For frameless shower doors, the fixed panel can be set in either U-channel (that you refer to as trim piece) or clamps.

Then you use water-clear silicone to fill the gap between the glass and the floor to seal the gap.

see the link for ideas

Here is a link that might be useful: clamps

Pharaoh, do the clamps entail more work than the U-channel. My installers told me the only option I had was the U-channel .... I wonder if it was because it was less work for them or they just didn't know better (they should have considering how much work they do). They told me that using the U-channel was the only way the panel would be secure.

Thanks!

We were told we'd have to have that U-channel at the bottom, but I don't think the guy went into any details about it (if he did, I don't remember). Are the clamps as secure? If not, maybe that's why? Where would the clamps attach?

My frameless shower door is one sheet of glass, the only metal touching it are the two hinges. That's it, glass and hinges. I wouldn't have it any other way. I ordered mine from a glass company. Check around with other installers to see what they offer.

I hope it works out the way you want it.

marlene,
The U channel can hide any miscalculations and out of square walls/floors because the uchannel covers the glass edge.

with clamps you have no such coverup! so you have to be dead on in measuring and manufacturing. The clamps are screwed into the floor and then the gap is siliconed. they look more frameless than the uchannel (although i used the uchannel for my doors because of the out of square walls).

cat-mom, out of square walls can be handled by making out of square glass. more work, more money and more sources of errors and that is why they recommend uchannel. see the link i provided to see hardware and galleries of shower doors.

Thank you for the info, Pharaoh. I'm going to pretend I had really out of square walls and U channel was the only option otherwise, I'll drive myself nuts and be really irritated with my glass people.

btw..hope you are enjoying your to die for bling bathroom! I wish you were a professional designer and I wish you were in Portland!

Our shower pan is a Kohler cast iron pan--perhaps clamps couldn't be screwed into that?

Thank you pharaoh and hapyfrustrated for answering my (and marlene's) questions.

I spoke with the people at the company that will be fabricating/installing our shower door. They mostly use channels (for the base of the fixed panels) in their installs, but could use the clips if that was our preference. In our situation it would really be a matter of esthetics (the shower isn't that large). They do feel that over time, with regards to "security" (leaking) a channel will generally hold up better than the clips, but this particular shower really won't see a ton of use, so we could go either way and be totally fine.

We decided to stick with the channel. The shower (especially the fixed panel section) will be blocked partially from view by the toilet as one enters the room, so the lower profile of the channel (vs 2" square clips) might be a slightly less-visible option for us anyway. There is also an additional upcharge for the clips (over the price for using the channel). Since we've already added on to the cost of the door; starfire glass, Clear Shield coating, contemporary handle, and 76" ht (rather than 72")--for a downstairs/guest bathroom, it's not something we really feel we need to do. I thank you very much for helping with the terminology and info so we could make an informed decision.

I am glad that you got the installation finalized. I have used channels in two of my bathrooms because of the out of plumb issue and I am glad i did! Tempered glass is unforgiving.

May i also recommend using starphire glass. Once you see the clarity of starphire, you will not like the 'green shades' effect of regular glass ;)

We already ordered it with starfire/starphire glass--that's one of the add'l upcharges we'd added. The shower tile is white (except for the border), so we definitely wanted to avoid the greenish hue of regular clear glass.

Thanks again for your help pharaoh! I know our bathroom won't have any bling factor :-), but we're very happy with the way it's shaping up. Hope to post pics soon!

Yay! I am SO glad you got starphire. I cant wait to see the photos.

Make sure you get a squeegee and train everyone how to use it :) 60 secs of squeegeeing goes far in maintaining the glass looking new years later...

Thanks for noticing the bling bath. My next bathroom is going to exact opposite, nothing polished or shiny or crystally. Just natural and japanese...

Shower won't see much use anyway (DH and I will use it while the upstairs bathrooms are being renovated, and after that, the few times a year my parents or his come for a visit are about all the use it will get). Those doors had better look new for our lifetime and then some! Will be sure to keep the squeegee handy in any event!

Loved the bling bath and looking very much forward to seeing your zen creation.....