Shower Doors | Northern Utah Glass

Everything You Need to Know About Choosing Shower Doors

Choosing the right shower doors for your bathroom shower is a matter of style, space, and practicality. It might be time to design the bathroom of your dreams, or maybe you just want to finish your bathroom shower quickly and affordably.

Whether either of those is true or you’re somewhere in between, you likely have questions. You might not know about all the types of shower doors, your glass shower door options, the sizing and measurements for your shower doors, costs, installation, etc.

Today’s blog provides information on all that and more. By the time you’re done reading this blog, you’ll be well-equipped to finish or upgrade your bathroom! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about choosing shower doors.

Types of Shower Doors

You have quite a few options when choosing shower doors, which is excellent, especially if you have a goal in mind for how you want your bathroom to look. Your options include:

Sliding doors are ideal for wide-open showers or bathtubs with two or three panels.
Frameless doors create the illusion of more space due to the lack of metal on the exterior edges. This sleek, modern option uses strong tempered glass that doesn’t require extra support.
Framed shower doors come with a frame, often made of metal, that supports them. You’ll open or close your shower door within its set frame. Framed shower doors include different designs, such as pivot and hinged.
Steam shower doors are typically part of a steam room, but you can have them at home, too. A steam shower door is designed to trap all the steam inside the shower, so it doesn’t make its way into other parts of your home.
Custom enclosures are just that – custom. You can work with your glass company to design the perfect shower door for your bathroom. Custom enclosures often combine elements of different shower doors.

Glass Shower Door Options

Now that you know what types of shower doors are available, it’s time to look at what kind of glass you want for your shower door. The type of glass you choose is an essential element of your bathroom. Popular options include:

Clear
Low-iron (for superb clarity)
Obscure or opaque (lets light through while giving you some privacy)
Tinted (comes with a coating or film)
Textured/fluted (patterned or ribbed)
Etched (stripes and motifs)
Rain (waterfall or bubble effects)

You could have the same type of shower door in all your bathrooms, or you could choose to incorporate different shower doors to shake things up a bit. This is a great way to add variety to your bathrooms. Or, you might want a sleek, uniform look throughout your home. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Sizes and Measuring

Your standard shower door will measure between 22 and 36 inches wide and 72 inches high. Just be sure it fits your shower since most showers slightly differ in size.

Measuring the space will protect you from purchasing a shower door that doesn’t fit your shower. Don’t sweat it if you have an unconventional size that doesn’t work with many shower types. That’s what a custom glass company is for – they’ll know what to do!

Costs

Because there are so many different types of shower doors, it’s impossible to nail down a specific price. However, we can tell you that several factors affect the price, including where you live. Believe it or not, prices vary for the same product in different states.

Other factors include the thickness and size of the glass. Naturally, you’ll pay more for a larger glass shower door. You’ll also pay more for thicker, sturdier glass.

Choosing Your Shower Doors

You’ll have your shower doors for a long time, so it’s essential to pick the right one. And that takes time! Don’t rush your decision. Consider your budget, the aesthetic you’re going for, and the practical factors of your individual bathroom.

If your space is small, pick a shower door that optimizes that space, so no one feels cramped. You’ll want a protective coating for your shower doors if you hate soap scum and limescale build-up. A sliding door might be your best bet if you have a combination tub and shower.

Get someone else’s opinion if you can’t decide what you want for your bathroom. A friend or family member might see things differently and have a great idea that you love. Or, you could consult with a professional glass expert who can recommend what would work best for your bathroom.

Installation

How you’ll install your shower doors depends on what type you purchased. Some are easier to install than others. But regardless of what kind of shower door you choose, you’ll need the same supplies, including:

Safety glasses
Measuring tape/pencil
Hack saw
Miter box or square
Level
Electric drill and bits
Screwdrivers and Allen wrenches
Caulking gun/silicone sealant

Plus, before diving into your project, you’ll want to thoroughly clean the entire shower to ensure no residue interferes with the installation of the shower door.

Once you’re ready to start the installation of your shower doors, be sure to follow all the directions that come with your shower doors. Skipping steps will prevent you from properly installing the shower door and could prove hazardous for your family. You don’t want that!

