Every home needs a space for bathing. From a traditional tub and shower combination to a standalone clawfoot tub with a separate, luxurious shower, designing these important bathroom features can be overwhelming. Thankfully, a frameless glass shower is becoming a popular choice for homeowners who want to create an open and airy bathroom space. Constructed out of a glass door and walls with a tile surround, frameless glass stalls add appeal and value to bathrooms while decreasing the amount of time and energy needed to clean showers. If you are planning to equip your bathroom with a frameless glass shower, use these tips during the design process.
Size, Shape, and Layout
Choosing the right size, shape, and basic layout of your glass shower will require a bit of knowledge to prevent water leaks.
You will need to measure the size of your bathroom before deciding on how big or small your shower should be. When choosing a size, it is best to go as big as you possibly can for your room's layout. This will ensure you do not grow out of your shower size. Also, larger sizes are appealing to potential buyers. If you need to sell the home in the future, more buyers will be interested in a home with a larger shower.
The way the shower is installed, or the layout, will also depend on your bathroom. Many builders and homeowners will install their frameless shower in the same space as their existing shower or their existing tub and shower combination.
During the initial design phase, you should also plan how and where the shower's door will be located. You should be able to reach the shower's water control when standing right at the opening of the shower door.
Also, your door will need to swing out into the bathroom instead of into the actual shower. Make sure your door's location is away from any walls, cabinetry, or other doors that may interfere with the shower door's opening.
Glass Specifications
In traditional showers, there is a great deal of framing involved. In a frameless glass shower, there is no framing used, which means there is not metal used to offer support for the glass.
Because your shower will lack this frame, thicker glass will be necessary. On average, the glass used in a frameless shower should be about a quarter inch thick.
By law, tempered glass must be used in showers. Tempered glass is stronger, but it can break. If it does break, tempered glass will shatter into very small pieces, as opposed to larger, jagged pieces that are sharp, dangerous, and even life threatening.
Tile/Shower Surround
While the majority of your shower stall will be made from glass, the surround should be made out of a durable material that can support the heavier tempered glass.
Ceramic tile, marble, Corian, and stone are all excellent options to consider for your shower surround. Not only are these hard materials durable, but they are also available in a variety of colors and sizes. This will help you create the bathroom of your dreams
Incorporating a tile, marble, or stone wall for seating into the shower design is also a smart option. This wall will create seating while adding appeal and value to your frameless glass shower. Be sure the seat tilts slightly towards the shower drain. This promotes efficient draining to prevent standing water on your tile and grout.
A frameless glass shower is a great investment for your home's appeal and value. With this guide, you will learn a few tips to help you through the design of your open glass shower. Check out websites like http://www.ridgeglass.com to learn more.
