Can I live with sliding shower doors?
Okay, I know this is a question only I can answer, but I'd be interested to hear from anyone who struggled with the question whether to spend the big bucks on an all frameless glass shower, and ended up with semi-frameless sliding doors (or vice versa). I had fully expected to go full frameless, but now that construction is beginning, I'm worried about door swing issues. Here's the layout:
My contractor said he could change the door to swing out, but it will be expensive and may cause a domino effect with cracking plaster on the hallway walls and ceiling. Apparently you can't just flip the door hinges to the other side, as I had hoped.
That leaves 3 options for frameless glass across the front of my 48" wide shower, which is immediately to the right as you enter. (1) fixed panel on right, and a 24" door hinged on the left, which would technically work even if the bathroom door were open. But they would almost touch. With the door closed, you would have to step over toward the bathroom door in order to get into the shower. (2) fixed panel on right, with the 24" door hinged off the panel. Easier access, but I've read that it's more unstable to have the door swing from a glass panel instead of from a wall. (3) fixed panel on left, and door hinged on the far right. Easy entry into shower, but obvious conflict with bathroom door.
The cons of those options lead me to the sliding, by-pass door option. I don't like the bottom tracks, although they look a lot less prone to trapping gunk than they were in earlier days. I don't mind the top, side and bottom framing of certain models, and these styles tend to be much less $ than custom frameless. Basically, I don't mind the looks, but I don't love this style, either - at least I don't react the same way I do when I see a lovely frameless shower. But then again, a bypass slider is infinitely more practical than a swing out door.
Stories to share? Opinions? Suggestions for how to make a swinging door work? Which of the 3 options would you go for, if opting for the full frameless? If you're a fan of sliders, do you have a brand you recommend?
Sorry to be so long-winded, but I could sure use some help!
Comments (15)
Olychick
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Can anyone think of sliding shower doors for 49 inch opening?
Comments (10)At a local kitchen/bath/plumbing store I checked out Basco quality and could see samples of the metal finishes and glass. I shopped online for my sliding door for a shower/tub by Basco using this site below. I priced it there but ordered it from Lowes special order (they order it for you, no charge) & you can get a 15% off Lowes website coupon for anything in the store...it's for moving but you are moving things around, right? At this link on TheShowerDoorStore look for the Infinity 4400-4500 as it has the 48 inch width. Maybe all of them have that width. The Swing Doors with Inline Panels look great. The quality of my Basco door is excellent. My sister has a Kohler Sterling sliding shower door and it is very wobbly and not as high quality. Here is a link that might be useful: shower doors, sliding or inline...See MoreCurbless shower - sliding door or regular door
Comments (3)For a roll-in shower you're going to want a 36" wide doorway at a minimum. That's a big slab of glass to be swung on one set of hinges. It could be broken up into two doors, like saloon doors. For hinging, you don't want the door to just swing in to the shower. A bather could become incapacitated, fall, and block entry to the shower if the door can only swing inwards. Same thing if this bathroom has a toilet closet. Use an outward swinging door for the same reason. Doors need to swing out, or swing both ways, in and out. Again, like saloon doors. Or a sliding door would suffice. For any sort of ADA shower, I always recommend NOT adding a built-in bench inside the shower. Use a moveable seat or stool. Much more flexibility. Consider having your shower controls just inside the entry so that the water can be turned on without the bather having to fully enter the shower, or be in the stream of water, when the shower is turned on. You'll want a handheld shower (plus other heads should you chose to go bigger). It'll help with washing down the walls in a large shower now, and it'll help with wheelchair bathing later. Just a few things to think over....See MoreKohler cast iron shower pan and frameless sliding shower door-doable?
Comments (10)Enduring- thanks for responding. I had seen your shower- it turned out just beautiful. I wasn't sure if in your research you'd explored a sliding glass door or not. To answer your questions. One end of the shower is on an exterior brick wall. The other is flanked by a custom linen closet surrounded by tile with the edges grouted. It's not coming out. If I had no other choice but to do doors, I'm pretty sure I'd have to remove tile on one or both ends and add the blocking- not something I'd like to do if I can avoid it. Likely I'd just have one door and a fixed panel on the other- I'm pretty sure the toilet clearance wouldn't let me do two doors like you have. Though I see your point about having a fixed panel- I can't drill into the shower pan so that wouldn't work either. Hopefully some of the glass guys can give me their opinion about using epoxy to secure clips on the bottom. Thanks again for your help- much appreciated. Lisa...See MoreCan i paint my trelisoor gate a different colour 2my sliding door
Comments (2)Don't see why not. I would be concerned about pain thickness and rub off on the gate....See More
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