Replacing your shower door is a small change that can make a significant impact on the look and feel of your bathroom. Harkraft can guide you through the numerous choices you have for shower door styles, glass, and frames. You can feel secure knowing that our professional installation ensures the door you choose won’t leak or degrade.
When choosing a shower door, your first consideration is the existing fixture. Showers come in three kinds. The shower-tub combo is the most common, and includes both a bathtub and a shower. The other two types, alcove and neo-angle, do not have tubs.
The difference between these last two types is the shape. The former is a standard shower stall. The neo-angle shower makes creative use of space in your bathroom, fitting into a corner of the room. Another variation of this shower type is the neo-round, which has round panels versus the straight ones of the neo-angle shower.
Another choice you must consider is your shower size. While there are standard sizes for showers, some may fall out of the range of the standard 60-inch for a bathtub-shower unit. In these situations, you’ll need a custom-sized shower door and professional installation.
Size comes into play again with shower door types as well as with the size of your bathroom. Types include sliding doors or swing doors. Sliding doors optimize your space if you have a small bathroom with doors that slide past one another on top of the bathtub or shower floor.
Swing doors can open into the shower or out. You’ll find them either as hinged or pivot. The hinged type opens out in one direction. The pivot shower door works the same way, but without visible hinges.
The advantage with swing shower doors is that they can open wide to help dry out your shower between uses. They also seal tight while you’re in the shower to keep in the cozy steam and warmth.
Your choices don’t end here. Choose an eye-catching frame or glass style for your shower door that fits the overall look of your bathroom. Different choices have different advantages.
You’ll find shower doors that have either a metal frame around the perimeter or are simple glass panels. A framed shower door does a better job of keeping steam from escaping. A non-framed door is easier to clean without the crevices that can trap soap scum.
Shower doors also vary by the style of glass. You can opt for the classic simplicity of plain glass. This choice offers a good option if you have installed attractive tile in your shower to showcase it. You can also choose a more distinctive style with a frosted, textured, or patterned look. The advantage of these more elaborate designs is that you can further customize your look and build on a theme for the room while offering privacy.
While it may sound easy, shower door installation is best left to the professional. The purpose of the shower door is to keep the warmth and steam in while providing a watertight seal. Accurate measurements are critical, especially if your shower is not a standard size.
First, there’s the size of shower doors. They’re heavy! And while they are made with tempered glass, they can still break. It’s definitely not a one-person job. The size and weight of even a single panel make it a job for two people.
Another thing to consider is that if something goes wrong, it’s wrong forever. That means a leaky shower that can ruin your bathroom floor over time. It’s not the average job for a DIY task. Rather, it’s the kind of job that works best for someone that has done it before.
Choosing a shower door opens up a world of choices that can complement an existing style or add a spark of class for a whole new look. And a professional installation will guarantee a seamless process with a shower door that won’t leak. Your friends at Harkraft are here to help.
