The Ins and Outs of Shower Glass Doors

Frosted glass is translucent- it softens the view while still letting in some light

Glass is a common and popular way to enclose the free-standing shower. Being separate from the tub means the enclosure goes to the floor, making a traditional shower curtain less effective in containing water.

Here are thoughts on how you can decide on the type and application best for you.

Glass Types

There are quite a few types of glass used to enclose a shower. The common thread in all glass enclosures, though, is that tempered glass must be used.

Clear Glass. Just as it sounds, this glass is a smooth, clear, transparent enclosure. A variation of this is using a low-iron glass. This type of glass removes the slightly greenish tint found in most clear glass options and affords a ‘brighter’ looking option.
Frosted Glass. This glass is translucent but not transparent. The glass is typically finely sandblasted to provide a uniform frosted look.
Textured Glass. Textured glass comes in several options. One note is that the texture is commonly on the outside of the enclosure, leaving the inside smooth and easier to clean. Included in this category are:
- Rain Glass. The texture of the glass is designed to resemble raindrops on a window. The net effect is translucent but gives a distorted view of the shower’s interior.

Rain glass allows a full view of beautiful shower tile and surrounds

- Fluted Glass. Fluted glass features straight lines, usually vertical, and gives a distorted view of the interior.
- Hammered Glass. This texture resembles the patterns found in a hammered metal finish.
Tinted Glass. Adding a color or shade of tinting to bathroom glass can enhance the overall design of your bathroom. Colors available include bronze, black, reds, greys (which have a smoky appearance), blues, and other colors, depending on the manufacturer.

Mixing some or all of the above. Adding color to any of the above glass types is also an option.

Shower Glass Selection Considerations

How we enclose our shower depends on several key factors that help us make the best choice.

Show Off: If you have beautiful tile finishes, granite, cool-looking walls, or unique shower fixtures, you may want to display them. Clear glass or low-iron glass is the best choice for showing off the shower. After all, you spent good money to have a beautiful shower, so you don’t want to hide it.
Hide It: You don’t want to be able to see into or out of the shower at all. Frosted glass is the best option to make this goal happen. You may only be able to detect a fuzzy shadow on the glass at best.
Make It Pop: Add color to make your bathroom design stand out.
Draw Attention: Textured glass draws attention to the shower and complements your bathroom décor.

Maintenance Considerations

Whatever type of glass enclosure you choose, you will want to keep it clean. Depending on where in Arizona you live, our water tends to be on the hard side. Even with a water softener, water drops on a glass surface can evaporate, leaving behind whitish mineral deposits. If you have tried to clean these before, you know just how stubborn they can be.

Here are some cleaning tips we have found to work.

Using a squeegee frequently keeps calcium build up at bay

Squeegee Wiper: After every shower, you can use this glass cleaning device on the shower side of the glass to remove water remaining on the glass. This will not eliminate the need to clean with a mineral busting cleaner but can reduce the frequency needed for those cleanings.
Water Repellants: This is a spray-on chemical that causes water to bead up on a glass surface and run off. Spray the product on, and it works. Pretty simple. This method does not eliminate the need to clean the glass forever, but it reduces the frequency, and you don’t have to squeegee the glass every time you use the shower. You will have to reapply it. The frequency of reapplication depends on how often you use the shower. Daily use will require more applications than the once in a while use of a guest shower.

Shower glass surrounds can add significantly to the décor options in your bathrooms. Choosing the glass of your shower door carefully will give you the look you desire.

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Homeowner Handbook | #ShowerGlass