Thank you very much mongoct. This is very helpful. I took these pictures before you post, borrowing the glass guy's leveler. We didnt know what to look for as far as depth is concerned. It does not look like enough, does it? I believe the shower is 5 ft. long. When he comes back with his leveler, we'll measure the drop. On a side note, the installer had set the valves too low for hot water. He came over to adjust them. In another shower (he did two), the water was pooling at one end. The installer said that wasnt right and that he would fix it. On the above shower, I pointed the sh. head towards the wall, and the water drained some, but not all of it...maybe an 1/8" sat there. I had to push it into the drain. Now I am worried this guy is incompetent. How hard are these things to fix? He was recommended by the architect and does multimillion dollar homes!

We used 3/8" Starphire glass with Clear Shield for our guest bathroom shower. We saved some $ by using 3/8"--it doesn't feel flimsy at all, and for a little-used shower, getting 1/2" glass just wasn't worth the added expense. We did "up-charge" by using Starphire (we wanted the white tiles in the shower to look white, without a greenish tint). We also had Clear Shield applied (similar to Showerguard in that it protects the glass from etching/filming; different application process)--DH and I did use that shower exclusively while our other two bathrooms were being reno'd. We felt the added protection was well worth any additional cost, especially over the long term. My personal feeling is, glass protection is definitely worth having. You're making an investment, so why not do what you can to help keep it looking good? Different glass shower door fabricators/suppliers might use different products, so you should ask your door people if they use one vs the other (our guys use Clear Shield, so that's what we got). Starphire is a good choice, if the greenish tint of regular glass will change the look of your tile/walls (unless you don't mind the tint). As I mentioned, we wanted our white tiles to look nice and white when viewed through the glass. If it is within your budget, and you will be happier with clearer glass, I think it's a good choice.

"Thanks for getting me straight here, guys. Those no-nothings over at Corning are stupid enough to agree with me. Of course, for those few of us that have ever used acid in pools as well as installing any tiles below water, glass tile is not the first choice in freezing areas. But then I'm in California doing this for 23 years, so what do I know. Maybe you could use beer bottles in place of tile. But you know better ..........." Let me apologize for my sarcastic remarks. However I would like to touch base on the porosity of glass tile one more time, now that I have a little bit of time to research a better response. Regardless of the research that Corning has done, we have to ask ourselves what effect does pool chemistry, and a swimming pool environment have on glass tile?? I can only answer with my experiences constructing and servicing swimming pools and spas. I cannot honestly say that glass is any harder or easier to clean than it's ceramic counterparts. I cannot say that I have notice glass tiles freeze and spall, or crack like clay tile. I cannot say that even if glass tile becomes porous, that I can tell the difference between constantly submerged tiles, and ones that have been in a dry location. I cannot say that the effects of efflorescence is any better or worse with glass tile, but it doesn't seem to be removed easier. I can say that the installation of glass tile is far more difficult, and the size, and slickness of the surface make glass tile far more supceptable to coming loose from its substrate. We could argue the porosity of glass forever, just like you could argue whether or not glass is a liquid or solid, but if we focus on the tangibles. We can possibly chemically alter it to make it porous ( porous glass is used extensively in the medical field) , but I have never personally seen glass absorb water. I would say that glass is not a bad choice for a tile as long as it's properly finished.

Since this will be temporary (you may find out that your kiddo as they get older doesn't like completely dark rooms - mine wants nightlights on even for naps), I would just recommend putting film on those windows. Also, get another curtain panel or two so the curtains look fuller when closed. That will help with the light seeping in on the sides. You could also raise your curtain rod; while the pooling on the floor curtains look cool, your kid will probably step on them and rip the whole thing down when they're older (accidentally, of course).