Frameless glass enclosures are stylish and popular for freestanding showers. Now gorgeous glass is replacing the shower curtain on tubs with showers. Let’s take a look.
Better Looking and Less Work
Shower curtains have been a mainstay for tub-shower combos because they are so simple. An attractive outer curtain presents a nice look, while a plastic liner on the inside keeps the water in. The liner periodically needs replacing as soap film and hard water minerals spatter it and mold begins to grow.
Another old-school covering for the tub-shower combo is a pair of sliding glass doors running in a track along the top of the tub. These often feature a towel rod on the outermost door.
Today’s glass enclosures provide a stationary screen that starts on the same wall as the showerhead and extends along the tub’s edge at least half its length. The tub is entered through the open side. If desired, however, a glass door can be hinged from the opposite wall as well, allowing the tub to be completely enclosed.
A glass enclosure will need cleaning, but with regular maintenance should retain its beauty for many years. Wiping it down after every shower, preferably with a small squeegee, is essential. If you live in an area with hard water, you’ll need to use a limescale remover regularly to keep the glass crystal clear.
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Open and Clean Look
In a small bathroom, changing from a shower curtain to glass panels makes the room look bigger. Glass will showcase the updated tile and shower head you may have installed during remodeling. Frameless glass keeps the look of your bathroom as open and clean as possible.
Elegant frosted or etched doors are also available. These enclosures provide privacy, but not the same sense of openness and size that clear glass gives the bathroom.
Glass enclosures should be taller than the showerhead and thick enough to withstand the impact of someone in the tub falling against the glass. The doors are made of tempered glass, similar to a car’s windshield, designed to hold together in the event of a break so that dangerous shards don’t fly.
Cost of Shower Glass
The cost of a glass panel alone is about $200, not counting installation. Panels plus doors to enclose the entire tub can go as high as $5,000. Installation is best done by a professional since you don’t want mishaps involving glass.
