How to choose Shower Enclosure. Shower Doors, Shower Screen?

Are you on the hunt for new shower door? Do you install a brand-new shower enclosure or upgrade your existing one? It’s crucial to get the right shower room. choosing shower enclosure maybe sound simple, actually it will take many factors into consideration than what you think.

Which design are you looking for? How is the bathroom space do you have? Which finish should you choose? It may start to feel a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry, the task of choosing your right shower room is not such difficult as your thoughts

That is why we have created this buyer guide to help you make decision easily and stress-free during the whole process. Please follow below steps to help you to select a shower enclosure fit for your bathroom. 

We’ll look at some important factors to consider before buying a new door and what types are typically available.

If you’re not sure yet, don’t panic. We’ve prepared a great FAQ section that you’ll find really convenient. Do you want to know more? Please read on to find out how to choose a shower enclosure door.

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING

When you’re shopping for a new shower enclosure, it isn’t quite as simple as just choosing the prettiest one. There are quite a few things to keep in mind but don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be a complicated and time-consuming job.

Here, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider when looking at doors, from measurements and floor space to your budget and the most suitable finish.

MEASUREMENTS

Getting the measurements right is crucial for choosing the correct shower enclosure door. Get it wrong and you’re inevitably going to experience issues once you’ve bought it. The last thing you want is for your new shower door to arrive and then discover it’s the wrong size!

Instead of guessing, use a tape measure as this will give you the most accurate measurements. Be sure to get the width, depth, and height preferably in millimeters.

If you have an old shower door and are simply replacing it, take the measurements of the existing shower tray to find out what you need.

LOCATION OF SHOWER ENCLOSURE

Where you have your shower enclosure may also dictate which door you can have. Corner showers may not have as much room for a door as a shower in the middle of a wall.

Take into account where your shower is, or will be, and choose a door that’s most suitable for its location.

SIZE OF SPACE

We know it may be tempting to go big when buying your new shower enclosure door, but this will only lead to hiccups when it comes to installing it! Once you’ve taken your measurements, be sure to stick to them and choose a shower door that will fit into its designated space.

Some common sizes of shower enclosures include 800 x 800mm and 900 x 900mm. Sizes that are outside of this range may need to be made by a specialist bespoke company.

Whatever you do, be sure not to buy a shower door that’s too wide, tall, or deep. Try not to go too big with your shower plans, especially if you don’t have a big bathroom, as it won’t look very feng shui friendly and there won’t be much room to move around comfortably.

On the other hand, if your bathroom is very generous in size, you can go for a bigger size as a small one might look a bit strange. Not to mention a small shower may give you a slightly claustrophobic feel!

BUDGET

When you’re shopping for anything new, it’s easy to get carried away and start looking at products you just can’t afford. To avoid depressing yourself like that, decide how much you can comfortably afford and stick to that budget.

Having a clear budget will save you lots of time and avoid any procrastination! Many online shops allow you to filter the products by price when searching, which can make your decision a lot easier!

Not only does this keep you more focused on buying a shower enclosure door in your price range, but it helps remove the temptation to overspend unnecessarily. All shower doors have the same function so don’t feel like you’re missing out if you have to lower your budget.

Keep in mind as well, that if you’re installing a new enclosure, you’ll have to look at shower trays too. This could raise the cost even more, as well as other essential shower accessories.

DESIGN

Next, think about the design you want. There are lots of different styles available and it can be tricky choosing just one! Having a strict budget will help you to really narrow your choices though.

The size of your bathroom and your current decor will also be a factor in which shower enclosure door you buy and also, your personal preference. Consider the look you want to create. Do you want a clean and sophisticated look? If so, transparent glass doors will add real elegance to the room.

If you want more privacy, frosted glass is a perfect option. Not to mention they also make very attractive bathroom accessories.

FINISH

Your choice of shower door finish typically depends on the decor in your bathroom and your personal tastes. But there are a few other factors.

CLEAR GLASS

Clear glass doors are modern, stylish, and suit most bathrooms. Because of their high visibility, they’re perfect for elaborate or intricately tiled shower walls that you want to show off. They can also open up smaller bathrooms and give the illusion of more space.

FROSTED GLASS

Frosted glass doors are given an opaque finish and offer great privacy. They can also turn your shower into a real focal point. However, they can be harder to keep clean because the pattern tends to hide grime and dirt more than transparent glass.

