Say goodbye to your shower curtain with these tub and shower door types.
Trade in your shower curtain for a permanent, easy-to-clean door for your shower enclosure or shower/bathtub combo. Check out this tub and shower door buying guide to discover all the types of shower doors and endless possibilities to transform your bathing space.
Additional Considerations
A shower door is a vital part of a shower enclosure, which is the overall term for the structure made by the shower’s door, its drainable base, and the shower walls that enclose the shower or shower/bathtub space. The shower door keeps water from leaving the shower enclosure and also helps keep the cold air from the surrounding bathroom from entering, so you stay nice and comfortable while you get ready for the day. Shower door options typically fit in between walls in enclosed shower spaces or act as a screen to keep water from getting on the floor or other bathroom surfaces.
Before you start browsing for the right types of shower doors for your bathroom, make sure to review the following considerations to streamline your shower or tub door browsing experience:
Application Type
First, take a look at your shower or bathtub space and decide which option you need. Does your bathroom have a shower or a tub? What about a shower/tub combo? That should guide your initial door search. Shower doors are designed with more height because they're meant to accommodate a shower base that doesn't sit far off of the ground. Tub doors work for either shower/bathtub combos or singular bathtubs when you want the added look of a protected bath sanctuary. Tub doors are typically shorter in height to accommodate the raised base of the bathtub and sometimes consist of one panel of glass meant to keep water from leaving the shower area while the other side remains open so you can step in and out of the space with ease.
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Bathroom Size
Now that you know which application type works best for you, it's time to think about which shower door sizes will work best with your bathroom size, as well as any potential obstructions like an adjacent bathroom vanity or toilet.
As a general rule, sliding, folding, or fixed doors work best for small bathrooms with limited space or shower/bathtub areas in close proximity to permanent bathroom fixtures. This is because they don't require the clearance needed by pivot or hinge doors to swing outwards, and in the case of fixed doors, there is always an open space from which to enter or exit without the need to open or close the door (more on door opening styles further down).
Tip!
Get more in-depth measurements and visuals to streamline the installation process in our How to Measure a Shower Door Guide.
Determine which tub or shower door styles appeal most to your bathroom and your aesthetic, below:
1. Fixed
Fixed shower or bathtub doors don't open – they actually don't move at all. Instead, they act as a stationary screen that covers half or the full length of the outer side of the tub or shower base. Half-configurations work best with shower enclosures with walls on either side, while full-door configurations work best for open shower or bathtub spaces. Fixed shower doors are super easy to install without fixing door frames or measuring for door clearances.
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2. Pivot
Pivot doors, also referred to as swinging doors, open inward or outward in one smooth motion. Pivot doors come in shower or tub configurations. These are another great option for small spaces, and especially for a small shower entrance that isn't wide enough to fit the panels of a sliding door.
3. Hinged
Hinged doors are installed to swing outwards and come in either shower or tub configurations. Unlike pivot doors, hinged doors have hinges on the side of the door panel. Look for hinged doors that have seal-through hinges for leak protection and all stainless steel parts for maximum durability.
4. Sliding
Sliding shower doors come in shower or tub application types and work great for small spaces. Look for door and full-length panel seals to make sure the shower is watertight where the door slides back.
5. Double-Sliding
You don't need to worry about which direction your sliding door opens when you go with a double-sliding door for your shower or shower/bathtub combo. Double-sliding shower doors typically include two glass sliding doors set inside a frame on a moveable track with one door set slightly in front of the other. This allows you to move one or both of the doors at the same time and gives you the flexibility to switch up the opening side. This is especially useful if you ever plan to switch up the layout of your bathroom and its fixtures.
6. Folding/Bifold
Folding or bifold shower doors are great for small bathrooms and tight spaces. They take away the guesswork of measuring how much space the shower door will need to open, as well as provide a space-saving alternative to a sliding door if your shower enclosure has a narrower entrance with walls to either side or is a framed shower stall that only needs a door. Bifold door styles consist of two or more glass panels connected together with hinges, with one of the panels attached to the wall. The panels fold inward like a fan when you pull the handle on the unattached side.
