Custom glass shower enclosures
When the shower isn't a simple alcove, the glass has to be designed around it. Here's how custom enclosures come together.
An enclosure is any combination of fixed panels and doors that forms one or more sides of the shower. Custom work covers corners, odd angles, knee walls, sloped ceilings and showers big enough to walk into without a door. Each panel is measured on site and made to order.
Common layouts
- 90-degree corner. A door and fixed panel on the front, plus a return panel on the side.
- Neo-angle. Three panels with angled corners that fit a corner shower and save floor space.
- Walk-in screen. One or two fixed panels with an open entry and no door to hinge or seal.
- Knee wall or half wall. Glass that sits on a low tiled wall, held with clamps or a channel.
- Steam shower. Glass that runs to the ceiling, often with a transom or operable vent, for a shower used as a steam room.
Why do custom enclosures take longer?
Every panel is cut, edged, drilled and tempered to its exact size, and tempered glass can't be trimmed afterward. That means the shower has to be finished before measuring, and the measurements have to be right the first time. Ask the company how long fabrication typically takes so you can plan the rest of the remodel around it.
Planning a steam shower?
A steam shower needs a sealed enclosure, a ceiling that slopes so condensation doesn't drip on you, and a steam generator installed and wired by the right trades. The glass company handles the glass, the door seals and any vent panel, so get them involved early.
Safety glazing near the tub or shower
The International Residential Code treats glass in walls or enclosures that face a tub or shower as a hazardous location when its bottom edge is less than 60 inches above the standing surface, unless it's more than 60 inches away horizontally from the water's edge. That can include a window inside a large shower. Every panel in those spots must be safety glazing with a visible mark.
The glass company prices the job after it measures the opening and you settle on glass, hardware and finish. We don't quote prices, and a number given before anyone has measured is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Does a walk-in shower need a door?
No. A fixed glass screen with an open entry works if the shower is large enough and the floor slopes toward the drain. The installer can tell you how much splash to expect.
Can glass go up to a sloped ceiling?
Yes. Panels can be cut to follow a slope, but it takes careful measuring and usually a template.
Related services
- Frameless shower doors
- Semi-frameless and sliding doors
- Tub glass doors and screens
- Shower door repair and replacement
More background: Bozeman shower glass guide.
Remodeling the bathroom, or tired of a door that drips and sticks?
Call and a local shower glass company will set up a time to measure and give you a written quote.