Friday 27 January 2012

How New Shower Doors Can Bring Life to Your Bathroom!

You would be amazed at what shower doors could do for your bathroom décor. Shower enclosures are pretty much standard in new home construction today, but what is not standard are the type of doors you can choose from! There are several different types popular today, which one you should choose will depend on several factors.

Budget

Perhaps the most telltale factor in choosing shower doors is going to be your budget. If you are simply replacing existing doors, you can probably get through on a reasonable budget. However, if you are considering an entire room remodel this is a horse of another color entirely. Either way you should go over the plans you have for your bathroom and calculate costs, estimate upwards to cover potential overages. (There are usually unexpected expenses). Now you can see where the shower doors fit in the budget and know where to begin your search.

Bathroom Size

Nearly as important as price is the size of your bathroom or projected size if this is a new construction. How much clearance there is between shower enclosures and the sink, cabinets or toilet will determine whether you can even consider hinged doors or not. In some constructions, they are simply not possible! Another thing to think about in small bathrooms is how a frameless shower door will open the room and give the illusion of space.

Door Types

Now for a little more information on the many different shower enclosures on the market today:

Framed- framed shower doors are very common, and many people opt for them for this reason alone. They are also more economical than the other choices. These are good choices for larger bathrooms since the frame itself breaks up the field of vision and makes a room appear smaller.

Frameless- a very popular option today is frameless doors. These are sleek and modern in appearance but can be cost prohibitive. Of all the shower door types, these tend to run on the expensive side.

Swinging- as stated above you have to be careful choosing swinging doors; you want to make sure you are not going to shatter them against the sink for example! These doors give your bathroom a classic appearance.

Sliding- perhaps the most popular of all shower doors is the sliding glass composition. These doors sit in metal tracks that are mounted to the floor or bathtub. Sliding doors have been used in homes of all types for decades, and still remain a preferred choice. One thing you should remember about sliding shower doors is the fact that the track builds up oil, water, soap scum and dirt in an area that is difficult to clean.

Glass

Your final consideration will be in glass type. The options will of course depend on which manufacturer you deal with, however generally speaking you can order etched, molded or clear glass for your doors. Consider some of the following glass patterns:

Rain

Stripes

Mist

Reed

Storm

Crystal frost

Starfire (many more!)

Conclusion

If you want to dress up your existing bathroom or create an entirely new look with a remodel, do not overlook the importance of shower enclosures. There is a style to fit nearly any budget or taste, whether you want a frameless shower doors or crystal frost in the framed variety you have no end of choices.