Frequently Asked Questions about shower glass V2

More Frequently Asked Questions about Shower Glass

Please find answers to the most popular questions we are asked about our shower glass doors and enclosures. This covers the glass element of shower glass.

If we have missed anything drop us a comment or send us an email and hopefully we can help with your questions

What glass is used in shower screens?

In general, the glass used for shower screens is monolithic and toughened safety glass. You can expect the thickness of the glass screen to be 5mm to 6mm for framed glass. For frameless glass the glass is a either 8mm, 10mm or 12mm toughened glass.

How long should shower screen Last?

For framed glass, the life expectancy can be up to 25 years. This would be for a well looked after and correctly maintained. For shower glass enclosures with rollers life expectancy is 10 to 15 years.

What is the most popular shower glass?

Clear Glass is the most popular used for shower glass as it allows light to pass through the door or enclosure and does not impact the light that would naturally flows around the bathroom. Low iron glass is also proving quite popular. Low iron glass does not have the green hue that clear glass has when looking through the pane.

Does shower glass need to be tempered or toughened?

Building Codes and country Specific Regulations require that shower glass has to be either Toughened or Laminated. In the UK Expect to find either a toughened glass stamp or a CE/ BS stamp on the face or edge of the glass.

What size do shower screens come in?

An average off the shelf shower screen can be from 600mm to 1500mm in width and 1900mm in height. A bespoke size shower glass can be made from a slim 100mm strip up to 6 meters in width and up to 3 meters in height (jumbo size sheets)

How do frameless shower screens work?

A frameless shower screen is much thicker than normal shower screens and uses its own strength and integrity to allow it to be fitted to walls via clamps and fixing channels. Frameless doors operate in a similar manner using minimal sizes door hinges and handles connected directly to the glass itself.

Are frameless doors worth it?

Initially a frameless shower door will cost more than a traditional framed shower door however, If you add up the cost of maintenance, cleaning it does not need in comparison to a framed shower door, not to mention uplift in value it can add to your home.

How can I tell if my shower door is tempered?

Glass processors must give toughened glass a safety stamp or mark to either the face of the glass or on the edge of the glass in its final stages of the tempering process. If you don’t have one of these present or visible then its probably not tempered or toughened.

How much does it cost to install a frameless shower door?

In the UK, expect to pay around £250.00 - £500 to install a frameless shower door and slightly more for a frameless shower enclosure. The installation price would be ‘on top’ of the cost of the shower enclosure itself.

Can a plumber install a shower door?

Plumbers can install shower doors and enclosures but more commonly the plumber is passing the installation of shower doors and shower enclosures on to shower glass installation specialists. As frameless glass is becoming much more popular, the liability and the skillset has grown more challenging a plumber.

Can a shower be cut to size?

A shower can be pre cut to size but once the glass has gone through the toughening or tempering stages it cant be cut again. If you do try to cut a shower glass panel or door, it will most likely break and ‘explode’ into small pieces and potentially cause serious harm.

Do frameless shower doors cost more?

Frameless shower doors cost more than regular shower doors as they are generally made to order. The cost also increases as frameless shower doors are twice the thickness of standard off the shelf shower doors. The components used for frameless shower doors can also attribute to the uplift in cost of the frameless door.

Is it better to have a shower curtain or shower door?

Shower curtains are easy to install, cost less to purchase and easy to maintain whereas shower doors are more expensive and need a competent person to install. As for longevity, the shower glass is much better at keeping it’s looks over time and does not become grubby or tired looking unlike a shower curtain.

Are frameless shower doors easy to install?

Depending on the competence of the person installing, we suggest that a frameless shower door is installed by professionals. Glass is heavy, easy to break or damage and generally requires two people to install.

We have found many DIY frameless glass installation projects can go wrong very quickly.

How heavy is a shower door?

Shower doors use toughened glass which in 10mm its 25 Kgs per square meter, in 6mm its 15 Kgs per square meter. If you take an average shower door size of 700mm (W) x 1900mm (H) in 6mm that would equate to 1.33Sqm or 19.95 Kgs. In 10mm thick the same glass door would weigh 33.25 Kgs

How are frameless shower doors supported?

Frameless shower doors rely on the structural integrity of the glass alone as there is no frame. The glass panel door has special cutouts for hinges to connect the glass door to a wall or tile. The hinges are specifically designed for glass doors.

How thick should a frameless shower door be?

Frameless shower doors in the UK are manufactured in 8mm, 10mm or 12mm toughened or tempered glass. The optimal glass thickness for frameless shower door is 10mm. For larger doors or commercial frameless doors are commonly found in 12mm thickness.

How strong are glass shower doors?

Glass shower doors are toughened or tempered, after the toughening process, the glass has a greater impact strength on its face. Tests prove that the integral strength of toughened glass is 4-5 times the strength of regular annealed glass. This makes the glass perfect for shower doors.

How Thick is 6mm glass?

6mm Glass in inches is ¼ inch glass (one quarter of an inch)

What causes a shower door to shatter?

The three main causes for a shower door to shatter or explode are Poor or faulty installation, Nickle inclusion and mistreatment or misuse. Poor installation can include the glass bearing on top of a screw head within a fitting or fixture. Nickle inclusions within the glass are rare and uncommon. Misuse meaning swinging doors wildly or accidently hitting the glass with a heavy object.

Is tempered glass thicker?

Tempered glass is no thicker than regular annealed glass. Tempering is a process where annealed glass is heated up to almost melting point and then rapidly cooled to harden and temper. The thickness of the glass does not change.

How strong is 10mm glass?

Firstly, it depends if the 10mm glass is annealed or tempered (toughened). Tempered glass is approximately 4 to 5 times stronger than that of annealed glass. There are three types of tests for glass. Point Loading, Impact strength and weight bearing. All three tests provide values depending on various test circumstances.