Can Any Shower Take a Glass Door? How to Measure Yours

Almost any shower or tub can take some kind of glass, but not every shower can take every kind. The deciding factors are the walls, the curb, the floor and the layout. This guide covers which situations are easy, which need custom work, and how to take measurements that help a provider give you a useful first quote.

Can a glass door go on any shower?

Often, yes, with the right type of door. In general terms:

• Standard tub or alcove shower with plumb walls: the easiest case. Stock framed or frameless doors are available.
• Out-of-square or leaning walls: workable, but usually with a framed or semi-frameless door that has adjustment, or custom glass cut to your opening.
• Walk-in with a fixed panel: common, and the panel is held by clamps or channel on a solid base.
• Curbless showers: possible, but harder. The glass needs a bottom seal and the floor needs to slope properly. This often calls for custom work.
• Odd angles, benches or half walls: custom glass.
• Fiberglass or acrylic surrounds: doable, but the walls may be flexible, so hardware needs the right fasteners and backing. A provider should look first.

If your shower has a persistent drainage problem, glass will not fix that.

Curbs, floors and levels

The curb or tub rim is the foundation for the whole job. Check these:

• Width: one glass company calls a curb at least about 2 inches wide ideal.
• Level: lay a 4 foot level across the threshold. Under about 1/8 inch of drop across the width is fine, according to that company. Between 1/8 and 1/4 inch can usually be shimmed. Over 1/4 inch deserves investigation before you order.
• Slope: the curb should lean back toward the shower so water runs in, not out.
• Material: tile, stone, solid surface and acrylic each need different sealants and fasteners. Natural stone often needs a stone-safe sealant.

Walls: plumb, square and backing

Few walls are perfectly plumb. Houses settle, and tile thickness varies. What counts is how far off they are and whether the door type can absorb it.

One glass company gives these rough guides per 72 inches of height:

These are one company's numbers for sliding doors. Another provider may set different limits, and frameless hinges are less forgiving than framed tracks.

Walls also have to hold the hardware. The Glass Association says hinges on a wall need adequate support, like wood studs to lag into, or at least about an inch of cement-type material such as tile or stone itself, cement board or cement float. In practice, tile over drywall with no stud behind the screw may not be enough. A provider can usually find studs with a stud finder or by looking at how the wall was built, but ask before you assume.

Heavier glass needs more support. Glass Doctor points out that a 1/2 inch door is heavier than 3/8 inch, and mounting heavy doors on weak walls can cause serious damage.

Door swing and clearance

Think about space before you pick a door:

• Outswing doors need clear floor space outside the shower. Check for toilets, vanities and towel bars in the swing path.
• Inswing doors are possible in some designs but can be harder to manage with water.
• Sliding or bypass doors need no swing space but give a narrower opening and have a track to clean.
• Door width: the Glass Association notes hardware makers set width and weight limits. A pro will check them.

Also look at where the shower valve and head sit. A door that opens against the valve, or a handle that hits a grab bar, is a surprise nobody wants.

How to measure

This is a measuring checklist you can use for your quote request. It does not replace a provider's measure.

1. Remove the old door, only if it comes out easily, so you see the bare opening. An old glass door is heavy and can break. If it is caulked in or you are unsure, measure around it and let the provider remove it.
2. Measure the width at three heights: near the top, in the middle, and just above the curb. Write all three down.
3. Use the smallest of the three as your working number. If the readings differ by more than about 1/2 inch, flag it for the provider.
4. Measure the height from the curb or tub rim to the top of where the glass will end. Do it on the left and right sides.
5. Check plumb with a 4 foot level against each side wall. Note whether the wall leans in or out and by how much at the top.
6. Check the curb for level with the same level.
7. Record the curb: width, height, material and slope.
8. Note the wall material: tile, fiberglass, acrylic or stone.
9. Note obstacles: niches, soap dishes, valves, grab bars, towel bars, window sills.
10. Take photos of the whole shower, the curb, and any problem spots.

Use a steel tape. Write fractions. Do not round.

Tub versus walk-in

• Tub and shower combo: the door sits on the tub rim. Rims are sometimes sloped or uneven, which matters for sealing.
• Walk-in with a curb: the door sits on the curb and often needs a fixed panel to block spray.
• Walk-in without a door: some large showers use only a fixed panel. A provider can tell you if your layout allows it.

Why custom glass is field measured

Tempered glass cannot be cut or drilled after it is made. If custom glass arrives and does not fit, it has to be remade. That is why providers measure on site, usually after tile and the curb are finished, and why they take plumb and level readings, not just widths. Final measurements also set the hole positions for hinges, which have to line up with something solid in the wall.

A measurement you take can get you a ballpark. The measurement that orders the glass should come from the provider, taken when the shower is finished.

Request a quote

Include your measurements and photos in your quote request, and a local, independent provider can tell you what kind of door fits, then come out to measure it properly. This works in Abilene and nearby towns such as Tye, Clyde, Merkel, Buffalo Gap, Potosi and Hawley. It is free, with no obligation.