But even if you follow all the directions correctly, you might discover that it’s harder than you thought to install your shower doors.

Choose Northern Utah Glass for Your Glass Door Installation

That’s why you should call Northern Utah Glass for your shower door installation. With over 15 years of experience, we have the expertise you need to successfully and safely install your shower doors.

Northern Utah Glass serves Weber County, Davis County, and Salt Lake County, in Utah. We’re locally owned and operated and are here to help you pick the perfect shower doors and install them for you. Enjoy peace of mind as your new shower comes together! Call us at 801.528.2800, or fill out the contact form on our website.

Let Northern Utah Glass install your shower doors today!

7 Things to Consider When Looking for a Glass Shower Door

When it’s time to consider remodeling the bathroom or even when building your home, you should give special care to your glass shower door.

While not the focal point of your bathroom, the shower door makes up a significant portion of your home’s aesthetic. The right shower door can make or break your bathroom design, so give it special care.

Here are a few things to consider when looking for a glass shower door.

1.Height and measurement

The first thing you should consider in your bathroom is the size you can afford to allot for the shower door. Though a seemingly trivial matter, you shouldn’t overlook this crucial step.

Your glass shower door should have enough vertical clearance to allow anyone to use it.

Understand how much clearance you have in your bathroom to give to your shower. An improperly sized shower space can make personal hygiene an uncomfortable chore.

Make sure the design you choose for your shower doesn’t sacrifice area space for aesthetics. Your shower needs to have the correct dimensions.

If you don’t feel like you have enough room for a good door, consider skipping the door altogether with a barrier-free design!

2.Space for the shower and door

As an addition to allotting the appropriate amount of space to your shower, you need to consider how much space you are going to need for your shower door.

Many make the mistake of not allowing enough room for the shower door to swing out or slide back fully. This can create unexpected expenses to address the problem or unconventional fixes.

If you plan to put a shower right next to your toilet, sink, or cabinet, be spatially aware of how much room your door will need to open and shut fully.

Additionally, choose a door design that isn’t too bulky and doesn’t crowd your shower space. You wouldn’t want to feel claustrophobic every time you shower!

3.Shower Door Opacity and Design

In the design of your bathroom, give due consideration to your desire for privacy.

Do you feel the need to ensure you can’t be seen when showering, even if you live alone? Do you like the enclosed feeling of being contained in an opaque container, sealed off from the world?

The design and opacity of your glass shower door should be selected before you have it installed. The added expense of removing a door and texturing the glass can throw a wrench in your design budget.

Consider these design options before installing your door:

Clear Glass Doors

Clear glass doors are generally the least expensive option for your shower door. They can serve as a base template for further design modifications or be used independently.

Low Iron Glass

Regular glass doors aren’t as clear as you would think, especially as their thickness increases.

The thicker the glass, the greener the tint will appear. This is due to a high iron content throughout the panel.

Tinted Glass

If you’re into minimalistic designs, then having a texture or veneer on your shower door probably doesn’t sound appealing.

Instead of adding a new element to your glass, change the tint instead. You can use the tint to match the vanity, floors, and the rest of your aesthetic. Choose the color and grade that will best fit your style.

Etched and Blasted Doors

Another popular way to add design features to your bathroom is by changing the texture of the glass. This option is more expensive than a veneer but superior in quality and look to veneers.

Etched and blasted doors alter the glass directly through engraving a design or through sand-blasting one side. The results vary depending on how you customize it. Generally, however, this is often used as an alternate way to increase the opacity of the door while adding a stylish flourish and maintaining quality.

4.Design Continuity

Consider the overall design before settling on a single option when designing and building your bathroom. There are several different layouts, pallets, and styles for your bathroom. Choose a door that blends into the overall layout of the bathroom.

5.Hard Water and Cleanliness

If you haven’t installed a hard water filter or live in a very humid place, you should consider how easy it is to clean your shower.

Hard water stains will quickly coat the interior of your shower. If your shower is made of clear transparent glass, you’ll be able to distinguish the hard water spots on your shower clearly.

