So You Want a Glass Shower Screen? Here's What's Possible
Frameless, framed, semi-framed – there are more options in shower screens today than ever, say these three experts
Georgia Madden
8 July 2020
From curvy and geometric shapes to styles with striking metallic or coloured frames, glass shower screens are no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. Three experts reveal the latest trends and provide tips on choosing the right style for your bathroom.
A glass shower screen creates a sleek and uncluttered look and allows the decorative features in your bathroom to shine, whether it’s beautiful tiles or a striking vanity.
“Glass shower screens keep the look light and seamless and they don’t compete for attention with other design elements in your bathroom, which is especially important in smaller spaces,” says Melissa Bonney, director at The Designory.
“Where possible, I always opt for floor-to-ceiling, frameless shower screens as they create the least visual impact. This keeps the focus on the material choices and other defining features in the room,” says Nina Maya, director at Nina Maya Interiors.
“Glass shower screens keep the look light and seamless and they don’t compete for attention with other design elements in your bathroom, which is especially important in smaller spaces,” says Melissa Bonney, director at The Designory.
“Where possible, I always opt for floor-to-ceiling, frameless shower screens as they create the least visual impact. This keeps the focus on the material choices and other defining features in the room,” says Nina Maya, director at Nina Maya Interiors.
Image by Andy Macpherson
What’s trending?
According to Bonney, some of the latest trends in shower screens include:
What’s trending?
According to Bonney, some of the latest trends in shower screens include:
- Curves: Curved shower screens can be used to soften harsh lines in a bathroom. To make a stronger statement, combine with other curvy elements, such as an arched vanity mirror.
- Colour: Powder-coated frames in black, white and a whole range of other colours allow you to create a unique space.
- Metallics: Brass, bronze, aged bronze, gunmetal and copper hardware are all popular.
- If you’re specifying metallic hardware for your shower screen, try a designer trick and repeat it elsewhere in your home for a cohesive look, says Bonney.
- Another way to achieve flow is to colour match hinges and hardware with tapware, says Maya. You could match them to mirror frames and bathroom accessories.
Image by Jeld-Wen
Wht Styles Can I Choose From?
Fully frameless
If you prefer a minimalist look, consider a fully frameless shower screen, which is made of thick, unobstructed glass that is fixed to the wall with discreet metal clamps. Or, to make the shower screen appear to be floating, it can be secured to the wall with a slim, aluminium channel frame.
There are many benefits to choosing a fully frameless style, says Christine Evans, director of marketing at Stegbar, including:
Wht Styles Can I Choose From?
Fully frameless
If you prefer a minimalist look, consider a fully frameless shower screen, which is made of thick, unobstructed glass that is fixed to the wall with discreet metal clamps. Or, to make the shower screen appear to be floating, it can be secured to the wall with a slim, aluminium channel frame.
There are many benefits to choosing a fully frameless style, says Christine Evans, director of marketing at Stegbar, including:
- The size and shape can easily be customised – think curves, geometric profiles and designs to fit awkwardly shaped bathrooms.
- They are easy and quick to clean as the entire glass panel is exposed, with no edges where residue can accumulate.
Frameless shower screens can be customised in different shapes to suit various bathroom set-ups, says Evans, including:
- Nib (half) walls.
- Bathtubs.
- T-shape screens (ideal for shower/toilet combinations).
- Corner showers.
- Telephone-box (three-sided shower screens).
- Fixed panels.
- Double showers.
- Front and return (two faces on the front and return side).
Image by Jeld-Wen
Semi-framed
Semi-frameless shower enclosures have a metal or plastic frame around the outer edges of the enclosure, but not the door. “This option gives you the best of both worlds – minimally intrusive screens and a wider glass area for a more spacious feeling, with reinforced structural support,” says Evans.
“Semi-framed shower screens feature slightly thinner glazing than fully frameless styles – six millimetres compared with 10 millimetres,” she says. “Slimmer glass means only a minimal frame around the top and sides is required.”
Semi-framed
Semi-frameless shower enclosures have a metal or plastic frame around the outer edges of the enclosure, but not the door. “This option gives you the best of both worlds – minimally intrusive screens and a wider glass area for a more spacious feeling, with reinforced structural support,” says Evans.
“Semi-framed shower screens feature slightly thinner glazing than fully frameless styles – six millimetres compared with 10 millimetres,” she says. “Slimmer glass means only a minimal frame around the top and sides is required.”
Framed
Framed shower screens feature metal or plastic around the entire structure, including the door. This lets you use your shower screen to add drama and interest to the bathroom, says Evans.
How on Earth Do I Clean a Glass Shower Door?
Framed shower screens feature metal or plastic around the entire structure, including the door. This lets you use your shower screen to add drama and interest to the bathroom, says Evans.
How on Earth Do I Clean a Glass Shower Door?
Hinged versus pivot doors
Hinged doors have hinges on the side of the door panel, much like traditional interior doors, says Evans. A pivot-hinged door has hinges at the top and bottom along the side of the door panel. “In most cases, both doors open nearly 180 degrees, although the exact trajectory depends on the type of hinge and door style you choose – inline or overlap,” says Evans.
“Hinged doors also offer a larger ‘opening space’ than pivot doors,” she says.