Types of shower doors and bathtub doors come in one of three frame types that satisfy the aesthetics of your bathroom as well as your budget.
7. Framed
Framed shower or bathtub doors are usually on the lower end of the price spectrum because they have a metal frame that covers each side of the glass. The support of the frame allows for the use of thinner glass, which is more budget-friendly and easier to install since the metal frame is already in place. An added bonus – framed doors seal in the most water to prevent it from leaking outside of your shower enclosure.
8. Semiframeless
Semiframeless shower/tub doors create the illusion of a more open space while still providing the support of frames either to the sides or top and bottom of the glass. Semiframeless doors are more mid-price because they offer structure while still creating the frameless feel, which requires slightly stronger glass than fully-framed doors.
9. Frameless
Frameless tub or bathroom shower doors elevate bathroom interiors with an ultra-modern look and "barely-there" appearance which works well to create the illusion of space in small bathrooms. Although frameless doors are typically on the higher-end of the price spectrum, they have strong tempered glass that's meant to last.
With door-opening styles and frame options in mind, it's time to consider the range of shower door glass types you can choose from.
10. Clear
Clear glass doors for your shower or tub allow you to showcase intricate shower tiles, create the illusion of space in small bathrooms, and add a sleek vibe that can be traditional or modern. They also help if you don't have a light installed directly above the shower area, as the clear glass allows maximum light into your shower or bathing space.
11. Frosted
Frosted shower or bathtub doors allow for privacy in shared bathroom spaces while still allowing some light through the opaque glass. Besides added privacy, frosted glass doors also hide water stains so it looks clean no matter what.
12. Patterned
Patterned glass shower doors come in a variety of glass patterns from striped frosted details intermixed with clear glass, rain-patterned tempered glass, or doors with window-pane designs. Patterned glass doors are a great way to add a hint of luxury to your bathroom.
Before you start browsing, take a moment to look at these additional considerations for a shower or bathtub door:
Glass Thickness: You can browse by glass thickness to help determine which glass thickness ratios work with your budget or which products provide the most durable, long-lasting option for your shower or bathtub. As mentioned above, framed and semi-frameless glass doors usually have thinner glass panels because they have the supportive frames to protect them. Frameless doors are usually the types of shower doors that have the thickest, heaviest glass – around ⅜" thick – whereas framed or semi-frameless doors can be as thin as ⅛" all the way up to ⅜" thick.
Explore more glass thickness sizes under the glass options filter on product pages.
Tip!
You can browse more glass thickness options by referencing the "Glass Details" filter to the left-hand side of product pages.
Glass Materials: Shower and bathtub glass doors usually include a type of safety glass. Safety glass is specially designed to absorb impacts and crack in a way that doesn't splinter; therefore making it less likely to cause injuries. Tempered glass gets quickly heated and then cooled, which results in a splinter-resistant surface that breaks into tiny pieces when impacted too hard. Tempered glass is the next step up from regular glass, but still the more budget-friendly option among safety glass.
Laminated glass includes clear vinyl placed between two layers of glass. This combination of materials ensures the glass stays in place when broken instead of getting on the floor. Impact-resistant glass can have components of tempered or laminated glass, if not a combination of both, and is meant to withstand shattering when impacted should someone slip in the shower.
Hardware Finishes: When deciding how to pick a shower door, match your shower door handle, hinges, and frames to the other hardware finishes in your bathroom, such as faucets, vanity handles, and light fixtures. Choose from metal finishes like brass, stainless steel, brushed nickel, polished chrome, or matte black – and other color finish options.
Door Configurations: If you know you need a shower door that opens left or right to accommodate your bathroom layout, you can filter by door-configuration type. If you value flexibility, narrow your search around doors with reversible configurations so you can re-attach the hinges to either side of the threshold if needed.
Tip!
Now that you’re equipped with the information you need to determine how to buy a shower door that works best for you, check out these helpful guides:
DIY Shower Door Installation
How to Choose a Shower Enclosure
How to Choose Shower Fixtures for Your Bathroom
Start browsing for the perfect tub or shower door types, here:
