All About Sliding Shower Doors
The popularity of shower enclosures equipped with sliding door leaves is growing relentlessly. More and more new designs are constantly on sale, differing in design, device, size and functionality. In today's article, we will take a closer look at all the features, pros and cons of sliding shower doors.
Specifications
Today the assortment of shower cabins is huge - in stores there are models of various types. Especially popular are copies that have comfortable sliding doors in their design. Such details turn out to be appropriate and win-win when it comes to arranging a small-sized room.
Shower cabins of various modifications can be equipped with sliding doors.
It can be rounded, square, angular, or simple, even options. Consumers have the opportunity to choose models with sliding or swing elements. The purchase of the optimal product depends on the personal preferences of the owners and the layout / quadrature of the bathroom.
A modern shower cubicle with sliding doors usually consists of the following elements:
- fences - these are side walls (partitions), which can be made of glass, or the walls of the room itself can serve as fences;
- the sliding doors themselves - can be frame or frameless, consisting of several sections;
- pallet - shower cabins can go without this part, then the water is drained into the hole made in the floor;
- additional elements - this can be a roller carriage, gaskets, magnetic profiles and many other parts.
The shower enclosure set with sliding doors is the best solution for a small apartment with the same small bathroom.
When opening and closing, such doors do not take away an already modest free space. Small rooms with such a shower can visually become more spacious, bright and neat.
Sliding doors for shower stalls are different. On sale you can find models of non-standard shapes that look unusual and original - such options are also equipped with sliding doors.
Advantages and disadvantages
Sliding shower doors have many positive qualities. Let's get acquainted with them.
- Sliding structures show themselves practical and functional in operation.
- These doors trouble-free and fast opening / closing... In this case, there is no need to make unnecessary efforts. Even a child or a fragile girl can easily cope with such a procedure.
- One of the main advantages of sliding shower doors is minimum free space that they occupy. When opening and closing, these products do not block the passage, do not create obstacles. This quality is especially important when it comes to a very small room.
- The most common doors from glass, and this is a material that does not require the use of specialized and expensive means for cleaning. Cleaning is done seamlessly with standard detergents available in most stores.
- Sliding doors look stylish and modern. Such details unobtrusively become a pleasant addition to the interior, making it more harmonious, thoughtful and complete.
- Such flaps are capable of visually expand the bathroom space.
- Available in a wide range. Sliding doors are made of different materials that are not afraid of high humidity and can last for many years. In addition, the very style of execution of doors varies - they are both simple and decorated with different patterns.
- Doors for shower cabins are made of safe and reliable materials that differ high wear resistance.
- Most doors with sliding mechanisms equipped with magnetic seals, due to which they fit as tightly as possible to the structure itself. Thanks to this feature, a high tightness of the booth is ensured, and water does not splash out of it.
Sliding doors for shower cabins are undoubtedly good, but they also have some disadvantages.
- Often the doors in question are fragile, therefore, after a certain time of operation, they have to be replaced with new ones, and this is an additional expense.
- It is imperative that such flaps be properly configured. This process often takes a long time. Here you need to be patient and try to end up with a high-quality and reliable design. Users face many difficulties when setting up sliding sashes, which means that they have to seek the help of specialists with the right experience.
- Despite the fact that sliding doors (especially glass) are durable and reliable, they can still be accidentally broken, especially if handled carelessly. A broken sash, as a rule, cannot be restored or repaired - you will have to buy a new one.
- Mold often forms on sliding doors therefore, users have to be very careful when cleaning such structures.
Materials (edit)
Sliding doors for shower cabins are made of different materials that differ in performance, features and even external data. Let us consider in detail what sashes can be made of different materials.
Glass
Glass is a dense, aesthetic material. It looks expensive and neat. The first shower parts were made of thick tempered glass.Modern designs are usually equipped with parts made of 3-layer material (triplex). Glass sliding canvases serve for a long time, look very beautiful, visually refresh the space. They are popular and widespread.
Despite the high quality of modern glass, we must not forget that it can be broken. This disadvantage is especially noticeable when comparing glass versions with plastic ones.
The shutters under consideration weigh a lot (50–60 kg.).
