Framed vs. Frameless Shower Doors
What you choose depends on your budget and style. Both framed and frameless glass shower doors are a great way to elevate your bathroom. They provided a great element of elegance and sleek, timeless design. Framed and Frameless shower doors are safe and versatile.
What are glass shower doors made out of?
Glass shower doors are created from tempered glass.
What is Tempered Shower Glass?
When dealing with shower doors, we use tempered shower glass. Tempered shower glass is safety glass and it is the only type of glass permitted for bathroom shower installations. Tempered shower glass is designed against breakage with sharp edges. If tempered glass is broken, it will instead shatter into small oval pebbles, preventing major injuries to homeowners.
Another benefit to tempered glass is that it is designed to deal with extreme heating and cooling. Tempered glass is actually five times stronger than standard glass. Learn more about tempered shower glass here.
Framed Glass Shower Door
Framed Glass Shower Doors are framed by a durable, heavy-duty aluminum frame. They are more affordable and come in many design options.
Pros:
- Structure Stability: Since the tempered shower glass is encapsulated by a durable aluminum frame, the glass and structure are more stable and secure in their place. The heavy-duty frame steadies the door as well, reducing the risks of tempered glass shattering or the structure collapsing.
- Easy Installation: Framed glass shower doors are easier to install. All that needs to be done is hanging the glass pieces into the door frames.
- Conceal Water: Because the watertight frame includes a track, caulk, fillings, and sealing materials, the water will stay inside the shower.
- Variety of Styles: There are various styles, colors, textures, and designs of glass shower frames. There are customizable frames as well. There are options for a sliding door instead of pivoting door, allowing for more space. No matter the look you are going for, there is a frame for your style.
- Cost-Effective: A framed shower door will not break the bank. This option will still offer the high-quality attributes of a frameless door. Framed doors cost 10-15% less than a frameless shower.
Cons:
- Limited Range of Motion: Framed doors only open outward.
- More Maintenance: Metal shower frames are likely to corrode over the years from being exposed to excessive moisture. There is also a chance of mildew buildup.
Frameless Glass Shower Door
Many new homeowners and builders are choosing frameless showers for a stylish, modern look. We recommend taking the frequency of shower door replacement and future maintenance into consideration.
Pros of Frameless Showers:
- Open space: With no frames obstructing the space, the view and lines of the room are open and clear.
- Customizable: Usually framed shower doors come in standard dimensions while frameless shower doors can be cut to desired dimensions. They are very popular today. They will give your bathroom a modern look.
- Less Mold and Corrosion: With no frame containing a seal or metal materials, there are fewer areas for moisture to seep into and grow mold or corrode.
- Easy Cleaning: Cleaning a frameless shower is a quick and easy task. NO frame means no materials for mildew, buildup, or corrosion to occur.
- Range of Motion: The hinges of the frameless pivot shower glass door can swing both in and outwards.
Cons of Frameless Showers
- Costly: Since frameless glass has to be thicker to support the frameless structure and prevent shattering, the pieces will become more expensive than framed glass shower doors. The installation becomes a tedious process.
- Likely to Leak: Due to the lack of seals, there is a likely chance of water leakage. It is preventable by finding a professional and experienced shower door installer. Make sure to go through a reputable company to receive the quality glass.
- Chance of Shattering: Shattering a frameless shower door is rare but is also possible. This happens if you have damaged the glass, received a defective piece of glass, had an improper installation, or drastic temperature changes occur. The lack of frame makes the chances of shattering higher than a framed glass shower door.
Read more about Framed vs. Frameless Showers.
Learn More about Shower Doors
Moyes Glass specializes in custom-made shower doors and mirrors for your replacement or new construction project. If you are looking for inspiration, see our shower doors gallery. Moyes Glass is dedicated to creating your dream shower. If you would like to learn more information about shower doors and how to choose one, read our Shower Door Guide today and information about the shower doors we offer. Moyes Glass offers an abundance of shower doors and to choose from. Our experts will come to your job site and provide you a free estimate for your project. Contact the Moyes Glass shower door experts.