What shower door is best?

Shower doors can add an element of elegance to any bathroom. They're also more hygienic and easier to maintain than shower curtains.

With many colors, textures, and sizes to choose from, you can get the exact style and function you're looking for.

Before you decide on a shower door, think about the space you have to work with, including current color schemes, the amount of space, and the longevity of other items in your bathroom. Shower door manufacturers today build them to last, so you want to get one that you'll enjoy using for years to come. We also have many common questions and tips from the Handy Man experts to aid in your decision-making process.

What Glass Is Best?

Easy-Clean, Durable Glass

Not all glass is created equal. Shower door manufacturers like Arizona and Foremost make only tempered glass doors—the equivalent of safety glass. This ensures durability and safety.

When you order a door, you also have the option to add an invisible coating to the glass. Both Arizona Shower Door's Clear-Fusion™ Pro Nano-Coating and Foremost Shower Enclosures's H2Off Clearshield Clean Glass Technology offer additional protection. Think of it as Rain-X®, only for your shower door instead of car windows. This coating is applied at the manufacturing site and typically comes with a 10-year limited warranty. Once applied, it prevents mildew, soap scum buildup, and scratches. There is also no need to use harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners to maintain the look of the glass. Simply take a few seconds to squeegee the door after each use.

Shower Door GlassShower Door Glass
With (left) and Without (right) Clearshield
Clean Glass Technology

Glass Texture

The texture of the glass you choose can also impact to the look of your bathroom.

Shower Door Texture

Looking to make your bathroom appear bigger? Clear glass can give your bathroom a more open, spacious look. Or perhaps you're looking for a door that provides more privacy? Opt for a textured look, such as obscure, rain, or steam. No matter what's important to you in a shower door, know that manufacturers offer several options.

Shower Door ObscureShower Door Clear
Choose a texture, such as rain glass for added privacy or clear glass to create the illusion of more space.

Many homeowners who like the look of clear glass also install a frameless shower door, so it has no frame around the edge. This can expand your room, more so, and it's easier to keep clean as grime doesn't build-up around the frame.

Interested in learning more about frameless shower doors? Read our blog post.

Is a sliding or a pivot shower door best?

How your shower door opens and closes—whether it's on a hinge, slide rollers, overlaps, or has a magnetic close—is both a matter of workable space and personal preference.

If you have little room to work with and are installing a new shower, a neo-angle base shower with a hinged door can leave more floor space. Many hinge doors also come with a magnetic strip to keep the door sealed tight and prevent water from seeping out.

Shower Door Hinge

You can also have an overlapping door on hinges. These help keep the water in the shower while eliminating the need for an additional frame piece.

Shower Door Overlapping

Or if you have a tub you're adding a door to, consider adding a sliding glass door. This way you don't have to worry about extending out of your tub to reach the handle and close the door. Sliding glass doors can be used with bathtubs and shower bases.

Sliding glass doors on large rollers keep the doors on track and are quiet. The rollers also add a unique look to your shower.

Shower Door External Slider

You can also opt for a traditional sliding door that doesn't include the rollers.

Shower Door Traditional

What Hardware Is Best?

Once you choose your glass texture, open and close style, and whether you want a frame or frameless look, you get to pick out your hardware color.

Manufacturers offer many options, so you can mix and match with existing hardware in your bathroom or start fresh.

Color options may vary, based on the door style you choose. Here are a few of options you may have:

Shower Door Hardware Options
Finish options for Foremost Marina shower door.

You can choose the color of your finish for the:

  • frame
  • hinges
  • handle
  • towel bar (usually optional)
Shower Door Brushed
Oil rubbed bronze finish – Foremost
Shower Doors

Ready to see some shower doors in person?

The shower door and accessories you choose should enhance your bathroom functionality and design. At Handy Man, we share all our little tricks for choosing the perfect one for you. Stop by one of our locations to test our floor models, and talk with one of our experts. Whether you're looking to install it yourself or hire a contractor, we'll walk you through it.