When installing a glass shower, you have many options regarding its configuration, size and look. One particularly crucial aspect of a shower is its framing quotient. You may wonder whether you should install a frameless or a fully framed shower. Consider the following information to help you choose a shower screen.
Materials
Both frameless and fully framed showers typically use tempered safety glass. However, framed showers can use thinner panels because the metal border supports and reinforces the enclosure. This metal is usually aluminium, which can be powder-coated in various colours.
On the other hand, frameless showers are connected with brackets and hinges. Because the glass is the primary support element, these enclosures must use thicker safety glass. The use of glass for showers is regulated by building codes, so you can be sure that whatever style you install, it's constructed safely.
Appearance
Which style you prefer may depend on the decor of your bathroom. Fully framed screens with metal borders give a more traditional look, and so they look at home in classic settings. To create a vintage feel, you could install screens with black matte metal edging. On the other hand, if you want to create a streamlined, modern look, you may prefer frameless screens. With barely any metal, these screens allow you to see through to the tiled wall and floor without interruption. Thus, they're ideal if you want to highlight luxurious travertine or decorative porcelain tiles, for example. The shower screens don't interrupt the view. Both enclosure types may use various types of glass, including transparent, frosted satin, or pattern etched.
Shape and Size
Frameless and fully framed showers come in various configurations, such as square, rectangle and hexagon shapes. Because fully framed showers are typically prefabricated, you won't have as much freedom in personalising the shower to fix your layout. You can choose from the array of what's on offer.
On the other hand, custom-designed frameless showers offer more freedom, as the glass panels can be shaped together in various ways. An enclosure may have a fixed screen against the wall with a hinged door connected to it. Alternatively, the shower area can be constructed without a door and with several fixed screens to contain splashing water. Depending on the bathroom layout, the screens can be configured to create a vast shower or a more compact one, whichever you prefer.
Cleaning
When choosing a shower, it's crucial to be mindful of the cleaning that it will require. One of the trouble zones in showers is the connection between the metal hardware and the glass. This join creates crevices that can harbour mould and mildew. Because of this, a frameless model is easier to clean, as it features less metal.
Thus, you'll have a range of factors to consider when choosing the framing for your shower. Frameless designs are usually more expensive, though they offer more benefits. If you want to get some of the benefits of both options, you might consider a semi-frameless shower. These structures feature horizontal metal edging along the top and bottom and vertical edges where the glass meets the wall. But the door and other panels are connected with discreet hinges and brackets.