Tub glass to replace shower curtain?

last year

Looking for recommendations for glass.

This will not be high end. I’m just looking to go about 1 step above the quality of what you will see in stock on the shelves at Home Depot.

It’s just a standard builder grade tub with shower with walls on 3 sides.

I want ease of maintenance. So, I’m looking for frameless with no tracks.

So, either a fixed panel plus a swinging door near the rear or just a fixed panel alone with a gap near the rear to step in.

How important is it to have wall to wall glass next to a tub/shower combo?

I would think that just having glass for the front 2/3 of the tub might be enough to catch the shower splashback and that would eliminate needing to clean even more glass plus the swing door hinges.

Is this something that’s done, or would it look odd if the door was ”missing” with no glass coverage for the back end of the tub?

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Comments (9)

jaxo
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
One more thing. The house does not have particularly hard water. So, calcium deposits are not an issue. Is it worth getting specially treated glass that’s supposed to resist spotting or should scrubbing with Bar Keepers Friend or applying Rain-X be enough to keep the glass spotless?
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Zumi
last year
last modified: last year
Glass on a tub is way worse than shower curtain to use. You end up with banged elbows because it’s boxing you in unforgivingly.

And it is even WORSE if you want to use it as a tub.
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chloe00s
last year
Key question is who uses this tub? Primary bath, children’s bath? If very young children, you probably don’t want glass, because need unimpeded reach into the tub. If older showering adults, kids and teens, then glass is fine. Having open at the back isn’t a problem, but it can make it harder to turn on the water to the right temp before getting in. Without knowing your bathroom layout, hard to make a recommendation.

Also with any swinging glass bath/shower door, it must swing both ways for access in medical emergency.

Most glass shower doors do have a special coating, and you can’t use any cleaner with ammonia. Honestly, if you squeegee after using, you really don’t need to be fanatical about cleaning the glass. Only use a plastic handle squeegee, not a metal squeegee, though - if dropped it can crack tile or bare toes!

I don’t know why people are so crazy worried about cleaning the glass surrounds on tubs and showers. A squeegee after every use does a great job.
jaxo
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
I didn’t think about reaching in to turn on the water. Maybe sliding doors like the ones in the $200 one size fits all doors at Home Depot are the most practical vs the $1500+ custom doors from a speciality glass shop.

I think the biggest issue would be cleaning all the gunk collecting in crevices in the tracks in the sliding doors.
Cher Cl
last year
I installed this with great success: DreamLine AquaFold 58" High x 36" Wide Pivot Frameless Tub Door with Clear Glass
jaxo
Original Author
last year
Other that switching out the curtains for glass doors, is there any solution to keep the shower curtain/liner inside the tub so the water doesn’t drip on the floor without that also causing the curtain/liner to be in your way sticking to you when using the tub as a shower?
jaxo
Original Author
last year
@Cher Cl I see that has a 1 star review, but I don’t see the review posted.

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/DreamLine-Aqua-Q-Fold-36-in-W-x-58-in-H-Bi-Fold-Frameless-Tub-Door-in-Brushed-Nickel-with-Clear-Glass-SD-363658Q-04/319533719
jaxo
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
I just had a glass contractor come out and measure. Looks like barn door style is not recommended due to the lightweight poly/fiberglass enclosure.

So, if I go with glass, I will either need to go with a fixed panel plus a swing door at the back end or else go with framed sliders that won’t put a lot of traction weight on the enclosure walls.
jaxo
Original Author
last year
Any thoughts on just a fixed glass panel with no door?

This guy says it will make the shower cold and drafty and homeowners end up regretting it.

Not sure that will be a big issue in a smaller bathroom, but the escaping heat and steam might fog up the mirrors and make the entire bathroom steamy at a rate the exhaust fan will not be able to keep up with.

Has anyone here tried it?