Hi we just put our shower panel, return panel and door in recently and am very happy with the clamps. So Happy! I think I would be very unhappy with the uchannel and header. In fact, the 1st estimator would only install the unchannel and header. I was very bummed to get that esitmate...but after pereservering, The 2nd and 3rd esitmates said they could use the clamps, but would have to put the panel all the way to the ceiling ( we were missing a stud for the door side so they need to use the ceiling for extra support) It might be a trickier install, but it looks so much better. We also did not cualk at the base so a little bit of water comes out at shower time, but I would rather clean up water than have a gloppy moldy mess from the silicone caulk. I hope I can post pictures soon. Good Luck!

Thanks for the feedback. I talked to the people at Artistcraft and they thought it would be feasible to do a fixed panel on the left side with a 6" high transom that was hinged to the top of the frame. The door would be hinged on the right wall and seal against the fixed panel and transom. Talked to the local shop and they said they would not do this because of safety liability reasons, even though they were quoting me on a framed enclosure that would have a steam tight seal. Is this really a good idea? I asked them if there wouldn't be a bigger safety issue with an airtight room. That's when they got snotty. I was hoping to use them since I live in mid-Michigan and would like to steer business locally. In the end, I think we'll do something similar to what annkathryn suggests. I'm not that thrilled dealing with the rude people at the shop, but they seem to be the only game in town. Beautiful work as usual, Bill. Here is a kind of crappy photo of our project. Thanks again, mrs517

I wish I'd known - the contractor said that the shower door people couldn't come out and measure until after the tiling was done, so I have put off these decisions (so busy with so many others). Now I have no idea where the studs are. The location of the glass will be right next to the door into the room, and I'm sure there's framing around it, but I don't know how wide it is. The shower glass will be less than 4" from the door opening. I wish I'd looked at this when everything was open. I'm sure the contractor knows, but he's on vacation at the moment. Are the bottom supports the same as the side supports, suero?

I'm reviving this thread because I asked our GC about Showerguard and low iron. His sub replied that they use Enduroshield, and low iron is three times the cost of regular glass. I'm not especially invested in low iron (probably doing a ModWalls tile), but I'd like the better of the protective products. Enduroshield's website says it can be bought as an option from the manufacturer and has a ten year warranty--if it fails they'll provide product to recoat, which isn't a great option. ShowerGuard's lifetime warranty says they'll replace the glass OR refund the difference in price between regular glass and ShowerGuard glass, which also isn't a great option. Both products' websites show the protectant is (or, in Enduroshield's case, CAN be) applied as part of the manufacturing process. Assuming each is done in manufacturing, does anyone know if there's much of a difference? Certainly there's someone out there who has one shower with each kind of glass that they use and clean identically, right? :)