Shower door to a niche: varieties, sizes and recommendations for choosing

Many modern homes have a separate shower niche in the bathrooms. This greatly simplifies the installation of specialized equipment. This architectural element allows you to quickly and easily equip the functional area by installing the door, which significantly reduces the total cost of work.

Shower door designs are the ideal solution for niche bathrooms. Thus, you can get a stylish modern room in which you will always be comfortable. This option for planning a bathroom has a significant advantage - the user gets the opportunity to observe all the necessary hygiene rules when performing regular water procedures. The list of advantages of door systems in a niche does not end there: by installing them, you can significantly save your finances, since the acquisition of such structures will be much cheaper than installing a typical shower stall.

Shower doors usually come with a pallet, so in the bathroom, you can equip a sealed structure, which, in terms of its technical and operational parameters, will be comparable to modern options for shower cabins, but at the same time at a minimal cost.

Summing up, the following advantages of shower doors can be distinguished:

• beautiful design, thanks to which the design looks harmonious in any interior;
• products have high insulating parameters, preventing the sound of falling water from leaving the booth;
• shower doors visually expand the boundaries of the room, provided that you use mirror or glass canvases;
• products are much cheaper than a typical cabin while maintaining the same functionality.

Depending on the technical and operational features of the design all shower doors for niches can be roughly divided into several varieties.

• Swing. These are the simplest, but at the same time practical and durable models that can be installed in any niche. The only limitation is their width - the vast majority of doors made in this design are no more than 90 cm wide. This is not always convenient for owners of spacious niches. The doors in this version are fixed on hinges, while special parts are mounted around the entire perimeter, which contribute to reliable sealing.

• Sliding. Such models have no width restrictions, therefore they can be installed in niches of any footage. They can have one or several moving parts, some models provide for the installation of side stationary glass. The use of ergonomic sliding doors allows you to optimize the bathroom space, since it does not require additional space for opening the shutters. The disadvantages of the model include a significant number of various moving parts, which generally reduces the reliability of the mechanism.

• Foldable. In terms of reliability, practicality and comfort, such accordion models represent a kind of "golden mean". The advantages of such products include the breadth of the assortment in terms of size, in particular, in width. Such doors consist of a pair of hinged halves connected to each other, so their opening is carried out by bending. They can be either left- or right-handed.

• Pendulum. These mechanisms can be opened both to the right and to the left. The design has two hinged sashes. Such models are not very popular due to their high cost.

It's obvious that the geometrical features of the shower door and the total number of doors are influenced by the remoteness of niches from each other. The standard door design has a typical width of 60 cm. For a full-fledged overlap of such an opening, a single sash is quite enough. Also on sale you can find models with a width of 80, 85, 100, 110, 115, as well as 140 and even 145-150 cm.The height of the canvas is usually 180 or 200 cm.

In more spacious niches, the length between the walls of which is 120-130 cm, the door leaf can be formed from several sections, while one or even two of them are fixed permanently. In this case, the width of the flaps can be different for each element or the same for all. If the width of the doorway is 90 cm, the shower door is usually double-winged, while the dimensions of the doors can also vary, for example, the width of one of them is 60 cm, and the second is 30 cm.If necessary, the ratio may be different: 40 to 50 or 70 to 20.

As for the materials from which the doors for shower niches are made, then the choice is quite limited and is presented with only two options:

• models made of thermally treated glass;
• plastic structures.

However, in terms of price, the most affordable and budgetary option will be plastic structures for niches. Even with limited budgets the user can always afford to buy a PVC door.

Glass doors are highly reliable and functional. Even at the production stage, they are treated with special protective polymers that protect the surface of the canvas from dirt, so users do not have to make any effort to keep the door clean. If installed in a niche plastic doors, then it will take a lot of time to clean them from all kinds of contaminants. Stains are quickly absorbed into the material, so the appearance of a PVC structure can quickly deteriorate.

Glass is a completely inert material from a chemical point of view; it is not afraid of water and cleaning agents, even with an aggressive acid-base composition. Plastic doors can only be cleaned with soft gel-like pastes.

Tempered glass is characterized by increased physical strength. This material is able to withstand significant static and dynamic loads. It is almost impossible to break such glass - for this you will have to inflict blows on it, comparable to hammer blows. However, even if in the event of any emergencies you can still crack it, the glass will simply shatter into small square pieces - this completely eliminates human injury.

The most expensive options for door designs for niches are made of triplex. It is impossible to break such glass in a domestic environment. In terms of their technical parameters, such products fully comply with all applicable safety standards.

The advantages of glass structures also include a large design choice. Manufacturers offer users colored as well as transparent and frosted glass door options. On sale there are models with decorative patterns and thematic drawings. In addition, any user, if desired, can always create his own design options for the design, taking into account the main stylistic decor of the premises - there is a wide range of self-adhesive films on sale, so decorating a glass door is not difficult.

Glass is molten and solidified quartz; in its natural environment, it decomposes for more than a hundred years. This means that the period of use of doors made of such material is practically unlimited. At the same time, the glass retains its invariably attractive original appearance during the entire service life. Such doors do not deform and do not lose the brightness of the colors.

Models with a wooden door or wood composite structures for showers should not even be considered. Under the influence of aggressive external conditions, moisture, hot steam and high temperatures, the tree collapses, the canvas becomes an environment favorable for the reproduction of fungi, mold and other pathogenic microflora. These doors quickly lose their attractive appearance and become potentially unsafe for the health of children and adults.

The great popularity of glass in the manufacture of doors is explained by the possibility of manufacturing products of the most varied degrees of transparency and dimensions. Preference is given to the following canvas options.

