A few things you should know about shower doors

Let’s face it; a shower curtain may get the job done, but they leave a lot to be desired. No one likes a curtain that blows in and rubs against you or blows out and gets water all over your floor. That’s why you’re thinking about shower doors and enclosures; they’re just plain better. Lifetime Aluminum helps residents throughout Morris County, NJ find the perfect fit for their shower.

Types

First, the terms you’ll see used to describe shower doors and enclosures. Most will fall into a few of these categories.

Frameless: A shower enclosure made up of thick glass with only minor aluminum clips and hinges, if that.

Framed: A traditional shower enclosure, with an extruded aluminum casing. This type typically uses a thinner glass.

Semi-framed: An enclosure which uses thicker glass and thus doesn’t need a stabilizing metal frame on the door and uses metal as support throughout the structure.

Door: Any shower enclosure which uses a hinged door or sliding door to cover the entry point.

Enclosure: Any structure surrounding your tub or shower to keep the water in. Its design could be doorless, in the case of walk-in showers.

Bi-fold: A framed variant where the door collapses along a fold in the middle, scrunching to the side in a manner similar to a shower curtain.

Curved glass: A curved shower door, usually designed such that the door can slide and rotate out of the way.

Considerations

Supporting structure: What does your existing tub or shower look like? What can the walls, floor, and existing structures tolerate?

Shower heads: Will you also be changing shower heads, or do you like the one you have? Does this require adjustments to your plans?

Measuring: Accurate measurements are critical in a good shower door installation. Are you doing measurements and/or installation on your own, or leaving it to a professional team?

Ventilation and drainage: Do you have adequate ventilation and drainage in place for the shower enclosure you’re looking at? If you’ve relied on the wicking of a fabric shower curtain previously, you may not.

Learn more

If you’d like to learn more about shower doors and enclosures, or you have questions about other doors, enclosures, and windows, contact Lifetime Aluminum today at 973-887-1900. With over 60 years of service in the area, we promise a painless, effective selection and installation process.