Leaky Luxury - Will My Frameless Shower Enclosure Leak?

Leaky Luxury - Will My Frameless Shower Enclosure Leak?

A frameless shower has by design small gaps in the seams of the glass panels and around the door. Gaps exist because the unit lacks the thick metal frames found in traditional framed shower products. The custom nature of a frameless shower also lends itself to less forgiving tolerances than prefabricated framed units. Though a frameless shower should never be considered a completely water tight enclosure, there are a few techniques that can be followed to minimize the amount of moisture that leaves the shower.

One technique for minimizing the amount of water that escapes through the seams of a frameless unit is to utilize polycarbonate pieces that create seals between panels or between the glass and surrounding enclosure walls.

A standard single door (less than 30" wide and 78" high) has a 3/16" gap between the wall and the door glass where the door is hinged to the wall. On the handle side of the door, a 3/16" gap between the door and the wall is recommended in order for the door to swing properly. Finally, a 7/16" gap is left between the sill and the bottom of the door glass.

In order to prevent water from leaking out underneath the door, a polycarbonate door sweep is attached to the bottom of the glass. The sweep directs water back into the shower and acts as weather-stripping underneath the door.

Gaps on either side of the door remain. Unless your shower head is pointed directly at the gaps though, an extremely minimal amount of water, if any, will escape. The potential for minimal leakage is the trade-off between frameless heavy glass showers and the less custom thin glass framed units.

When your shower configuration includes a door and a panel, an open space exists between the door and the panel. This space can be virtually eliminated by using a strike. When the door is closed, it rests against the strike that is attached to the panel, sealing the gap.