If you're thinking about installing a new door in your bathroom, you might want to consider buying a frameless shower door instead of a framed one. Both frameless and framed shower doors are usually made out of toughened glass, which can usually be easily cleaned for simple cleaning. However, frameless doors tend to be made out of the exact same toughened glass but get a thicker, stronger pane of glass for support. And since they don't have a frame around it, there's nothing to take pressure off the glass, meaning that it's more prone to cracking.
The best shower door is usually made out of tempered or non-tempered glass and even then most don't crack so easily. They all have either a mesh backing or some type of a lattice design to keep the moisture out while allowing the steam to in. Some even have a lip over the glass, but it's really only necessary on the part of the glass where the hinges are installed, as the rest can be left plain and unadorned. Of course, all of this hinges and glass can make the installation of these doors quite complicated, and for those who are doing it themselves, the installation instructions are not always clear.
Most frameless glass shower doors feature a single frame, although a few are sold as double framed, and each is supported by either tubular track or u-channel hinges. The track hinges are situated at the bottom of the door, while the u-channel hinges are located along the top of the door. The track is made up of interlocking plastic tubes, and the u-channel hinges are mounted on these plastic tubes just like a cabinet door.
In addition to the tracks, u-channels, and hinges that support the frame of a frameless door, there are also some additional features. Frameless doors can usually support either air flow or heat. And depending on the thickness of the glass used in the door, you may find that the entire panel is much thicker than traditional doors. These additional features can add a bit of cost to the overall price of a frameless shower door, but it's often worth it. After all, how much thicker does it have to be?
As with any type of DIY home improvement project, the best way to make sure your frameless glass shower door may be installed properly by a professional is to do the installation in your own home. Even if you know little about home improvement, once you learn to install basic do-it-yourself projects, you'll find that installing your own glass metering system is far less time consuming and confusing. In addition, if you have trouble reaching the right parts because your frameless door may be made from different types of glass, having someone else do the installation for you can often solve the problem.
Framed doors and glass metering systems often require a special type of equipment that cannot always be purchased on a standard basis. Many of these items are specialty pieces of equipment that require an extended warranty period, and thus you should always make sure you're purchasing them from a reliable dealer. This is also true of any type of woodworking equipment or tools you might need during the installation process. Once you've carefully considered all of your options, including the purchase of your door, it will only be a matter of time before you can enjoy the peace of mind brought to you by your beautiful new door. Check out this related post to get more enlightened on the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Door.