• Matte finish... The required opacity parameter is achieved by sandblasting the material on a special apparatus. Additionally, chemical components can be used.

• With toning. In this case, as a result of processing, you can get a door leaf of a wide variety of colors, the choice of which depends on the general style of finishing the interior of the bathroom.

• With applied ornament... The drawing can be represented as a pattern repeating along the entire perimeter of the canvas, or as a picture. The latter option is most often used in the individual production of door systems in strict accordance with the wishes of the customer.

• With stained glass. The most expensive option.It includes several methods of making canvases. As a rule, pre-prepared colored fragments are laid out on a horizontal surface, after which they are fused with each other under the influence of elevated temperatures.

At home, the decor of the door leaf can be done using glass paints or using moisture-resistant stickers. For triplexes, the photo printing method is used - the sash includes several layers, the image is applied to the inner surface.

One of the best manufacturers of shower doors that has earned an impeccable reputation in the market is the Italian Cezares company. When creating models, the company's specialists accumulate modern technologies and thousands of years of experience of Italian craftsmen. It is this tandem that makes the doors of this brand stylish, functional and high quality. The undeniable advantages of Cezares shower doors include a unique design. The lineup offers products made in a variety of stylistic solutions - from retro to hi-tech.

All products are ISO 9001 certified. It is noteworthy that initially Cezares doors were produced for European consumers, but as they entered the Russian market, new models were proposed, adapted to the typical conditions of use in our country. The disadvantages include only the high price for the doors of the "elite" category. However, for people who are used to paying for beauty, prestige and quality, this is hardly a disadvantage. Moreover, for buyers with an average income, the company produces a line of products at a democratic cost. No other deficiencies have been identified.

Doors are very popular the German company Huppe. The company has been engaged in the technical development and production of original shower enclosures, bath rails and shower doors of the highest quality for over 3 decades. Throughout the entire period of its activity, Huppe engineers have strived to constantly search for the most modern solutions for creating new models. In particular, it was Huppe who came up with the idea of ​​creating a frameless door - a simple but very popular solution that is in demand among consumers all over the world.

A wide range of manufactured doors for shower niches includes both elite models and more budgetary economy-class products, while the complete set and configuration of doors can vary from the simplest to the more complex, provides for different types of door opening and locking and the most original newfangled design solutions.

Vegas Glass is an Italian company that has gained fame for its original shower doors, shower enclosures and bathroom curtains. The shower doors of this brand cannot boast of the manufacturability of every detail and an abundance of additional options, however, they are distinguished by truly Italian fashion, laconicism and elegance.

It is the style of the manufactured products and the highest quality of raw materials that come to the fore. For the doors of this Italian brand, the use of original textures on the glass surface is typical, as well as tinting of aluminum profiles in various colors.

When comparing these brands, it can be noted that they are very different from each other and are focused on different categories of clients, both in terms of taste preferences and financial capabilities. The products of the German brand are more suitable for active business people who have very little free time - it is important for them to carry out all the necessary hygiene procedures as soon as possible and go about their business.

But the products of Italian brands, on the contrary, are focused on those people for whom taking a shower is a small mystery that requires an appropriate approach and dimension. Thus, each brand is tailored for its own customer, therefore when choosing a model of a particular manufacturer, one should take into account the peculiarities of one's character and habits developed over the years.

The modern shower door market is oversaturated with a variety of design solutions. For example, you can buy glass doors with chrome-plated metal elements or buy a model coated with gold - every consumer will find a shower door that will harmoniously fit into the decor of his bathroom. However, the selection criteria should not be limited to appearance only. It is very important to take into account the technical and operational parameters of this or that product.

First of all, you should pay attention to the thickness of the glass. So, there is no need to worry about triplex - it is reliable and can withstand quite noticeable mechanical shocks. Shower doors with photo printing are usually made of tempered glass, the thickness of which varies from 4 to 8 mm.

By the way, in this case, it is advisable to purchase swing doors, since it will be difficult for people of mature age to use sliding and folding structures, and babies can simply break such installations. In general, the easier the opening method is, the longer your door will serve you.

Pay attention to the load-bearing elements of the partition - they must be made of stainless steel. The aluminum profile can only be used around the perimeter. The fact is that glass weighs a lot, and aluminum is not designed for such loads. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers use high quality steel, therefore, over time, it begins to become covered with oxides, because of this, the door can be difficult to open and make an unpleasant squeak.

To make sure the quality of the product, you can do a little test. Attach a magnet to the stainless steel. If you feel even the slightest attraction, it is better to refuse to buy such a product right away. When choosing the size of the door leaf, take into account the physical characteristics of the users - for large households it is better to choose doors with parameters 150x200 cm.

Modern doors can be installed without a pallet. If you make a choice in favor of such a design option, you will be spared the discomfort when entering the shower niche, since in such a design there is no sill as such. This option is optimal for families with elderly people and people with disabilities.

If your bathroom has an original non-standard layout and you can't find shower doors of the right size in any way - the best option would be to make custom-made shower doors. To do this, you need to contact a manufacturing company, set the individual parameters of your niche and communicate your wishes. Thus, you can get a door structure that will provide you with maximum convenience when using the shower niche and at the same time maintain a modern stylish design in the bathroom.

Be sure to think about the reliability and quality of the product... It is these parameters that should become key when choosing a model. Please note that a quality product cannot be cheap. If you want to get a design in your bathroom that will ensure safety and functionality of use - it is better to give preference to models for serious money. Once you pay, you get an ergonomic, aesthetically pleasing product that will last you for decades.

In the next video, you will find the installation of a shower door in a niche.