a 90 degree angle with the wall! There is no hinge or bracket that is made to attach a piece of glass to the wall at anything other than 90 degrees.
Do you do work down at the shore?
Yes, we install showers in Ocean County, Atlantic county and Cape May County.