Mouldings

This stuff is heavy. When I install a glass door weighing 80 lbs or more, it needs to be fastened somehow. If it's hanging off a glass sidelite that happens to be 10 inches wide, it's going to want to rip that little sidelite off the wall, so that sidelite has to be braced in a couple of key points.

In almost every case -> mouldings or clamps are required.

Bottom line- consider the mass of the pieces when designing your shower. Mouldings do not seriously affect the sightline of a glass shower but they do add a great deal to the safety factor.

The finish can even be tailored to match your fixtures to further minimize the visual impact.

The Sill

Slope the sill inwards by a few degrees. This will allow water to run back in to the shower rather than pooling next to the glass or running out under the door.

Walls

Straight lines are your friend when working with glass. A curved or bellied wall can make the installation difficult. Plumb walls aren't strictly required, as we can take a template and have the glass cut off-square. Curves are much more troublesome and must be remedied by using thicker, more obtrusive mouldings.

Tilework

Again, straight and even wins the race. The glass has to be installed plumb, so make sure the vertical grout lines in the vicinity of the glass are plumb. Same for the ceiling if your glass goes all the way up. Use a straight edge when installing the tiles to ensure that their surfaces are also even; if one tile sticks out from the wall by a quarter inch, the whole edge will be out that far. Grinding the glass and/or tiles to get them to fit properly is expensive and risky, so we prefer not having to do so.

Framing

If possible, try to place 2x4s where the glass will be mounted. Hollow walls and ceilings will require plugs, which are weaker and will put more stress on the adhesives. A strong structure will also reduce the possibility of movement.

Clearance

Our doors are double-acting, meaning they open inwards and outwards. Check for obstructions in the swing path of the door, including shower heads, cabinets, facilities and other doors. If your door has a towel bar it might damage the wall at full swing, so consider installing a limiter or bumper, or relocate the towel bar to the sidelite (if any) or to a nearby wall. If a sidelite meets a wall beside a cabinet, make sure you have enough room to get into the gap for cleaning.

Steam Showers

Glass takes a bit to heat up. Consider buying a steamer one size larger than required for the volume of the shower. This will help compensate for the inherent coolness of the glass, and for loss through the gaps around the door.

That being said, keep in mind that a steamer is not a kettle. They fill the shower with gentle steam - they don't turn it into a pressure cooker. In general you shouldn't lose too much steam through the gaps. Plastic mouldings are generally not required unless you have a high volume fan running outside of the shower (fans can draw the steam out through the gaps).

Body Jets

Try not to aim body jets at the door. This will cause excessive leakage and you will not be happy.

Notches and Overhangs

If you have a kneewall, step, bench or other protuberance that the glass has to follow, watch for overhanging sills. They either have to be notched to fit the glass, or we have to use mouldings to fill in the voids. Straight sills are preferred.

Hidden Obstacles

If you have wires, plumbing or in-floor heating where we need to install mouldings, please let us know before we start the install.

Access

Common sense, but I'll include this one just to be thorough. If you want a large piece of glass in your tiny bathroom, make sure we can get it into your house. Circular stairwells, low ceilings, tight corners and narrow hallways can all create significant challenges. If the house is still under construction, consider future obstacles should a piece of glass need to be replaced. Modest sized pieces are often more practical than huge, unwieldy behemoths.