Shower screens are a very important part of any bathroom renovation. There have been great advances in the design and manufacture techniques within the shower screen industry. Gone are the days of sliding doors that break down, dirty track channels or glass embedded with chicken wire to reduce their tendency to crack.

There are three basic designs including framed, semi-frameless and fully frameless.

Framed – 6mm toughened safety glass with aluminium framework around all panels of glass including the door. Basic, practical and hardwearing. Usually priced around the $450-$600 range.

Semi-frameless – 6mm toughened safety glass with minimal framework to the top/bottom tracks and fixed panels that attach to walls. There is no framework around the door panels. A nice way to complement your bathroom, without breaking the budget. Still has a bottom track to retain water and when you shut the door it is still a sealed unit. Usually priced around the $750-$950 range.

Fully-frameless – 10mm toughened safety glass with no framework. The glass is held on by brackets and often requires additional stabilizing support to larger panels of doors due to the extreme weight. The gaps on the “wall to glass” and “floor to glass” panels are filled with a clear silicone. There is a gap between the door and pivoting panel between 3-5mm to allow opening and closing and under the door. This means water can escape during showering. These screens can look amazing if made and installed by experienced people. There is no tolerance for imperfections in the wall/floor substrate because of the lack of framework to hide it, so the glass is custom manufactured with these differences. Usually priced around the $2200-$3000 range.

Single panels of glass have become popular for use in “walk-in” or open showers. These designs are not always suited to all situations and careful thought needs to be put into not only aesthetics but also the functionality of a bathroom. The placement of an existing window can sometimes be a hindrance and can mean alterations to a type that can handle water exposure.

Not looking forward to keeping that new showerscreen looking clear and clean? A great product that we have come across is “EnduroShield”. It is a surface treatment for glass that is both water and oil repellent. Applications last a long time and help to make cleaning easier as well. Applying the product is as simple as spray and wiping. Another method that we have always found simple is using a handheld shower fitting if installed in your new bathroom to spray down the shower walls prior to finishing your shower.