Design Tips

Making a frameless shower door enclosure the centerpiece of your bathroom design requires proper planning. By using our design tips below, we can help you solve many of the common installation problems before they occur. The next design tip can be found in the lower right hand corner.

Never place body spray opposite the enclosure door.

Body sprays should be placed so they are aimed at tiled walls.

Avoid buttress faces that are not parallel to each other.
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Curbs that approach buttresses at angles are not recommended, in fact, with some products impossible due to “hinge bind”.

Always create 90° to curb buttress faces.
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Pitch sills/thresholds 1/16″ to 1/8″.
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Minimum panel width for tempered glass is 3.5″.
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Minimum Panel width recommended is 5″.

Flat tiles only (avoid glass tiles).
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For Frameless Enclosure Plans

Eliminate raised decorative tile from entire door swing area of enclosure. The use of the glass tiles on areas that will require drilling or hardware is not recommended due to the possibility of cracking. If glass must be used then make sure there are extras available in case of breakage.

35° angles will lower costs in most cases.
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Shower soffits must precisely “plumb” down to footprint lower curbs exactly.
50% of all installations are effected negatively because of poorly plumbed and squared framing.
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Consider a secondary piece of glass (transom) or a frame door soffit for exceedingly tall steam shower openings. Framed enclosures usually have transoms above 78″.

Frameless enclosures usually have a transom above 84″.
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Inside L cuts on tempered glass must be rounded. Curved corners are hidden inside track or embedded in solid tile material.
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Avoid glass tiles on mounting surface if possible.

Glass tiles easily crack when drilled. If glass tiles are intergral to the shower design make sure to have extra tiles on hand in case of breakage.
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Avoid glass block on all mounting surfaces.

Questions? Call Us: (973) 948-2111