Glass shower enclosures add a sense of elegance and modernism to your bathroom décor. Custom glass doors uplift and open up the space, providing a spa-like feel.
As beautiful as they are, shower enclosures must be functional as well. They prevent water damage in your bathroom and minimize clean-up efforts.
To ensure that your glass shower or tub surround is as functional as it is beautiful, New Concepts Glass approaches every project’s design with practicality in mind. Our pro tips for designing your enclosure will help ensure functionality as well as a professional designer look and feel.
Install Your Glass Shower Enclosure on a Curb
Some homeowners prefer the appearance of glass doors and panels installed flush to the floor. If you are planning a handicap-accessible shower, this approach is the way to go. However, if you have a choice, installing your custom shower on a curb is a safer, more practical approach.
Mounting your enclosure on a curb will help prevent water from leaking out onto your bathroom floor. Curbs typically slope slightly inward, so that water will flow down toward the shower’s floor drain.
Solid, smooth sections of tile, granite or marble are preferable options for shower enclosure curbs. We recommend that you avoid grouted tile on the curb, as water may collect in the grout lines. This can lead to unsightly mold or mildew and create an unsightly maintenance hassle.
Position Your Shower Head Carefully
Shower head placement definitely matters. Position yours wrong and you may have to deal with a flooded bathroom after every use.
It may sound obvious but, to minimize leakage, avoid aiming your shower head toward the shower door or other openings in the enclosure. Instead, position it so that the water flow is directed toward a tiled wall or one of the fixed glass panels. In most cases, this can be done without sacrificing the design aesthetic of the bathroom. Or, choose an overhead rainfall-style fixture for more control.
Texture the Outside of Your Glass Shower Enclosure
Crystal clear glass doors and panels are stunning but potentially difficult to keep looking their best if you have hard water. You can offset that problem by adding texture to your framed or frameless shower glass enclosure.
Frosted or textured glass is easier to maintain and any water spots or streaks that do occur won’t be as visible. Also, patterned glass adds privacy to your shower enclosure, a feature that many homeowners prefer.
When installing patterned glass, we make sure the pattern faces out. Placing the smooth surface toward the inside makes cleanup simpler and quicker as squeegees don’t work as well on the textured surface.
New Concepts Glass has over 30 years of experience in personalized, professional glass design and installation. We service residential and commercial customers throughout Utah. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary glass shower enclosure consultation with our talented design team.