Top 3 shower door installation services in Chicago, IL

There are some things to consider before you make a final shower door selection and commit to having it installed. First, look at the area in which you plan to install the shower door. If the shower door will cover a tub, choose a sliding door. If you’ve got a narrow shower stall, choose a pivoting shower door which can come with or without a track. On the other hand, if you’ve got a wide shower stall, a sliding shower door is the best option. Be sure to carefully measure the shower opening to make sure any shower door you choose will fit into the space. Choose a shower door that has a maximum width equal to, or greater than, the shower or tub opening that needs to be covered.

Before you shop for a shower door, decide whether you want clear glass or textured or tinted glass. The latter offer privacy. A clear glass door will let light in, brightening the shower space. Look at the rest of the hardware in your bathroom. Decide whether you want your new shower door hardware to match what is already in place.

When you are looking for the best shower door to install in your bathroom, you may run into the terms “tempered glass” and “safety glass.” Prior to 1961, regular glass was commonly used for shower doors. This type of glass shower door led to injuries when the glass broke. In 1961 building codes required that safety glass should be used in shower doors. The most common kind of glass used in shower doors is tempered glass. This type of glass is put through a process of heating and rapid cooling that makes it stronger than annealed glass. If it breaks, it dissolves into tiny pieces that are not as sharp as annealed glass shards.

Tempered glass comes in lots of styles. You might choose to install a glass shower door that is clear or ultra-clear. Ultra-clear shower door glass has a lower iron content to reduce the greenish tinge. If privacy is important, you might choose a shower door made of acid-etched, tinted, or patterned. There is also a type of shower door made with glass cast in a mold. Do your research before you install a new shower door to get the one that is right for you.

When it’s time to select a shower door to install in your bathroom, do your homework to find the type and style that is right for your needs. Most modern shower doors are made of tempered glass. This type of glass has been subjected to heating and rapid cooling that renders it stronger than annealed glass. Tempered glass shatters into tiny pieces that are not as sharp as shards from broken annealed glass. If you choose a tempered shower door you can choose between clear, textured, frosted, or tinted styles depending on your taste.

There is a less common shower door material option. Laminated glass is sometimes offered as an option for custom-made shower doors. This type of glass has a thin layer of clear or tinted plastic between two layers of annealed (or regular) glass. Laminated glass is more durable than tempered glass. When it breaks, the idea is that the glass shards will adhere to the layer of plastic. But escaped glass shards can be dangerous.

When you are installing a shower door, the amount of time to budget for the project varies according to a number of factors. If you are installing the shower door yourself, the project may take longer because there may be a DIY learning curve involved. Different shower door styles will take different amounts of time to install. If you are having the shower door professionally installed the project can take anywhere between two and four hours. A three-panel frameless shower can take two to four hours to install. A single frameless shower door could be installed in just an hour and a half depending on the expertise of the shower door installer.

If you have ordered custom shower doors for your bathroom, there is a different kind of time frame for installation. After you order a custom shower door, it could take up to three weeks to have it fabricated and delivered. The actual installation of the shower door might take two or three hours.

A frameless shower enclosure is made of tempered glass that is usually ⅜ inches or ½ inch thick. This tempered glass does not require a frame to support it. This style is a clean-lined, modern look free of visual distractions. Having a frameless shower door installed is a way to showcase fancy hardware, and exquisite tile and stone work. Frameless shower doors sometimes actually have frames around the top of the shower door and around the sides. Metal is also used for the clips on stationary panels, hinges and handles. Frameless shower doors tend to cost about twice what a basic, metal-enclosed model will cost.

An alternative to having a frameless shower door installed is to choose a semi-frameless style. The semi-frameless shower door option will be more budget friendly. Be sure to look for high-quality components like permanently bonded hinges and solid handles. Whether you choose to have a frameless shower door installed, or opt for a semi-frameless shower, be sure to consult a shower installation specialist. A pro will get your shower door installed safely, efficiently and in the allotted time.

When you want to have a new shower door installed, you may wonder how thick the glass should be. It may seem like the best idea is to save money by choosing the thinnest glass shower door. However, lightweight, thinner glass shower doors will need to be installed more often. As a rule of thumb, stationary glass shower doors should be about ½ inch thick. A shower door that opens and closes might need to be more like ⅜ inch thick. It’s important to make sure that hinges on a shower door that is being installed are not taxed to their maximum degree. It’s also important to make sure that any decorative elements that are placed inside the shower do not interfere with the glass door and its hardware.

Whether you are remodeling an existing shower in a bathroom, or are building a new bathroom from the ground up, it makes sense to seek the advice of a shower door installation specialist. A pro will have the expertise to guide you through the many choices that need to be made in choosing and installing a new shower door.