Shower doors can make or break a bathroom’s design, feel, and overall aesthetics. Most people focus on faucets, vanities, and flooring choices while ignoring shower enclosures. Typical plastic curtains not only affect the look of your bathroom but are prone to mold and contamination. On the other hand, glass shower doors are easy to clean, shiny, and low-maintenance.
Although they are pricier than shower curtains, think of them as an investment because bathroom makeovers can increase the value of your home. The experts at a shower door company in McKinney have explained different types of shower doors so you can select yours.
Sliding Shower Doors
Sliding shower doors, also known as bypass shower doors, are arguably the most common shower doors. They can fit into small floor spaces where regular doors don’t and come in many design options.
Sliding shower doors consist of 2–3 glass panels sliding back and forth, bypassing each other. Due to this bypassing ability, the doors don’t require any additional space when opened. You can access these doors by sliding the panels to one side or the other, just like you would with closet doors. These doors are well-suited for tub enclosures or round spaces. Make sure you have enough shower space for these doors to slide; otherwise, you can explore other options.
Hinged Shower Doors
These are typical doors and operate similarly to any other door you’ve seen. They have hinges attached to their glass panel and wall, allowing them to swing out. You can mount their hinges at any height, which allows you to choose how high you’d want your shower door to sit from the ground.
Since hinged doors swing into the bathroom, they require more floor space than sliding doors and aren’t suitable for small spaces. But if you have smaller showers with enough floor space, you can choose these instead of sliding doors.
Framed Shower Doors
Framed shower doors are also quite common and used in most bathrooms. They are easy to install and maintain and come in many designs. Some common types of framed shower doors include hinged doors, pivot shower doors, and sliding doors. They have a metal frame surrounding the perimeter to add stability and strength to the glass. In addition, they have thin glass, which makes them cost-effective.
While framed shower doors do the job, they have one drawback. The metal framing doesn’t look visually appealing and affects the overall aesthetics of a bathroom; that’s why people get frameless shower doors these days.
Frameless Shower Doors
Frameless glass doors are the trendiest shower doors, offering a seamless and clean look. Unlike framed shower doors, they have thick tempered glass to increase their strength and support. This thick glass offers a luxurious feel and is relatively expensive.
Like framed doors, frameless shower doors are available in different styles, including pivot, hinged or sliding doors.
Pivot Shower Doors
Pivot shower doors sit on a floor-mounted pivot instead of hinges. They also have a top-mounted catch, holding the door vertically. You can install their pivot on the right or the left, or at the center to create a revolving door.
You get more freedom with these doors than hinged ones because they can swing both in and out. That’s why pivot glass doors are suitable for smaller bathrooms.
Neo-Angle Doors
Neo-angle shower doors are often installed around a corner-built shower. This design is space-saving and gives a modern look to a small bathroom. You can get them in framed or frameless options according to your preferences.
Neo-angle shower doors have two fixed panels attached to shower walls and a large hinged door placed at a 45° angle. This door swings open and close, requiring some floor space to provide access to the shower.
Semi-Frameless Shower Doors
Those who love the contemporary style of frameless doors and the affordability of framed doors can get these doors. Semi-frameless shower doors are a cost-effective alternative to frameless doors and combine both doors’ best properties. They only have metal framing around the edges with no frames surrounding the panel itself.
Curved Shower Doors
Curved or rounded shower doors are hinged or bypass doors with a stylish element. They are also used for corner showers and incorporate luxury-grade curved glass.
Frosted or Etched Shower Doors
Those who don’t like clear shower doors and require privacy can get custom-etched shower doors. You can choose any enclosure, such as hinged, pivoted, bypass, etc., and get the glass frosted according to your preference.
If you still can’t decide which door will suit your bathroom interior or need a reliable manufacturer, check out Shower Doors of Dallas. Their experts will help you select the right door, style, panel, texture, and other elements.
Shower Doors of Dallas offers interior glass installation solutions, including custom mirrors, stair glass railing, glass tabletops, cabinets, wine rooms, etc. Contact them for details.
About the Author
The author is a Texas-based interior designer affiliated with Shower Doors of Dallas. He writes helpful home improvement guides and loves playing baseball in his free time.
