How to Select the Perfect Shower Door
Whether you are looking for a way to elevate your bathroom or want to take years off the look of your existing bathroom, a DreamLine shower door can take you there. There are many factors to consider when selecting the perfect shower door. The type of door that will work best for you depends on the size of the shower opening, the design of the space, and practical space considerations to determine how the door should open. Follow the steps below to Your Perfect Shower Door.
Shower Door Design & Type
usually fall into three design types. Decide which design works with your space, a shower door, a bathtub door or a shower enclosure. If you choose a shower enclosure, for a corner installation, you have a choice of 3 shapes:
Door Opening
The way that your shower door opens is imperative to the flow of your bathroom space. You can spare the space necessary for a swing door, which will open out into the room or you can conserve space with a sliding door. If space is not an issue, it’s simply a matter of taste whether you prefer a swing or a sliding door.
1. Swing Shower Doors
A swing shower door does just that, it swings out. These models will use either hinge or pivot hardware. Choose a single swing door for smaller openings or a door with one or more stationary panels to fit larger openings.
2. Sliding Shower Doors
There are different kinds of sliding shower doors. Some models pair a sliding door with one or more stationary panels. Other models use a bypass operation. A bypass shower door consists of two panels that can slide all the way to the right or left, one behind the other, so that you can access the shower from either side.
3. Bi-fold Shower Doors
A bi-fold shower door slides into the shower space by folding, much like an accordion.
Measuring Your Space
The door you select should fit the dimensions of your shower opening. If the space is new, do not take any measurements until the walls are finished. Material on the wall, such as backer board, acrylic or tile, can reduce the wall-to-wall width measurement. Accurate measuring is absolutely critical to ensure that the model you choose will fit properly within the space. You should always measure twice to ensure that your measurements are completely accurate.
The following steps will walk you through how to properly measure for the different types of shower openings.
Measuring for a Shower or Bathtub Door
Measure the width from finished wall to finished wall in 3 places:
A. Top: 72” up from base of shower
B. Bottom: Shower base / threshold
C. Middle: Halfway between A & B
Use level to check for straight/plumb walls. If 3 width measurements are the same and the level indicates that walls are straight, order a door to fit that width. If 3 width measurements are not the same or the level shows that walls are not straight, this indicates that the walls are out of plumb (not straight), order a door that allows for out-of-plumb adjustment.
Measuring for a Shower Enclosure
There are different steps depending on the shape of the enclosure
Neo Angle:
A. Along the wall from corner of finished wall to end of threshold
B. Width along exterior of threshold from finished wall to the end of first angle
C. Height of wall from top of base to top of wall
Quarter Round:
A. Along the wall from corner of finished wall to end of threshold
B. Width along the exterior of the threshold from finished wall to the point where base begins to curve
C. Height of wall from top of base to top of wall
Right Angle:
A. Along wall from corner of finished wall to end of threshold
B. Height of wall from top of base to top of wall
Regardless of the type of space or condition of the space, old or new, always use a level to check for straight / plumb walls. DreamLine offers many models that prove width and out-of-plumb adjustment for a forgiving installation.