Plastic
Plastic sliding canvases are different. They are classified into 2 main subspecies.
- Made by from thin sheets, laid out like carbonate. These options are lightweight yet durable.
- Made in the form of a monolithic sheet. These products appear to be more transparent. Monolithic doors are made of dense plastic, so they weigh more.
The disadvantage of plastic doors is their rustic appearance. They are also afraid of aggressive substances.
Over time, plastic inevitably becomes cloudy, loses the beauty of its former colors and will require frequent cleaning. Plastic parts must be cleaned and washed in a timely manner and regularly, and the surface condition must be taken care of.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a whole group of synthetic polymers. For any polymers, the effect of active chemicals, for example, acids or alkalis, is detrimental. Cleaning acrylic doors is required using only simple, standard solutions designed for acrylic surfaces. Soap should not be used here.
Acrylic is a malleable material. It can be given any look. It can be both transparent and rich in color. There are many different acrylic sliding doors on sale. You can easily install them yourself. Some users even prefer to make such functional products with their own hands.
Dimensions (edit)
The dimensions of the sliding doors and booths must be consistent with each other. So, the most common sizes of the shower cabins themselves are 70x70 cm, 80x80 cm, 90x90 cm. There are other options - it all depends on the manufacturer. The height of modern shower cabins varies - from floor to ceiling, it can be 200-210 cm. Models are on sale, the design of which has a very small height - 190 cm.
Sliding doors for such designs are available in different dimensions. As for the width, it can be like this:
- 80 cm;
- 90 cm;
- 100 cm;
- 110 cm;
- 120 cm;
- 130 cm;
- 140 cm;
- 150 cm;
- 160 cm;
- 170 cm.
Height also varies. It must correspond to the parameters of the height of the booth. Most often, shops receive doors with a height of 180 cm, 185 cm, 190 cm, 195 cm.
Selection Tips
Quality doors with a sliding mechanism or an entire shower stall with similar details must be selected correctly. Consider what you need to pay attention to first.
- The size. A cubicle with sliding doors should fit perfectly into the layout and square of the bathroom. The height and width of the flaps must correspond to these parameters.
- Materials. All structures must be made of high quality, durable and wear-resistant materials. They cannot be damaged or defective. If any were noticed, it is better to refuse the purchase.
- Build qualityand. When choosing a whole shower cubicle with sliding doors, you need to make sure the quality of all the details. It is necessary to carefully examine the integrity of the bundle of the purchased goods.
- Manufacturer. Both shower cabins and individual sliding doors for them are made by many well-known brands - domestic and foreign. It is recommended to give preference to branded products, since most often they are of good quality and serve for a long time, without causing problems to the owners.
- Design. We should not forget about the design of shower stalls and their sliding doors.These components should harmoniously fit into the existing environment, without violating its style and color combinations. In the interior, everything should be balanced and aesthetic.
It is recommended to buy showers or individual sliding doors from reputable stores. This way you protect yourself from buying low quality, unreliable goods.
Examples in the interior
Many people underestimate the role of sliding shower doors in bathroom design. In fact, these components attract enough attention to themselves and can also successfully become a harmonious addition to the situation. Let's look at some good examples.
- Laconic glass doors with an absolutely transparent surface will harmoniously look in a brutal and rough room with a dark brown brickwork finish, as well as a beige floor.
- A very unusual and original solution - frosted glass sliding doors. Such canvases look especially interesting if they complement the corner shower and are distinguished by a rounded structure. A design of this type will be a good choice for a room with black and white tiles (mosaics are allowed).
- Sliding doors in elegant clear glass look especially attractive and stylish if they open the rear wall of the shower stall. For example, it can be a booth built into a niche, behind which there is a wall of the room, decorated with bright tiles with contrasting patterns. Thus, more attention will be drawn to them.
- Frosted doors with a rounded front against the background of a corner shower small sizes will look neat and elegant. Such a noble product can be installed in a bathroom with light-colored tiles and a small amount of wooden parts (this can be a cover on the sink, the edge of a window sill). White color in the company of natural woody shades becomes calmer and more balanced.
In the next video, you can watch the installation of tempered glass sliding shower doors.