Choosing the Framing and Glass for Your New Shower
Even though glass showers all consist of glass panels and hardware supports, different models combine these elements in diverse ways. Some designs have more framing than others, and they can also use various kinds of glass. To help you choose the best options when installing your shower screen, read on.
Framing Options
You'll need to consider how much framing you want around your new shower. Fully-framed screens are edged on all four sides with a metal border. On the other hand, frameless shower screens use minimal brackets and hinges to connect the structure. Between these two options lies a semi-frameless model that may display horizontal frames along the top and bottom and down the walls, but the shower door will be largely hardware-free.
If you're trying to decide which to choose for your installation, fully-framed screens are usually the most economical option, while frameless designs may cost the most. A frameless shower's major benefit is they become almost invisible, to evoke a sleek, streamlined look in a bathroom. The metal edges on fully framed enclosures are more prominent — they define the shower more strongly and create a heavier look. Resultingly, your bathroom won't feel as light and airy as with frameless screens. Semi-frameless structures provide a middle road — they look sleek to some degree, and their cost is often mid-range.
Glass Varieties
After you pick the framing for your shower, you need to choose a glass type. You can use standard clear glass, which displays a green cast along the side. To eliminate this greenish tinge, manufacturers produce low-iron glass that contains less iron and is thus crystal-clear. Transparent glass reflects light and brightens up a bathroom. Plus, it allows beautiful stone or ceramic tiles to become the focus.
However, with clear glass, you won't be able to enjoy privacy while showering. If you want this, you could install frosted glass, which is available in various opacities. You could construct an enclosure that only slightly blurs the view or one that is quite opaque, only allowing faint shadows to be seen through the screens.
Additionally, you can decorate your bathroom with frosted screens, which come in diverse etchings and designs, ranging from geometric patterns to botanical themes. Choose delicate filigrees to complement a traditional bathroom, or install organic wave shapes for a more funky effect. You can also install screens with frosting on selected parts only. For example, it might run along the middle section as a broad horizontal band, to give privacy while allowing light to flow through the shower screens' transparent top and bottom parts.
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