If you’re ready to swap your shower curtain for something more permanent, you’ll quickly discover a myriad of glass shower door styles to choose from. Embracing glass shower doors not only exudes sophistication, but offers practical benefits such as ease of cleaning and enhanced durability.To help you find the right shower design for your bathroom remodel, we’ve created a comprehensive guide to shower door ideas with a few pros and cons of each style.
Sliding Shower Doors
Sliding shower doors, or bypass doors, slide along a track from side to side. Because they don’t swing in and out, they take up less space than doors that open and close. You can choose to have one door stay fixed, while the other slides, or allow both panels to move, giving you the option to enter and exit on both sides.
Bypass doors work well for corner showers, stand-alone showers, and shower-tub configurations. One downside of sliding doors is the tracks can collect mold, mildew, and mineral water buildup, and will require more frequent deep cleaning.
Trackless Shower Doors
If you’re done using a tiny brush to clean shower door tracks and you want a low-maintenance option, trackless shower doors may be the answer. With less hardware than traditional track doors, these doors typically use a rolling system where the door is suspended at the top and moves within a guide secured at the bottom. The upper support is either attached to the outer side of the shower door glass or enclosure. Trackless doors are also known as barn door shower doors because they use a similar mechanism for opening and closing.
Pivot Shower Doors
Pivot doors sit on a single, floor-mounted hinge attached to either side of the door and swing in a 180-degree rotation. These doors can open inward or outward. If you have a large bathroom, you can actually mount the hinge in the center, allowing the door to open in a 360-rotation. Pivot doors are elegant, but they do not work well for tighter spaces.
Curved Shower Doors
If you have a round shower you’ll need a curved shower door. These doors are made to fit on rounded shower trays, or sit flush with tile floors. Curved shower doors create a bit more space in a small corner shower. Without edges and corners, curved shower doors are easy to clean because there are fewer spots to get collect dirt and grime.
Bi-Fold & Tri-Fold Shower Doors
As the name suggests, bi-fold or tri-fold doors consist of multiple glass panels that fold inward or outward. One panel is fixed, while the other(s) fold out on hinges similar to closet doors or bi-fold screens. Because they do not require a great deal of space, folding shower doors are ideal for smaller bathrooms.
Framed Shower Doors
These doors have glass panels which are framed by aluminum, stainless steel, or other durable materials. Framed shower doors come in a wide range of sizes, finishes, and door types. They are one of the more budget-friendly and easy-to-options of all the styles. However, a frame will add to your cleaning time and does require more maintenance than frameless doors.
Frameless Shower Doors
Frameless doors have become more popular in recent years for several reasons. These all-glass panels have no hardware, so they are easier to maintain. If your home décor style leans toward minimalism, you will love the light, bright, open look of frameless doors. Frameless panels make your stone or tile shower surround the focal point of the space. Because they require heavier glass and complex installation, frameless shower doors can be pricier than other options.
Hinged Shower Doors
Hinged shower doors are similar to pivot doors in that they have a swing mechanism. However, hinged doors only open in one direction or the other, depending on your bathroom floor plan and space allowance. Hinged doors come in various styles and sizes, but do require a bit of floor space for opening and closing. They tend to be less expensive than pivot shower doors.
Neo-Angle Shower Doors
Neo-angle shower doors have three glass panels and two shower enclosure walls. Two of the glass walls are stationary, and the third is a door that swings in our out. Neo-angle doors are used for corner showers and are a great way to maximize space. Because of their unique shape, installation can be quite involved, and these custom shower doors tend to be more costly than other options.
Steam Shower Doors
These doors are they key to creating that spa-like sauna experience. They allow your shower to double as a steam room, with doors that fit snugly from floor to ceiling and side to side. The panels are air-tight and special hinges prevent steam from escaping. Steam shower doors require professional installation and may be on the higher end price-wise compared to other doors.
Shopping Tips for Finding a Shower Door Replacement
- Budget: What is a realistic budget for your bathroom remodel, and how much do you want to allot for your shower doors? Prices vary depending on the materials, type of glass, and installation required. Re-Bath creates custom remodel solutions to meet your budget.
- Maintenance: Are you looking for shower doors that don’t require a lot of elbow grease to keep clean, or don’t you consider cleaning glass and hardware a dealbreaker for the right product? Keep your needs in mind when choosing between sliding doors on tracks, and something like frameless doors that don’t require much maintenance.
- Bathroom size and configuration: Consider the layout of your bathroom and the clearance needed for doors that open outward. You want plenty of room to enter and exit the shower, and easily move throughout your space easily. If your bathroom is more compact, sliding doors and folding doors are a great space-saving option. Re-Bath design consultants will visit your home, measure your bathroom, and recommend shower doors for your space.
- Bathroom style and décor: Now here’s the fun part—choosing your products. This is when you let your inner designer imagine the possibilities. From traditional to transitional and rustic to contemporary, Re-Bath has materials and fixtures to bring your vision to life.
Time is also important when updating or remodeling a bathroom. A full-service bathroom remodeling service like Re-Bath is the easiest and most convenient way to save time. We oversee every detail of your project from your design consultation to your professional installation.
That means you don’t have to worry about coordinating multiple contractors, or waiting weeks to use your new bathroom. We aim to complete your bathroom remodel in as little as one to five days. Call 800-216-8526 or connect online to schedule a free consultation today.