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Discussion Forum

why use sliding shower doors?

edwardh1 | Posted in General Discussion on September 5, 2008 06:16am

why do people use sliding glass/plastic shower doors? the two I have had- about 15 years old each – the mold and mildew near the bottom rails really looks bad , the aluminim track also wears.. Some of the bed and breakfasts I have been in have nice one piece fiberglass showers with a nice raised moulded step over and they use shower curtains.
are the sliding doors perceived as “luxury”? the hinged all glass frameless doors really look nice but I am wondering whats the attraction of the sliding doors?


Edited 9/5/2008 11:53 am ET by edwardh1

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Replies

  1. User avater
    MarkH | Sep 05, 2008 06:48pm | #1

    Got me. But like you I got them. Put them in myself, wish I hadn't. What was I thinking?

    1. MSLiechty | Sep 05, 2008 06:54pm | #2

      Same here. Have you looked into frame less doors. Much nicer in my opinion.ML

  2. Dave45 | Sep 05, 2008 08:48pm | #3

    I've had sliding glass shower doors for ~8 years and don't have much of a mold/mildew issue. At this house, failure to run the exhaust fan is a capitol offense and opening the window is encouraged unless the weather is really bad (a rare situation in CA, BTW).

    We also quit using bar soap in favor of body washes (the reduction in soap scum was incredible) and the doors get removed for serious cleaning at least every year, or so.

    I like them for the same reason I like pocket doors - less floor space is used up for a door. When I remodeled the bathrooms eight years ago, I replaced two swinging doors with pocket doors and wouldn't dream of going back.

  3. User avater
    xxPaulCPxx | Sep 05, 2008 08:52pm | #4

    I've always hated them as a parent. You can't sit on the edge of the tub while you give your kids a bath.

    I guess the appeal is that you can splash as much as you want without getting water out.

    Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
    Also a CRX fanatic!

    I don't feel it's healthy to keep your faults bottled up inside me.

  4. rnsykes | Sep 05, 2008 08:59pm | #5

    the attraction is the price. We put them in all the time because the frameless hinged doors are about $2500.... un-installed.

    1. fingersandtoes | Sep 05, 2008 09:11pm | #6

      Pricey and my installer won't put them on a fiberglass or acrylic enclosures because there is too much movement and too much weight on the hinges. They also require a three week lead time after measuring which often holds things up. For a tub I prefer a shower curtain because it is right out of the way when you have a bath.

      1. rnsykes | Sep 05, 2008 10:04pm | #7

        I've never used them on fiberglass either, but it's been about a year since we put in a fiberglass enclosure. We don't do alot of them. It's mostly all tiled enclosures. Everyone wants the frameless doors, but it's always the first thing they cut out when they get the price.

  5. Fishrite | Sep 05, 2008 11:13pm | #8

    "the aluminim track also wears"

    Why is that?

    Aren't your wheels at the top?

    "Everyday we learn something new. Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. It doesn't have to be an "A" the next day, but let's hope it improves." 08/27/08
    Matt Garcia 1986-2008 22 yo Fairfield City Council Member, shot 09/01/08 RIP
    1. edwardh1 | Sep 05, 2008 11:25pm | #10

      alu track wears on mine, made years ago in savannah ga because there is a plastic slider piece that holds the door bottoms and slides back and forth

    2. User avater
      BillHartmann | Sep 05, 2008 11:40pm | #12

      Older designs had wheels on the bottom that rode on track. And the tracks had slots for the water to drain through. But it held a lot of water and the track and rollers where just a place to collect dirt.Newer ones have are completely top hung and have a sloping sill with just a simple guide bar in the middle..
      .
      A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

      1. Fishrite | Sep 05, 2008 11:57pm | #13

        Yeah, mine must be the other model. Wheels at the top, but there are two alignment tracks that make for a nasty cleaning job.

        (I'm the one who inquired about using Rain-x on my doors...I still haven't gotten around to it.)

        "Everyday we learn something new. Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. It doesn't have to be an "A" the next day, but let's hope it improves." 08/27/08
        Matt Garcia 1986-2008 22 yo Fairfield City Council Member, shot 09/01/08 RIP

        1. User avater
          BillHartmann | Sep 06, 2008 12:48am | #14

          The last one that I looked at don't have any bottom track. Just a couple of plastic "fingers" that stick up about 2-3" long in the center where the doors overlap..
          .
          A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

          1. Fishrite | Sep 06, 2008 01:33am | #15

            That sounds good to me.

            >>>Fishrite, busy cleaning her icky track as we speak...>>>>

            oooo...ick!

            "Everyday we learn something new. Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. It doesn't have to be an "A" the next day, but let's hope it improves." 08/27/08
            Matt Garcia 1986-2008 22 yo Fairfield City Council Member, shot 09/01/08 RIP

          2. User avater
            BillHartmann | Sep 06, 2008 04:08am | #16

            >>>Fishrite, busy cleaning her icky track as we speak...>>>>Well this won't help the track, but they also have;"TERLING bath and shower doors feature CleanCoat™ technology.CleanCoat Technology is a glass surface treatment that helps protect the glass surface from buildup of unsightly residue. It also makes it easier to clean and reduces the need for harsh cleansers. ".
            .
            A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

          3. Fishrite | Sep 06, 2008 04:16am | #18

            Thanks.

            "Everyday we learn something new. Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. It doesn't have to be an "A" the next day, but let's hope it improves." 08/27/08
            Matt Garcia 1986-2008 22 yo Fairfield City Council Member, shot 09/01/08 RIP

          4. alwaysoverbudget | Sep 06, 2008 06:08am | #19

            to get the glass doors clean get you some clr,get naked ,get in there and start scrubbing and letting it soak,after about 20 minutes neither you or the doors will have any calcium deposits!!!! then rinse wellif a man speaks in the forest,and there's not a woman to hear him,is he still wrong?

          5. geoffhazel | Sep 06, 2008 08:39am | #20

            I put them in our downstairs bath. We rent out the downstairs. I'm glad I did, actually, it keeps the water in the tub, and no stinky shower curtains to deal with.CLR doesn't work quite as well as you want it to, but it's not bad if you do it two or three times.

  6. Stuart | Sep 05, 2008 11:17pm | #9

    I always figured shower curtains make more sense.  They're cheap, easy to clean, keep the water in just as well as a door, and you can simply toss them and get another one if you get tired of looking at them.

    1. caseyr | Sep 05, 2008 11:32pm | #11

      I find that the curtains don't work at all well for keeping water in the shower. One apartment I rented has a small plastic triangle where the wall met the tub that worked pretty well, however. Also, I have to leave the curtain outside for a couple of weeks to air out before installing it or it makes my eyes burn more than I care to tolerate.

  7. Lansdown | Sep 06, 2008 04:15am | #17

    Another vote for shower curtains. They open up completely and you can buy new ones at every year if need be for $12.

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