How To Install Custom Frameless Shower Doors In Your Bathroom

By Pamela Gibson


Whenever one decides to remodel any place in the house, there are many things to consider. When the room in question is the bathroom, this entails the lighting, medicine cabinet, tiles, fixtures, and many more. It is advisable to conduct some level of research and deciding on a specific theme first before seeking the assistance of a contractor, and buying the necessary supplies. One aspect to ponder on is the kind of shower door.

Usually, people do not really take the time to pay it much attention, but it has plenty of attributes and styles. Examples are the pivot, round, and bypass types and are attached to frameless or framed doors. A rising trend nowadays is the use of frameless ones due to its simple and modern look. These also require less effort to clean and gives the viewer the illusion of spaciousness. To learn the basics of installing custom frameless shower doors, read this article.

Frameless doors are almost always made up of glass, but that does not mean that they all appear the same. There are different types of glass to choose from, and this will be based on the preference of each individual. There are five types of glass, and each is unique in its own ways.

The most popular glass type is called clear and is used the most frequently used amongst the others. It is usually clear and allows light to pass through. Another is the frosted type and is usually soft and velvety looking and comes in different colors and designs. The best part about them is that they give the user some privacy, especially when the bathroom is shared with other people.

Rain glass is textured as well, but on one side only which means that it still offers some privacy and at the same time prevents any finger or water marks. Another category is tinted and comes in tones of bronze, black, gray, and even in opaque. The last kind is the hammer type and is called so due to its hammered metal like appearance. In case you are wondering where you can purchase these, a quick trip to some hardware stores in Minneapolis, Minnesota will help.

Once you have decided on what kind to install, you may begin the installation process. The first step is to measure the width of the shower opening in three places, which is the threshold, up to five feet, and then halfway in between. Using the point in the threshold where the door will pivot, measure the distance from any bath fixtures that an open door might hit. After all this, draw a simple sketch it in plain view and from the side, complete with all the measurements you have made.

Basing from your calculations, cut the base track using a hacksaw. Make sure it will fit in between the two stall walls, then smooth it all out using a file. Make sure to vacuum the metal fillings so to avoid scratches on the tiles, before placing the track inside, at the center. The side where the entrance will be is where the door support will be placed. Holding a jamb against it until it its lower end goes on top of the base. With the base track in place, grab a 4 foot level to modify it until it is vertical. Mark the wall using a pencil, then remove the jamb at each mark. Using a hammer and nail set, create a small divot.

Afterwords, drill holes at all of the pencil marks using a three over 16 inch diameter masonry drill. Tap and screw each hole using a wall anchor, and then a mallet to prevent it from marring. Use a set of 1 and a half inch steel pan head screws to bolt each hole. Ask a buddy to help lift and hold the door in its place, while you drill 4, seven over 32 inch holes through the holes found in the hinge rail. When done, fasten the rail to the jamb using the screws supplied by the set.

Afterwords, adjust the jamb until fully against the wall and align it with the rail. Drill the necessary holes for the plastic anchors and then screw it to the wall. Once this has all been done, install the door handle that comes with the kit and make sure secure. To make sure the shower enclosure is waterproof, apply a decent amount of mildew resistant silicone along the inside and outside edges of the base track. When dry, try to open and close your new frameless shower door to ensure it has been installed properly.




About the Author: