WHAT IS AN ENCLOSURE?
AN ENCLOSURE IS A DOOR OR PANEL THAT GOES FROM WALL TO WALL OR AROUND YOUR SHOWER BASE. IT CAN BE FRAMED, SEMI-FRAMELESS OR FRAMELESS AND COMES IN MANY CONFIGURATIONS.
WHAT IS A FRAMED ENCLOSURE?
FRAMED MEANS ALL THE GLASS HAS A FRAME AROUND IT, I.E. ALL GLASS EDGES ARE IN A FRAME. FRAMES COME IN MANY FINISHES, SUCH AS: CHROME, GOLD, WHITE, BRUSHED NICKEL, ROMAN BRONZE, SATIN, ANTIQUE AND MORE THAN 60 CUSTOM POWDER COLORS.
WHAT IS A SEMI-FRAMELESS ENCLOSURE?
SEMI-FRAMELESS DOORS STILL HAVE SOME FRAMING MATERIAL ON THEM. GENERALLY, THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE GLASS DOOR AND THE TOP OF THE DOOR DO NOT HAVE ANY FRAMING ON THEM. THERE ARE SIDE JAMBS AND A SILL ON THIS STYLE OF DOOR. DEPENDING ON THE DESIGN THERE COULD BE A HEADER. APPROXIMATELY ONE-QUARTER OF THE GLASS DOES NOT HAVE FRAMING ON IT.
WHAT IS A FRAMELESS ENCLOSURE?
NO ENCLOSURE IS ENTIRELY FRAMELESS; ALL ENCLOSURES REQUIRE SOMETHING TO HOLD THE GLASS IN PLACE. A “FRAMELESS” ENCLOSURE MIGHT HAVE GLASS CLAMPS OR A SMALL JAMB MAY BE USED TO HOLD THE GLASS TO THE WALLS AND BASE. SOME DESIGNS MAY ALSO REQUIRE A HEADER TO HOLD ALL THE GLASS PIECES TOGETHER. THESE ARE THE BEST-LOOKING DOORS, AND GENERALLY THE GLASS IS CLEAR AND 3/8” THICK.
WHAT IS A BYPASS/SLIDING DOOR?
A BYPASS/SLIDER IS WHERE ONE DOOR PASSES BEHIND OR IN FRONT OF ANOTHER DOOR. MANY CLOSETS HAVE BYPASS DOORS. BYPASS DOORS GENERALLY REQUIRE A HEADER, SILL (BOTTOM TRACK), AND SIDE JAMBS. WHEN ORDERING A BY-PASS DOOR PLEASE TELL WHAT SIDE OF THE SHOWER YOUR SHOWER HEAD IS ON AS YOU FACE THE SHOWER FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, I.E. LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE. WE WANT TO BE SURE THE OVERLAP PREVENTS WATER FROM GETTING OUT BETWEEN THE DOORS.
WHAT IS A HINGED DOOR?
A HINGED DOOR MIGHT HAVE FULL-LENGTH HINGES OR TWO TO THREE HINGES ON IT. THINK OF YOUR HOME’S FRONT DOOR. THIS STYLE IS GENERALLY FOUND ON SHOWER STALLS UP TO 36 INCHES WIDE. DEPENDING ON THE STYLE, THEY CAN BE FRAMELESS, SEMI-FRAMELESS, OR FRAMED. THE DOOR CAN HINGE OFF THE LEFT OR RIGHT WALL. WE WILL NEED TO KNOW WHICH SIDE YOU WANT THE HANDLE ON, I.E. LEFT OR RIGHT AS YOU FACE THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN. YOU WANT TO BE SURE THE DOOR WILL CLEAR ANY OBJECT SUCH AS THE TOILET, CABINET OR SINK.
WHAT IS A DOOR AND PANEL?
A DOOR AND PANEL IS USED WHEN THE OPENING IS MORE THAN 36 INCHES WIDE BUT NOT GENERALLY MORE THAN 72 INCHES WIDE FOR A STANDARD ENCLOSURE. THE PANEL MAKES UP THE DIFFERENCE. THE DOOR COULD BE MOUNTED ON THE RIGHT OR LEFT WALL OR OFF THE PANEL.
WHAT IS A SILL/THRESHOLD?
THE SILL IS THE PART YOU STEP OVER WHEN GETTING INTO THE SHOWER. THE SILL IS GENERALLY THREE TO FOUR INCHES HIGH AND MAY BE FOUR TO SIX INCHES WIDE. THE SILL SHOULD PITCH 1/8" INTO THE SHOWER AREA BUT NOT MORE THAN 1/2". THIS WAY WATER WILL RUN BACK INTO THE SHOWER AREA AND NOT ONTO THE BATHROOM FLOOR.
WHAT IS A CUSTOM ENCLOSURE?
A CUSTOM ENCLOSURE IS MADE SPECIFICALLY TO MEET YOUR NEEDS BECAUSE THE LAYOUT DOES NOT MEET ANY STANDARD APPLICATIONS.
WHAT IS A CENTER LINE MEASUREMENT?
