Shower doors can transform the look of a bathroom and are effective for ensuring water can’t leak onto your floor; however, they may need adjusting after a time. If your shower doors need a little help with staying on track, without the added stress and cost of replacing them, scroll down and read on DIY shower door adjustment.

Adjusting Shower Doors

There are typically three types of shower doors, sliding doors, hinged doors, and frameless doors. Here are the steps for adjusting each of these types.

Sliding Shower Doors

If you have a sliding door, good news! These types of doors are the simplest to repair and adjust since they run on a door along a track. These doors can start sticking or not glide as smoothly as before, so fixed them immediately can save issues in the long run. 

Here are the eight steps to adjusting sliding shower doors.

1. First, check to see if the roller on the track is a problem or if it’s more complex. If it’s just the roller that slipped off the track, just lift the sliding door and put it back.
2. Before starting, place a drop cloth down to protect your shower from scratches. Now, unscrew the guide rail from the bottom of the shower track.
3. Lift the sliding door out of the track and tilt the door in or out to remove it. Now, remove both doors so you can observe any problems.
4. Clean both the top and bottom tracks to remove any grime, soap scum, or rust in small areas. 
5. Locate the rollers in the track that are positioned on a slanted opening and adjust them. Raise or lower the door by moving the roller up or down in its slanted cutout.
6. Loosen the screw and move the roller to the desired location, making sure any other rollers are in the same locked position to keep doors even.
7. When the roller has been adjusted and tightened, it’s time to replace the doors and screw the bottom guide rail back in place.
8. Now test the doors to ensure they slide smoothly.

Ensure your rollers are the same type all across the guide rail. They are either round edge or flat edge. Inspect each one to ensure they’re the same type and that the roller is not cracked or showing any signs of defect. 

Hinged Shower Doors

Hinged doors are commonly glass doors with a framing system around them and. They’re hinged to the wall or another framed section. Again, these doors are reasonably easy to fix when becoming stiff. Before trying to adjust them, inspect them to see if the shower doors are rigid or other issues such as damage that may require a door replacement. If it’s been gradually sticking more, then using something to help it glide smoothly may be all that’s needed.

Here are the steps to adjust hinged shower doors.

1. Tighten the hinges attached to the wall.
2. Loosen and remove the hinge screws and the shower door.
3. First, clean the screws with white vinegar. 
4. Spray the hinges with WD-40 to help loosen them up.
5. Finally, replace the shower door and tighten the newly cleaned crews.

Lift or lower your hinged shower door by moving the rollers in the top, to allow the door to swing higher into the opening To lower the door, do the following:

• Move the hinge down so you can adjust the door to the right height.
• Ensure you clean up any adhesive or caulk when moving the hinges.
• Once you move the hinge, apply a fresh coat of the sealer if you want.
• Let the adhesive or caulk dry before using your shower or allowing any moisture to penetrate the hinges.

Avoid taking a shower or using your handheld shower head until completely dry. 

Frameless Shower Doors

Frameless showers and shower doors are thicker than framed doors, therefore, resulting in sturdier glass. Most of the pre-made frameless doors can be adjusted by about ½ inch. If your shower door is having issues with fitting in the track, you can adjust it rather than trimming it down. 

Two issues are associated with frameless shower doors: a shower door doesn’t match up with your shower head correctly and ill-fitting shower doors, due to wear and tear. For the former, it’s as simple as replacing the shower head. In the latter, you just need to fix the door by tightening or replacing the clamps.  

Here’s how to adjust the loose clamps on your frameless doors.

1. Open the door partway and prop it on a wedge. Level it where it should be.
2. Loosen the top and bottom clamps, so they go back to their original upright positions.
3. Remove the clamp and apply some Loctite Heavy Duty Threadlocker onto it; this keeps the clamps from stripping and helps preserve them.
4. Replace the clamps and tighten the screws in it, ensuring you clean up any excess Locktite.
5. When the Locktite dries, remove the wedge holding the door up and test the door to ensure it holds.

Need to Replace Glass Shower Doors?

If you’re ready to replace or upgrade your shower doors, contact Northern Utah Glass. We offer beautifully-crafted glass that’s topnotch quality, so contact us for a free quote or schedule a free in-home estimate.