fly,
i am very very interested in showerguard glass! i want to hear how well it lives up to its claims. imagine no squeegees!

what does the rest of the bathroom look like?

I am planning my next bathroom remodel. the theme is going to be clean, modern, white and chrome. with bubinga cabinets, and floating vanity.

Sounds beautiful, pharoah, as always :)

The ShowerGuard is evidently getting rave reviews. It's not NO maintenance, but if you do *much less* maintenance than usual, it is proving to stay clear. And they have a starphire-clear (non-green) kind of glass too, now. With this choice I feel quite comfortable.

I'm still up in the air about the mini-brackets. I'm not clear...does silicone have to be used with the full-size brackets as well? Or do they lift the glass enough above the surface that you don't need silicone? I want as little metal as possible, but want it stable...the glass guy was much more in favor of brackets than channels, and that seems to be the consensus here (including mongo, whose opinion is always influential to me)...but I'm concerned about silicone becoming unattractive. Not having the comfortable feeling that I've really done as much research as I am used to on this.

And I didn't ask: do you need to use more mini-brackets than full brackets? The measurer had three full-size brackets planned, two on the horizontal and one on the vertical. Does it make any difference that we're using mini? I should call the co. on Monday and ask, I know, but I always like to triangulate my information...

Fly, how did your tiling go? When will you post pics???

I am also interested in the ShowerGuard glass, sounds good.

We haven't reached as far as you have on the shower though. No tiles yet! :-(

fly,

I used a channel for my DIY glass enclosure but next time I will go with mini brackets. As I understand it, you simply silicone the gap between the tile and the minibracket. The job has to cleanly done so that there are no uneven smudges!
There is a completely clear silicone that ends up looking like glass, I am told. I will link it below.

Here is a link that might be useful: clear silicone

pharoah, thanks for that link. I've been perusing that site and others trying to find any information I can...it's so much harder to find (at least for me) than info re tile, kitchens, etc...

I'm also considering asking them to use Lexel instead. Here's some great info on it. LOVE the repairability aspect as well as the ultra-clear aspect. I've used it in mosaics with clear glass and it's also lower-odor.

LEXEL firmly bonds to almost any surface:

Cartridge
Interior/Exterior:
wallpaper
 trim
 countertops
 backsplashes
 tubs
 tile
 thresholds
 sills
 windows
 doors
 siding  eaves
 roof tiles
 rooftop fixtures
 shingles
 vents
 ductwork
 HVAC
 gutters
 flashing cables
 skylights
Lexel Tube
Sticks to just about anything!
3 Reasons Lexel Is Better Than Silicone:

Clarity
19 times clearer than silicone
Paintability Paintability
Red acrylic paint on white Lexel
Adhesion Adhesion
Adhesion at 31 pounds of pull

Lexel White is available in a VOC-compliant formulation for use in every state, including California.
Try the Lexel 4-Pak Limited Trial Offer:

About Lexel More reasons Lexel beats silicone:
 All purpose: Lexel is a co-polymer rubber-based sealant. It has excellent adhesion to a wide variety of materials, even after seven days of water immersion. Although itÂs tougher and resists tearing, Lexel is a soft rubber. This allows it to stretch and compress with joint movement.
 Tougher than silicone: You can scrub Lexel with cleansers and scouring pads.
WonÂt "zipper" like silicone: Lexel wonÂt tear out of a joint.
 Clearer than silicone: Lexel is 19 times clearer than silicone and will not yellow
 Lower modulus than some silicones: Lexel will not rip apart the substrate when the joint expands.
 Repairs better than silicone: Lexel sticks to itself so you can repair it by applying new Lexel on top of the old Lexel.
 Can be applied to wet and dry surfaces: Lexel sticks to almost anything  wet or dry!

Adheres to
acrylic  copper  most plastics  polycarbonate  polystyrene (except foam)  aluminum  chrome  nylon  fiberglass  steel  PVC  ABS  asphalt  wood  Formica  Lexan  tile  Plexiglas  masonry  metal  glass  vinyl  canvas  paint  concrete  brick  fiber-cement  porcelain  parquet  terra-cotta  and more!

Where To Use Lexel:
In the Kitchen and Bathroom:
Lexel seals beautifully while resisting mildew and dust collection. Once cured, it withstands scrubbing with abrasive household cleaners.

Wallpaper:
Lexel used over wallpaper edges prevents curling and is an excellent use of its ultra-clear formula.

Trim:
Clear Lexel may be used where you desire the surfaces to show through. This is especially helpful when natural woods are sealed, such as around molding or parquet flooring.

On the Roof:
Lexel holds its seal through rain, snow, sun and wind. Use it on your eaves, soffits, gutters, downspouts, flashing and shingles.

Around Windows and Doors:
Lexel keeps the weather outside. It seals thresholds, sills, siding, vents, pipes and air conditioners.

Ductwork and HVAC:
Leaky airducts heat up the walls instead of your living area. Use Lexel to permanently seal all connections.

Where not to use Lexel
Lexel should not be used in areas of continuous submersion (i.e., aquariums or swimming pools). Do not use Lexel in areas where temperatures exceed 200ºF. Lexel may damage some plastics, such as polystyrene foam insulation. Plastics not listed should be tested for Lexel compatibility before general application.

General Application
1. Surface Preparation: Surfaces should be structurally sound and free of dirt, oil, release agents or other residues. It may be applied to wet surfaces, however, for best results apply on clean, dry surfaces.

2. Application: Use caulk gun. Cut spout to desired bead size. Puncture inner seal. Apply when surface temperature is between 10ºF and 120ºF. Surfaces below freezing should be free of frost. Large beads applied in warm temperature, 95ºF or hotter, may exhibit slight bubbling. This is due to the solvents trying to escape too quickly through the surface of the skin, but overall performance is not impaired.

3. Tooling: Exposed beads may be tooled by dipping finger in soapy water. Let finger "float" lightly over the lumps to smooth the bead out.

4. Repair: Repair of previously applied material may be done at any time. Newly applied Lexel will actually weld itself to the previously applied material.

5. Painting: Allow Lexel to cure 24-48 hours before painting with latex paints. Allow double cure time in temperatures less than 40ºF. Lexel must cure 30 days before applying oil-based paints; otherwise the paint surface will remain tacky for 2 weeks or more, depending on temperature and paint brand.

6. Cleaning: Surfaces, tools and hands may be cleaned with orange-based cleaners, mineral spirits or paint thinner. (If using mineral spirits or paint thinner, be sure to wash your hands with soap to remove residual cleaning solvent.)

7. Storage: If there is product left-over in the container when finished, wrap the entire nozzle in Saran Wrap® or aluminum foil and tighten with a rubber band. (NOTE: Polyethylene wraps will not keep the adhesive from curing in the nozzle. Saran Wrap® works best.)

Hi flyleft,

It's been over a year since you posted the message and I was curious if you could give us an update?

Did you get the ShowerGuard?
Is it worth it?

I'm seriously considering it for my project.

Thanks,

Bob