Choosing shower doors to suit your bathroom

Choosing the right shower door for your new or renovated bathroom may be a more important decision than you realize. While everyone wants to avoid those horrors stuck and falling off models that collect mould into the bargain, there are other considerations as well, and more options than you may have realized for turning your bathroom into a comfortable and stylish room.

Choosing Shower doors

When considering the style of door that will suit your new or new look bathroom, consider the size of your bathroom. Some styles, such as curtains and sliding doors, are designed to take up literally no extra space when opened, and this may well be the deciding factor in a small bathroom.

Another consideration, as well as matching the style to your bathroom aesthetically, is water spillage. Some designs, like swing opening doors, tend to drip onto the floor, and this may be a consideration.

Shower doors: Styles

Consider these styles when choosing shower doors for your bathroom:

• Traditional plastic curtains are cheap, light, easy to install and may be very practical. They are ideally suited for showers in bathtubs. The downside of shower curtains is that they can be messy and difficult to clean. Better quality newer ones do not share the horrid 'leg sticking' qualities of cheap nylon shower curtains, and are easier to clean as well as more attractive
• Accordion style sliding doors can be very practical in a small or medium sized bathroom, as they take up no more space than the shower itself does. However, it is vital to buy good quality doors, as the cheaper ones have an irritating tendency to run off their rails and to stick
• Swing opening doors are less prone to problems than accordion ones, but do tend to drip onto the floor, and take up considerably more room in the bathroom
• Consider an L shaped wall arrangement, rather than an actual door. This can be built into the bathroom's design, and incorporates the use of a step to avoid water leakage into the bathroom. A wall built of glass bricks or attractive tiles can make an unusual and eye catching feature in your bathroom
• Glass doors come in a huge variety of styles, shapes and designs. Consider aluminum or steel framed or frameless glass, and choose from clear, frosted or coloured glass with round 'corners', double doors and with brass, chrome or patch fittings

Shower doors to suit your bathroom

The type of shower doors that will suit your bathroom depend on the aesthetics, size and practicalities of your bathroom. Consider the doors before you go shower hunting, as this important feature will certainly affect both the look and functionality of the room, and your enjoyment of your new shower.