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greazythumbs

Walk In Shower - Door or No Door?? Ideas and Thoughs Welcome.

13 years ago

Alright fellow board members, my wife and I are in a heated debate about our walk in shower and I need your help to make a decision.

The scenario:

- We have a 8 ft / 6ft L shaped shower that I designed to be large enough to not need a Glass door. A true walk in shower.

- My wife feels we should have a shower door to keep the heat in.

- Am adding a heat lamp to the are of the shower dedicated to drying off.

I need your help on what I should do. Should I put a door on the shower, what are the pros and cons. You advice and help is appreciated.

Thanks,

J

Comments (10)

  • 13 years ago

    Neither of the walk-in showers in my current and last houses had doors and I never felt any particular loss of heat. If there was some, the freedom from having another big pane of glass to squeegee and clean and the clean, open look and feel of being able to just step in, made it well worth it.

    Maybe, I'll have more credibility with your wife...one woman to another?

  • 13 years ago

    Bill--you are too funny!

    Another female here. We are one month into our new glass-free shower and I must say that hands down, it is one of the best decisions that we (I) have ever made!

  • 13 years ago

    Jealous here! Ours isn't quite big enough to go doorless...but I would have loved that. Hate, hate, hate cleaning those d@mn glass doors!!!

  • 13 years ago

    I tried using the shower without a curtain or shower door before and I didn't like it. It was too drafty to me. If your space is so big maybe the doors would not get wet. I think if my shower were a tad bit bigger it would get steamy but not soapy. We squeegee ours and it's not so bad. And someone on here mentioned microfiber for cleaning and I wish I knew who it was so I could thank them. Cause they work great. It works just like magic eraser. Terrific ! I once did a new model house tour years ago and they had a walk in shower that went around a corner so the opening was small and then opened up to larger shower and it was tiled. It had no door and the way it was put together I am sure no draft.

  • 13 years ago

    we are currently updating our 1950's one and only bathroom our shower is a stall 4 1/2'x3' no door and a cutout window with no class that opens to the tub. We have 2 teenage sons, I feel its a lot easier wiping water off the tile than water spots off glass! good luck

  • 13 years ago

    A typical glass package for a standard size shower here in Vancouver is about $1,500 - $1,700.

    Most clients then buy a cleaning tool and stick it up in the shower. Most clients hate this day by day.

    For the money you spend on a glass order you can invest it in better bathroom floor grading and perhaps upgrading a basic point drain or Kerdi drain into a long linear shower drain.

    Maybe you take the money savings from the glass and go with a large slab install.

    Maybe the money saved then heats the floor.

    One thing for sure is that it is easy to add in later. Go for it.

    JW

    .

  • 13 years ago

    My husband also was the one requesting a shower with no door. This is our retirement home so we added a lot of things that could be wheelchair accesable if it becomes necessary. But, I must say, as the one who cleans the shower door I was all for no door. We have not moved in to our new home yet and I too wonder if it will be cool without a door. We did install a heat lamp just outside the shower stall. But I think the plus of not cleaning the rails and shower door outweigh the cons.

  • 13 years ago

    We just finished a vacation home remodel and had the same argument! Our compromise..we installed just a glass panel and left the door off, I agreed to try it for a bit (I HATE doorless showers!). The compromise was, that if I still really hate it later, we can add a door. It was installed so we have the option.

    Hope that helps!

  • 13 years ago

    we have a walk in shower with no door. I was nervous that it would be chilly or drafty in there but it is not at all. We saved a ton of money not putting that door on and I am SO GLAD that I don't have to clean that glass! What a PITA!