5 Types Of Glass For Your New Shower Door

Glass shower enclosures aren't just practical, they can also be beautiful. There is a range of different styles of glass to choose from so you can personalize your shower door to match your decor.

1. Clear

Clear or translucent is the most basic style of shower enclosure glass, and often the most cost-effective option. For small bathrooms where it's necessary to really open up the space visually, nothing beats a clear glass shower enclosure for making the room look bigger. Plus, clear glass is smooth, so it doesn't trap dirt easily so it's simpler to clean. There is a slight greenish tint to standard clear glass, but there is a low-iron glass option that costs a bit more but provides perfect clarity with no green cast.

2. Rain Glass

Rain glass is also called textured glass. The glass has a bumpy, textured surface that makes it more translucent so there is some privacy for anyone inside the shower. The texture can vary, although the most common style is textured to resemble raindrops on the glass. Although textured glass may trap some dirt, the texturing also hides things like fingerprints so that the glass doesn't have to be cleaned as often as the clear type.

3. Frosted

Frosted glass is the most popular option when it comes to adding some translucence and privacy to your shower enclosure. You can find frosted glass in varying degrees of translucence, from nearly see-through to heavy frosting that only lets through a glow of light. Unlike rain glass, frosted glass has a smoother surface so it won't trap dirt nearly as easily. It will also hide smudges and fingerprints well.

4. Black Glass

Black glass isn't completely black, it just features a black-hued smoky tint. The tinting looks a bit more striking than simple clear or frosted glass, but it still lets natural light into the enclosure when you are bathing. Much like clear glass, fingerprints, and smudges may require a bit more cleaning up as they will be easily visible. The tint is in the glass itself and not a film, so scratches aren't a major concern.

5. Painted Grid

If you love the look of window panes, why not bring the design into your bathroom? Window panes grids are painted and embedded in the glass, so they won't scratch or wear away. Most commonly available are black grids, although your installer may be able to offer a range of custom colors and pane configurations to choose from. Painted grids are most commonly available with clear glass doors.

Contact a local glass shower door installer to learn more.