Many people love the convenience of showering: it’s quick and it’s easy. However, showering wasn’t always so. For example, many showers were contained in the bathtub unit. For some, climbing into and out of the tub to shower was not only a safety issue, but difficult for those with stiff joints or other impairments. Often, a shower curtain made the enclosure dark and dreary, and there was limited shelving to place soaps and shampoos on. The shower head, placed on the wall, often left the floor drenched, or a person having to squat to get wet. Once the shower stall was created, a glass-etched door, encased in a heavy metal frame, enclosed the small, tiled space creating a claustrophobic, dark room.The trend today, however, is to create a spacious, bright, and clean look for the shower stall. No longer are people wanting small, ceramic tiles to line the walls, cursing when mold or dirt clings to the grout. Instead, they look for large decorative, groutless tiles to line floors, walls, and even ceilings, creating an open, aesthetically pleasing flow. Most importantly, people are choosing to lose the traditional metal-framed doors and are investing in frameless glass shower doors, allowing for natural light and beautiful design elements to be seen. Best of all, the frameless glass door starts at the floor and works itself up, to adapt to any design element a person chooses.

Pros and Cons of Frameless Shower Enclosures

As mentioned above, the frameless glass shower door and wall panels can be designed to fit any space in any shape imagined. However, as with any product on the market, there are pros and cons with choosing to install a frameless shower enclosure in your home over a more traditional option. The most important thing is knowing the facts, and choosing a product that works for the lifestyle of you and your family!

Cons of Frameless Shower Enclosures

1.  Heavier, but more sturdy materials: The glass used in a frameless shower enclosure is quite thick and unusually heavy and, so, hardware must be stronger and sturdier to not only hold up the thick glass, but to also keep the glass panels in place because, now, there isn’t that thick metal frame to keep it together.2. The importance of using an installation for frameless shower enclosure systems: Frameless shower enclosures typically lack the rubber and seals that traditional showers have to stop leaks. Also, if the glass is cut ever so slightly off measurement, your bathroom floor risks being ruined by constant puddles. While other shower systems could be installed with some measure of ease by an amateur, you will want a specialist to assist with this procedure to ensure precision when cutting the glass and that your bathroom is constructed properly to stop leaks.

The Pros of Frameless Shower Enclosures

Now that some of the cons of frameless shower enclosures are understood, below are the benefits to installing this system in your home.Benefit 1: Frameless shower enclosures open up your bathroom space and make it seem larger.Benefit 2: Frameless shower enclosures allow you, the homeowner, to customize the look of your bathroom and better create an entirely unique and aesthetic space to enjoy.Benefit 3: Frameless shower enclosures are much easier to keep clean than traditional shower systems. They will save you valuable time that could be spent with your family and doing the things you love.

Let us expand on these points:

Frameless shower doors offer a minimalist, elegant, and sleek design that mimics an upscale look that more and more homeowners are desiring for their bathrooms. These and the following pro’s will help you decide if this style is the right one for you. Frameless shower doors guarantee the look of having more space. The lack of heavy metal lines framing the glass into place allows a person to feel that the room is bigger, even when it isn’t. The glass panels and clear door is just cleaner. Better yet, if you have added intricate or unique tiles, faucets, showerheads, and the like, your shower stall can become the much appreciated focal point of the bathroom. Another great feature is that you can customize your glass stall. This means that your design can be as big or small as you like. Having a cylinder, square, or rectangle isn’t a problem. You can start the glass at floor level or create a foundation and build from there.While some designers opt for the clear glass doors and panels, you can decide to have them etched with acid. Remember the old shower stalls that had rubber seals to keep leaks at a minimum, but grew mold at a rapid rate? Well, this isn’t a problem with frameless shower doors. In fact, having little hardware also ensures that, if maintained well, there is little chance of corrosion and, so, little probability of having ever to replace your door. As well, a squeegee is a fast, easy, and efficient tool to keep glass looking spotless.The future of your home, and bathrooms, awaits. With many wonderful design features and options at your fingertips, you can modernize your bathroom to achieve a beautiful, open, and naturally-lit shower stall.

What are you waiting for?

Let our consultants help you design your dream shower! Visit our Frameless Shower section or contact us online for more info or call us today at 416-800-1156!