Custom Glass Shower Enclosures

Which shower enclosure or door is the best for me?
This is a question that only you can may answer for in most cases this will be up to your prefence and budget for your project. The only time you will not have much choice will be when the opening is 28" or less. Which in that case it will leave you with the only option of having a shower door. Even in this options you still have additinal options like placing an arch on the top frosting the door or placing a patern or design.

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What type of glass should I use for a shower enclosure and how thick should the glass be?
You should only use tempered (safety) glass for a shower enclosure, anyone that tries to sell you a shower enclosures should automatically quote you for tempered glass. If you find anyone that is quoting you with normal clear glass that is not tempered do not use them. You do not want to use anyone that is going to cut corners to make the price of the enclosure cheaper to make a sale. It is dangerous not to use tempered glass on a shower enclosure. The thickness will depends on a lot of different things like for instance the type of enclosure normally 3/8" thick glass is used but if you were to choose a framed enclosure then 1/4" thick glass would be fine because it has metal frame that helps straighten the glass. You can also use 1/2" thick glass but in most cases it is not needed unless you have a fairly large enclosure and need the glass to be stronger.

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Do I have to you clear glass or are there additional options to choose from?
This will depend on the glass provider that you use, the more common glass type that are usually available by all glass providers are Ford Blue, Starfire, Clear Rain, Etched, Bronze, and Gray glass. Etch provider may also have additional types of glass to choose from and may not have some of these to choose from as your glass provider to let you know what glass they have in 3/8" thick glass.

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What is the difference between Safety glass and tempered glass?
Safety glass and tempered glass is the same thing, what makes tempered glass safety glass you may wonder? Well the best way to explain the difference will be to explain how normal glass and tempered glass brake. When normal large peaces of glass break they break into large peaces that when they fall could slice someone and cause serious injuries. When tempered glass breaks it breaks into a million small peaces, when they fall they are less likely to cause serious injuries. Also when you temper glass it makes the glass stronger there for making it harder for the glass to break.

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How do I measure the opening to get a quote from someone for a shower enclosure?
The measurements should be taken from wall to wall and should only be done once the opening is ready for the enclosure, to make sure the measurements do not change. Exact measurements should be provided to your glass provider and they will deduct what ever needs to be deducted for the hardware you selected. The hardware should be purchased from the same glass provider you will use to purchase the glass. If you buy your hardware from a different vender then you should make sure to order the hardware before you order the glass and let the glass provider know what needs to be deducted.

When taken measurements you should always take measurements from the bottom, middle and the top. In most cases you will not have an opening that will be a perfect square. Most of the times the top and the bottom do not match which is not a big deal the glass provider just needs to know so that they can make the enclosure correctly. If the top and the bottom match and the center do not match this means that the glass can not be cut straight it will be bowed and will cause the enclosure to be a little more then it would be if the glass were straight.

If you do not feel comfortable taking your own measurements and plan on hiring an installer to install your enclosure, you should have them also take the measurements as well. Take into consideration that if the measurements are not correct the shower enclosure will not install properly. Also double or triple check your measurements to make sure they are correct. No glass provider will take back tempered glass because of the fact the glass was custom made to fit your enclosure and then tempered so it can not be cut to fit another client's enclosure.

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Should I measure the opening of the enclosure before I tile the open?
You should never take measurements until you are ready to install the enclosure. I know you are very eager to get your project completed but if you take measurements before the opening is ready for the shower enclosure then once it is done the measurements could be off and the enclosure will not fit correctly in the end.

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How long does it take to order a shower enclosure?
Typically a shower enclosure takes one week to create then one week to temper the glass then a couple of days to create and a week to deliver. So if everything goes just right then the ETA for an order would be three and a half weeks to receive to your door. In most cases the most glass providers will add additional time just incase something were to happen most providers will give an ETA of four to five weeks this gives the provider about a half a week or so incase something was to happen. What could happen that could delay your order? In the temper process if there are any imperfections in the glass, the glass will shatter when it reaches high temperatures. It would then need to be recreated causing the enclosures ETA time frame to be longer. This believe it or not is a good thing. It means that when you receive the shower enclosure the glass is perfect with no flaws in the glass.

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