In humid areas, you’re more likely to see spots of color in the damp corners of your shower caused by fungus. While not everything that grows in humid environments is dangerous, it can be unsightly. You’ll want something that can be easily cleaned.

6.Lighting

Know how each section of your bathroom will receive light. You don’t want to be showering in darkness!

Be sure your shower has its own lighting fixture or has enough transparency to allow you to see while in the shower. This is an easy step to overlook, so make sure you don’t!

7.Ease of Installation

Whether you are doing a personal project or hiring a crew to do all the heavy lifting and installation, you should consider how easy it is to install the shower door.

This is merely to protect you against accidents and injury. The heavier, bulkier, or more complicated the door, the greater the likelihood that you or someone on your team will damage something or sustain injury.

The problems can worsen if you live in a home full of tight corners and small doorways. While the shower design you hope will make a good fit for your bathroom may look good in concept, it may fail in its practical application.

Call Northern Utah Glass for Great Showers

If you need to install a new shower in your home, check out the designs at Northern Utah Glass! Some options will work for almost every concept.
Contact us now to see about getting a glass shower door for your bathroom.

6 Benefits to Having Glass Shower Doors You Hadn't Thought Of

If you are looking to update and improve the appearance and functionality of your bathroom, consider installing glass shower doors. Upgrading to glass shower doors can have many benefits which you may not have thought.

Even if your bathroom currently has glass shower doors, you can easily add new life to your shower by replacing and recycling your old shower doors with new frameless glass shower doors.

But what are the benefits of having glass shower doors, and why should you consider ditching your cute shower curtain for glass? Here are six reasons why glass shower doors are an excellent investment you will never regret. If you are ready for a safer, cleaner, and brighter bathroom, keep reading to find out why glass shower doors are the answer you didn’t know you needed.

Durable

When people think of glass, they usually think of how fragile and delicate glass can be. This is true of certain types of glass, but shower doors are made of tempered glass designed to be more durable than you may think.

Tempered glass is manufactured using a process of intense heat and pressurized cooling. The result is glass that is four times stronger than standard untempered glass. The tempering process causes the surface to compress and create tension inside the glass.

This not only increases the strength of the glass and the pressure it can withstand, but it also makes the glass safer if it ever breaks. When tempered glass is broken, it shatters into smaller, dull pieces instead of sharp shards. This makes it safer and easier to clean up and less likely to cause injuries.

For these reasons, many states have existing regulations that all glass used in bathrooms be tempered glass. Even if your state does not require tempered glass, it is best to ensure that tempered glass is used in the installation of your glass shower doors.

Easier To Clean

Have you ever noticed how gross and dirty your shower curtain can get? All that soap scum and mildew just sit on the curtain until it might get rinsed off once in a while, or you end up replacing the entire shower curtain.

Glass shower doors are so much easier to clean than flimsy curtains. You don’t even need harsh cleaners. There are many homemade cleaners that banish hard water stains, mildew, and soap scum and leave your shower sparkling.

What is even better about glass shower doors is that you can easily maintain clean doors in between deep cleaning by using a small squeegee after your shower to wipe away excess steam and droplets. This will make deep cleaning even more effortless and prevent soap scum and other grime from accumulating in the rest of the shower and bathroom’s corners, nooks, and crevices.

Upgrade to frameless glass shower doors for even easier cleaning and a simplistic look. Without a metal or acrylic frame, there are even fewer tricky places to scrub.

Bathroom Appears Larger and Brighter

Most bathrooms are designed to use a small space with very little natural light. This can be compounded with a shower curtain that blocks any of the light that might come from a window above the shower or bathtub.

The space immediately feels larger and more open when you have glass shower doors. This is primarily because light can be dispersed and reflected throughout the entire bathroom. Glass won’t increase the square footage of your bathroom, but it can make it feel bigger and brighter without any other changes.

If you’ve ever struggled to read the label of one of the bottles in your bathroom and used conditioner or body wash when you meant to use shampoo, it may be time to switch to glass for your shower doors.

Safer

Did you know that having glass shower doors is safer than open-concept showers or shower curtains?