IF YOUR SILL/THRESHOLD (WHAT YOU STEP OVER TO GET INTO THE SHOWER) IS 5 INCHES WIDE, THE CENTER LINE WOULD BE 2½ INCHES. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MEASUREMENT AS IT AFFECTS HOW YOUR CUSTOM-MADE DOORS FIT OR WON'T FIT. PLEASE CALL US SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CRITICAL MEASUREMENT.
HOW THICK IS THE GLASS?
OUR GLASS DOORS RANGE FROM 5/32", 3/16”, ¼”, 3/8”, AND UP TO ½” THICK. THE STYLE AND COST OF THE DOOR DRIVES THE THICKNESS OF THE GLASS.
HOW SAFE IS THE GLASS?
ALL OF OUR GLASS IS TEMPERED SAFETY GLASS. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE HUNG FROM, BEAT ON, OR SLAMMED SHUT. SHOWER ENCLOSURES ARE NOT UNSUPERVISED PLAY AREAS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
WHAT IS A BUTTRESS WALL?
A BUTTRESS WALL IS A HALF WALL THAT MAY DIVIDE THE SHOWER FROM THE TOILET AREA FOR PRIVACY REASONS, BUT CAN ALSO BE DONE SIMPLY FOR DESIGN REASONS. A BUTTRESS WALL CAN BE ON THE FRONT AND SIDE WALLS DEPENDING ON THE DESIRED LOOK. YOU CAN SEE EXAMPLES OF BUTTRESS WALLS BY LOOKING AT OUR MEASURE IT SECTION ON THE HOME PAGE.
IS MY SHOWER ENCLOSURE WATERTIGHT?
NO, SHOWER ENCLOSURES ARE MEANT TO KEEP THE MAJORITY OF THE WATER (99%) ON THE INSIDE OF THE SHOWER AREA. YOU CAN MAKE THEM LEAK BY HAVING TOO MUCH WATER PRESSURE, BODY SPRAYS POINTED AT THE DOOR AREA, OR MULTIPLE SHOWER HEADS. IT’S BEST TO PLACE A MAT OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR.
ARE FREE ESTIMATES OFFERED?
WE DO OFFER FREE ESTIMATES, BUT RECOMMEND THAT YOU PROVIDE APPROXIMATE MEASUREMENTS. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A STARTING PRICE POINT BEFORE THE ON-SITE MEASURING. OUR SERVICE AREA IS NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.
WHAT TYPES OF GLASS IS OFFERED?
MANY SHADES OF GLASS ARE AVAILABLE AS WELL AS LESS TRANSPARENT GLASS SUCH AS BUBBLE GLASS, RAIN GLASS, AND ANTIQUE GLASS. WE USUALLY RECOMMEND CLEAR GLASS AS IT USUALLY MAKES THE BATHROOM APPEAR LARGER. CONTACT US TO DISCUSS OUR OFFERINGS AND SEE SAMPLES.
WHAT THICKNESS OF GLASS DO YOU RECOMMEND?
THERE ARE 3 STANDARD THICKNESSES FOR SHOWER DOORS; ¼’, 3/8’ AND ½’. CALL US TO DISCUSS WHAT THICKNESS IS MOST APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR SHOWER.
DO YOU RECOMMEND THE GLASS BE TEMPERED?
YES, ABSOLUTELY! ONCE YOU TEMPER A PIECE OF GLASS IT INSTANTANEOUSLY BECOMES 4-5 STRONGER. ANOTHER BENEFIT OF TEMPERED GLASS IS THAT IF ONE DAY IT EVER BREAKS, INSTEAD OF BRAKING INTO LARGE SHARDS, IT BREAKS INTO SMALL PIECES CAUSING MUCH LESS DAMAGE AND POSING LESS OF A DANGER. THE PROCESS THAT THE GLASS GOES THROUGH TO BECOME TEMPERED IS EXTREME HEATING AND RAPID COOLING.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO KEEP MY SHOWER FROM LEAKING?
IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR SHOWER DOOR FROM LEAKING, YOU MUST FIRST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHY SHOWER DOORS LEAK. IN MOST CASES SHOWER DOORS LEAKS FROM FAILURE TO PITCH THE SADDLE INWARDS. THE IDEA IS THAT ONCE THE WATER FROM YOUR SHOWER HEAD HITS THE GLASS IT RUNS DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS, ONCE IT HITS THE SADDLE IT ONLY HAS TWO WAYS TO GO; OUT OR INTO THE SHOWER AREA. IF THE SADDLE IS PITCHED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THE WATER WILL GO INTO ITS RIGHT PLACE WHICH IS THE INSIDE OF THE SHOWER. WE RECOMMEND THE PITCH TO BE 5 DEGREES IN-WARDS. THE SECOND REASON WHY A SHOWER DOOR MIGHT LEAK IS BECAUSE YOU SHOWER HEAD IS POINTED DIRECTLY IN BETWEEN GLASS SEAMS. KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL HINGES HAVE MOVING PARTS WHICH HAS SMALL SPACES TO ALLOW MOVEMENT. BY CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF WATER FLOW AWAY FROM SUCH AREAS IT WILL GREATLY INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF YOU SHOWER DOOR NOT LEAKING.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT GIOVANI GLASS
