Frameless Shower Glass: What You Should Know Before You Buy

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:48:23 GMT

Frameless Shower Glass: What You Should Know Before You Buy

If you're remodeling a bathroom, the shower glass usually comes toward the end of the project. By that point you've probably spent plenty of time picking tile, fixtures, countertops and finishes.

Then someone asks what you want to do for the shower enclosure.

That's when we usually get the call.

At Fox River Glass & Mirror, we've worked on a lot of showers over the years, and one thing we tell customers is that you don't need to become an expert in shower glass before calling us. That's our job.

But there are a few things worth knowing before you get started.

Frameless doesn't mean there is no hardware

This is probably the biggest misconception.

A frameless shower enclosure still needs hardware to safely support and operate the glass. Depending on the design, that may include hinges, clamps, channels, handles, support bars and other components.

The goal with a frameless enclosure is to minimize the amount of metal surrounding the glass. That gives you the clean, open look most people are after.

The exact hardware needed depends on the size and layout of the shower. Bigger isn't always better, and fewer pieces of hardware isn't automatically better either. The enclosure still has to work properly and safely.

That's why we design the enclosure around the actual opening instead of trying to force the same design into every bathroom. Industry guidance for frameless enclosures specifically addresses things like door and fixed-panel design, hardware and structural support, dimensional limitations and installation conditions. Glass.org

Your shower should be finished before the final measurement

This one is important.

For a custom enclosure, we generally want the finished surfaces in place before taking the measurements that will be used to order the glass.

Why?

Because walls aren't always perfectly plumb. Curbs aren't always perfectly level. Tile thickness changes dimensions. Small differences matter when you're ordering custom fabricated glass.

We're not ordering a shower door off a shelf and hoping it fits.

We measure the finished opening and have the glass fabricated for that opening.

That's also why we don't recommend homeowners send us a couple measurements and ask us to order the glass from those numbers. We're happy to look at pictures and talk about the project beforehand, but when it's time to order custom glass, we want our team doing the measuring.

Your walls matter

A heavy glass shower door needs proper support.

Tile itself isn't what we're relying on to hold everything together. What's behind the finished wall and where the hardware can be properly anchored can affect the enclosure design.

If you're doing a full bathroom remodel, it's a good idea to involve the glass company before everything is finished.

We may not need to measure yet, but we can look at the proposed layout and help identify potential issues before they become expensive ones.

It's much easier to address a construction issue while the bathroom is being built than after the tile is finished.

Frameless showers aren't aquariums

Here's another conversation we have regularly.

A frameless enclosure is designed to manage water under normal shower conditions. That doesn't mean every joint and opening is hermetically sealed.

There are necessary clearances around moving glass. Depending on the layout, seals, sweeps and other components can help control water.

Shower-head location, body sprays, curb design, slope and where water hits the enclosure all matter.

The National Glass Association's professional guidance actually identifies watertightness expectations as one of the subjects that should be understood when designing and installing frameless shower enclosures.

A good enclosure design takes all of that into account.

Shower glass is safety glass

This isn't ordinary window glass.

Shower doors and enclosures are specifically covered by federal architectural-glazing safety requirements.

And once tempered glass has been fabricated and tempered, you can't simply bring it back to the shop and cut an inch off because a measurement was wrong.

That's one of the reasons proper measuring and planning matter so much.

The best time to call us is earlier than you think

You don't have to wait until the bathroom is completely finished to start the conversation.

If you're planning a remodel, send us a few pictures or give us a call.

We can talk about the type of enclosure you're considering, look at the layout and explain what needs to happen before we're ready for the final measurement.

Once the shower is ready, we'll professionally measure the opening, prepare your estimate and walk you through the options.

You don't need to know the terminology.

You don't need to measure the glass.

And you definitely don't need to figure out all the hardware yourself.

That's what we're here for.

Planning a custom shower?
Start your shower project with Fox River Glass & Mirror and tell us a little about your bathroom. We'll take it from there.

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Frameless Shower Glass: What You Should Know Before You Buy

Frameless Shower Glass: What You Should Know Before You Buy

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Frameless doesn't mean there is no hardware

Your shower should be finished before the final measurement

Your walls matter

Frameless showers aren't aquariums

Shower glass is safety glass

The best time to call us is earlier than you think