When properly installed, glass shower doors create a seal around the shower that prevents water from leaking or dripping down onto the floor and creating a slipping hazard. Additionally, by making better use of space and light, glass shower doors eliminate the dank darkness in which mold and mildew thrive.

Customizable

Do you have an unusually shaped shower or an uncommon bathroom floor plan? Are you looking to make a unique statement with your shower remodel? Glass shower doors are extremely customizable. Instead of manipulating standard-size curtains and curtain rods to fit a non-standard size space or layout, have a professional glass company design and install the perfect customized glass doors for your shower.

So whatever you are looking for when it comes to upgrading your bathroom, choosing glass shower doors can be the perfect solution.

Value

When you look at all of the benefits of glass shower doors, it’s clear that upgrading your bathroom with glass shower doors can also increase the value of your home. The average bathroom remodel offers an average return on investment (ROI) of 60-65 percent. This can increase another 10-15 percent when installing glass shower doors as part of the remodel.

Not only will you have a cleaner, more beautiful, safer, and larger-looking bathroom, but you will also add value to your home.

Beautiful Glass Shower Doors From Northern Utah Glass

Northern Utah Glass has over 15 years of experience providing quality window replacement services. We are locally owned and operated with a team of skilled technicians ready to help you improve your home’s value, appearance, and functionality.

With a wide variety of styles and materials, Northern Utah Glass can help you upgrade or replace your glass shower doors with professionalism, timeliness, affordability, and quality. We are dedicated to providing customer satisfaction throughout Davis, Weber, and Salt Lake counties in Utah.

If you are considering home renovations that include glass shower doors, window replacements, or custom installations, call (801) 528-2800 or contact us today for more information.

At the center of form meeting function, shower doors are a common bathroom fixture that can totally make a space. This bathroom staple is not exempt from aging, however.

Whether your shower door is dated, faulty, or you’re simply craving a new look, replacing it is a top consideration. Can the glass on your shower be replaced? Why would you want to change it? What kind of process is it? Let’s take a look at all the ins and outs.

Is It Possible to Replace a Glass Shower Door?

You might be wondering what options you have for changing the glass in your shower. The good news is that it is very doable to replace the door on your shower. Depending on what style of door you have, this could be a simple or more complex process. First, the old door and surround must be carefully and completely removed. Once the door and panels are out of the way, the caulking around the jambs and the bottom track must also be removed. Depending on what style of door you are installing once the old one is removed, you may be replacing the jambs and bottom track to accommodate the new glass. On average, the whole process might take a professional glass installer just 2-3 hours for a typical glass door, but this can vary widely depending on the size and style of the shower.

Why Should You Consider Replacing Glass Shower Doors?

There are many reasons you might need to change the door or other glass components of your shower, and they aren’t all aesthetic reasons.

Cracks in the Glass. Any time cracks appear in glass, it’s bad news. Cracks are a tell-tale sign that the glass is beginning to deteriorate, and it is only a matter of time before the whole pane of glass breaks. The nature of glass is that cracks in the surface can gradually become larger over time and affect the overall integrity of the glass. Eventually, this could lead to the door of your shower breaking or even shattering, a major safety concern.
Rusty frame. Once rust begins to show on your shower frame, it’s time to think about replacing it. A sign that things are aging and deteriorating, rust can also be an annoyance, causing the door to glide less smoothly.
Outdated style. Framed shower glass is more common in older showers and can quickly make a bathroom look dated. Modern frameless shower enclosures can quickly elevate a bathroom from mundane to spa-like. You can also create a customized look by opting for clear, tempered, frosted, or rain glass.

Trust Northern Utah Glass to Professionally Replace Your Shower Doors

No matter your reasons for replacing the glass in your shower door, you will want to rely on a professional to get the job done right. When you call Northern Utah Glass, you can expect quality glass, expert installation, and beautiful design. Whether you live in Ogden or Farmington, we provide excellent service throughout Weber, Davis, and Salt Lake County, Utah. For a free in-home estimate, give us a call at 801-528-2800, or contact us online today!

Everything You Need to Know About Choosing Shower Doors