For a lot of us, a good looking and well functioning bathroom is the epitome of luxury. It is the one place apart from the bedroom, where people unwind and relax. Though a shower enclosure does not offer the same luxury as soaking in a bathtub, it still fulfills its purpose beautifully. Further, when you are in a beautiful shower enclosure, the process of showering itself becomes an unwinding and relaxing process. While there are tiles and other decorative fixtures to add to the beauty of shower enclosures, one way in which you can give this enclosure a sleeker look, is by means of frameless shower doors. However, some of you may still traditionally prefer framed shower doors.
Choosing Framed Vs. Frameless Shower Doors
Why is everyone talking about frameless doors for the shower, and choosing this option over a framed door? Not only aesthetic appeal in terms of bathroom design, a frameless door has a lot more to offer in terms of use and maintenance. Let's take a look at the properties of both, along with the advantages that either have to offer.
- A shower door that is framed requires the use of glass that is 1/8 inch or 3/16 inch thick. When framed, the metal frame gives this glass adequate protection against breakage and chipping. On the other hand, a frameless door is thicker, at least about 1/4 or 3/8 inch thick, because it does not have a metal frame to protect it. It is tempered so as to protect it from the breakage and chipping that glass is often prone to.
- In spite of being frameless, the shower door will require the use of some metal such as brackets and holders to keep the door steady. However, the use of metal is minimal with a frameless shower door used for shower stalls. Further, you can also invest in frameless sliding shower doors that are extremely smooth to use, do not get stuck, and just have a sleek metallic channel above and below for the purpose of smooth sliding. For a frameless sliding glass shower door, using glass that is 3/8 inch thick is a better option as it prevents any shaking and rattling of the glass.
- One might not classify this exactly as a disadvantage, but a frameless shower door is bound to be heavier than one that is framed, because the glass is thicker and tempered. However, it is still not difficult to use in any manner.
- The frame of a shower door is likely to rust over time, and leave behind its effects on the glass. A frameless door on the other hand offers no such issues, and in fact, cleaning glass shower doors that are frameless is much easier, as you don't miss out on any corners or edges.
- While the cost of frameless shower door is almost 50% - 60% greater than that of the framed varieties, it is definitely longer-lasting than the latter. As such, though the initial investment is high, in the long run it is a good one.
- No matter which shower design you choose, a frameless shower door gives your bathroom the feeling of a large, open space in spite of enclosing an area. It also immensely adds to the value of your property. Simply put, any house that is well designed, including the bathrooms with its walk-in showers and frameless doors, is likely to sell at a higher price than one that is not.
Ultimately, what looks good to you, and what is important for you in terms of appearance, function, and maintenance is what matters.