PATTERNED DOORS

Patterned shower doors are designed with various patterns, such as rainfall or raindrops. This offers privacy but is more translucent than frosted finishes.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHOWER DOORS

Unlike those having walk-in showers installed, you’ll want to choose a door type to stop the water from escaping. The various shapes and styles allow different shower doors to be installed. Below we’ve compiled the most commonly seen shower door types.

HINGED SHOWER DOORS

Hinged doors are probably the most simplistic style available. They open and shut on the hinged side, but they can be used with curved or straight shower enclosures.

They provide a secure enclosure to make sure your bathroom doesn’t sustain steam or water damage. It’s a classic and timeless door design and it’s usually available in many different styles, so you’re sure to find one to match your decor.

With that said, a hinged door is better for larger bathrooms as it opens out into the room, meaning you’ll need more space around the shower enclosure. Hinged doors are also an ideal option for rectangle or square shower enclosures.

PIVOT SHOWER DOORS

Another stylishly simplistic door type, pivot doors simply open and shut. They can also be designed to open inward or outward depending on your personal preference and how much space you have.

Pivot doors open super wide and can lie flat against the wall of the shower enclosure. For this reason, be sure not to store anything on that side that could stop the door from opening fully.

Because of how wide they open; pivoting doors are ideal for larger bathrooms as they could make a small room feel very cramped.

Doors that open outward can also result in carpets or rugs becoming soaked if you have them. Pivoting doors work well in wet room bathrooms or those with non-slip floors.

SLIDING SHOWER DOORS

Sliding shower doors can be great for saving space in small bathrooms as they create a slim and compact shower enclosure. You can even get sliding doors that can be used with curved shower cubicles, so it doesn’t matter which shape enclosure you have.

Sliding doors are another great option for small bathrooms as they don’t need any extra room. They don’t open outwards so you won’t have to worry about losing any space.

If you have a guest bathroom, a sliding door would be ideal as these bathrooms tend to be smaller than the master bathroom.

The only downside is that they may have a smaller space for entering the shower enclosure. But guest bathrooms usually aren’t used as much as main bathrooms, so this is usually not an issue.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHOWER ENCLOSURES

Shower enclosures come in lots of different styles which can make it tricky to choose. Here, we’ve narrowed down the common shapes and styles you may come across to try and make your decision easier.

QUADRANT SHOWER ENCLOSURES

A quadrant enclosure is a triangular-shaped door and is designed to make use of a corner in the bathroom, saving space. Although it fits perfectly into any bathroom size, it’s particularly ideal if you have a smaller bathroom.

OFFSET QUADRANT SHOWER ENCLOSURES

Just like a quadrant enclosure, an offset quadrant shower enclosure fits nicely into a corner of the bathroom. The only difference is that it’s longer than regular shower enclosures. It means you can enjoy the shower time in a large enough bathroom space.

RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURES

As the name suggests, these shower enclosures are in the shape of a rectangle and take up the same amount of space as a standard bath. It’s perfect if you have a spacious bathroom and want as much shower space as possible.

SQUARE SHOWER ENCLOSURES

Square shower cubicles provide practicality and style. They use the corner spaces well and you can pick from a variety of shower doors.

D-SHAPE SHOWER ENCLOSURES

Similar to a quadrant shower enclosure, D-shape enclosures have flat backs that sit next to a straight wall while providing the space and chic style of a curved shower enclosure. You can also place it in the middle of the wall instead of in a corner, to make it more of a statement piece.

FRAMELESS SHOWER ENCLOSURES

The frameless shower enclosure doesn’t have a visible frame. This style gives it an ultra-modern and contemporary look. It’s the perfect design to add some luxury to your bathroom!

FAQS

DABBL BRAND SHOWER ENCLOSURE

Foshan Dabbl Sanitary Ware Co., Ltd. is the leading enterprise in the shower enclosure, shower doors industry in China. Dabbl is our own brand, and we focus on design, research & development, production and sales of shower door, shower enclosure since 2004. Fine workmanship and quality assurance.

GLASS THICKNESS

You can pick from a variety of shower entrance glass thicknesses. Usually measured in millimeter, our standard glass thickness is 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm for optional. Thicker glass is more durable, also it’s more expensive.

SHOWER ENCLOSURE SIZE

Needless to say, a bigger enclosure will require more materials to make it. This means the price will go up as your shower enclosure size increases. If you go with a bespoke size this will raise the price even more, as the specialist might have to construct it for you.

SHOWER ENCLOSURE STYLE

Although the shower enclosure style shouldn’t affect the price too much, some styles may be more expensive than others. Most designs start at reasonable prices and are affected by materials and size.