Hinged doors have hinges on the side of the door panel, much like traditional interior doors, says Evans. A pivot-hinged door has hinges at the top and bottom along the side of the door panel. “In most cases, both doors open nearly 180 degrees, although the exact trajectory depends on the type of hinge and door style you choose – inline or overlap,” says Evans.
“Hinged doors also offer a larger ‘opening space’ than pivot doors,” she says.
What are the costs?
Semi-frameless and framed screens are more budget-friendly options than a fully frameless style. “Frameless screes, however, give you the advantage of customisation to flawlessly complete your bathroom,” says Evans.
The exact price will depend on your location, installation requirements, configuration, the size of your screen, handle and hardware options, glass shelving or support bars required.
Semi-frameless and framed screens are more budget-friendly options than a fully frameless style. “Frameless screes, however, give you the advantage of customisation to flawlessly complete your bathroom,” says Evans.
The exact price will depend on your location, installation requirements, configuration, the size of your screen, handle and hardware options, glass shelving or support bars required.
- A semi-frameless shower screen will generally cost under $1,000 (for a corner shower screen measuring approximately 900 x 900 millimetres with an opening door).
- A frameless shower screen is a premium product, with a price point of approximately $2,500 (for a corner shower screen measuring approximately 900 x 900 millimetres with an opening door).
Image by Andy Macpherson
Best for small bathrooms
Fully frameless shower screens are ideal for confined spaces as they offer the largest expanses of glass to give you a clean, minimalist appearance, says Evans. “The uncluttered glazing of frameless shower screens opens up the room’s sightlines and lets in more light, thus making the space look and feel larger,” she says.
“For narrow bathrooms, a sliding door is ideal as the door will slide parallel to the glass panels and does not require empty floor space for its trajectory,” she says. “Similarly, a hinged pivot door can swing into the shower space, thus requiring less floor space in confined rooms.”
Best for small bathrooms
Fully frameless shower screens are ideal for confined spaces as they offer the largest expanses of glass to give you a clean, minimalist appearance, says Evans. “The uncluttered glazing of frameless shower screens opens up the room’s sightlines and lets in more light, thus making the space look and feel larger,” she says.
“For narrow bathrooms, a sliding door is ideal as the door will slide parallel to the glass panels and does not require empty floor space for its trajectory,” she says. “Similarly, a hinged pivot door can swing into the shower space, thus requiring less floor space in confined rooms.”
Important Considerations
Get a good seal
A good seal is crucial for preventing water leaking onto your bathroom floor, says Evans. “For superior protection, chose a shower screen with an overlapping door and a seal on the opening edge of the door. These make for an impeccable seal on all sides,” she says.
“Also consider the placement of the showerhead in relation to where the door is, as well as drainage and run-off on tiles.”
Get a good seal
A good seal is crucial for preventing water leaking onto your bathroom floor, says Evans. “For superior protection, chose a shower screen with an overlapping door and a seal on the opening edge of the door. These make for an impeccable seal on all sides,” she says.
“Also consider the placement of the showerhead in relation to where the door is, as well as drainage and run-off on tiles.”
Image by Andy Macpherson
Proportions are everything
Proportions are everything
- “Consider the height of the screen,” says Bonney. “As a general rule, we like to line the top of the screen with the showerhead height or even the line of the doorway in the room. Having the height line up is visually pleasing and the extra height is definitely functional in terms of splashes and steam.”
- Also consider the width of the screen, says Bonney. “You want enough width to avoid any splash – it should be a minimum of one metre wide.”
Make it easy-clean
“Think about maintenance – nothing brings down a beautiful bathroom more than dirt and the appearance of uncleanliness,” says Bonney.
You’ll find high-tech glass on the market that can reduce the build-up of grime on your shower screen and slash cleaning time. “Glass finishes such as Stegbar’s Nanoclean help to reduce cleaning times so it’s easy to keep your bathroom looking immaculate,” she says.
How to Design a Self-Cleaning Bathroom (Well, Almost!)
“Think about maintenance – nothing brings down a beautiful bathroom more than dirt and the appearance of uncleanliness,” says Bonney.
You’ll find high-tech glass on the market that can reduce the build-up of grime on your shower screen and slash cleaning time. “Glass finishes such as Stegbar’s Nanoclean help to reduce cleaning times so it’s easy to keep your bathroom looking immaculate,” she says.
How to Design a Self-Cleaning Bathroom (Well, Almost!)
Your turn
Did you find this story useful? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more on bathrooms? Take a look at this Renovation Education: Costs Per Item of a Small Bathroom Makeover
Did you find this story useful? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more on bathrooms? Take a look at this Renovation Education: Costs Per Item of a Small Bathroom Makeover
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Hi Trish. Unfortunately Covid restrictions have not allowed us to do our ensuite yet. good luck with your research. will be interested to see any photos if you use the ribbed glass
Hi, I have found that a lot of NZ glaziers don’t do truly frameless showers I.e clips to the tile as they do not want to void the waterproofing warranty. But all of the Australia shower installs I see are like this. Are there different rules? I don’t really want a channel but it looks like the only way I can go.
Very informative guide! By the way, choosing between framed and frameless glass doors, consider the fact that framed ones are safer and less vulnerable to breakage.