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While frameless shower doors look amazing, they are water-resistant, not waterproof. You should have no problems around fixed panels of glass as they are sealed with high-quality, mildew-resistant silicone, but around the door (and transom if you have one) they can leak with a direct spray of water. Remember, your door is frameless. We can add polycarbonate seals to help, but they will still not withstand a direct spray of water around the door and hinges. We try to limit the seals to just the bottom sweep because just like windshield wipers on your car they are the first thing to go bad as they are plastic. We feel it is a cleaner look not to have the “plastic” seals. They can turn yellow, get moldy, and/or come off over time, but if needed, we will apply them for you.  

Now, the #1 reason a frameless shower door may leak: poor craftsmanship. If the curb or dam (the part you step over) is flat or pitched in the wrong direction (to the outside), I can guarantee your shower will have a problem with leaking.

I like to explain it as such: your entire glass shower enclosure makes up 100% of the pie. Around the door, you might have a 2% gap, which means 98% of the water will be contained IF all of the surfaces that the glass sits on are pitched correctly so the water is diverted back toward your drain. Think of the Grand Canyon; water can find a way over time and gravity will do its part no matter how many seals or silicone we apply. So, make sure your tile contractor puts the correct pitch on the surfaces so the water is directed the appropriate way — back toward the drain. That will solve 98% of all leakage from a frameless shower door (assuming you are not spraying water directly at the gaps with your handheld sprayer, as that will surely leak too). 

Short answer: 3-10 weeks. 

Long answer: We know that you may have gone through a long build or remodel and all you want is your bathroom back. Unfortunately, we are the last ones in, and we need to measure after all of your solid surfaces are complete. Our showers are custom ordered to fit your opening, especially frameless shower enclosures. We try to provide you with the best lead time that we can. We are dealing with glass so it can come in scratched or fabricated wrong and need to be remade, but sometimes it comes in just right and we will schedule your installation as soon as possible. In the end, we know you will love the new shower door we provide you with from A Touch of Glass.  

We install shower doors daily, and most of the time the installation process goes smoothly. We are in and out and you can use your new glass enclosure after a short wait for silicone to cure. On rare occasions, we run into the issue of tile cracking during installation. So yes, it does happen, but not often at all, and there are things you can do or watch for to help prevent this.  

The main reason for a tile to chip or crack is that it was installed improperly to begin with. If the tile does not have a solid backing of mortar/thin-set and there are air pockets or voids, it can crack when we are putting pressure while drilling. Be sure your contractor (or you if you are a DIYer!) takes their time and utilizes the proper backing and mudding, especially along the wall where the door will be hinged, or anywhere the glass will be secured. 

Also, some tiles and solid surfaces are stronger and harder while other materials can be very fragile. We have years of experience and usually have no problems drilling into any material you decide to use if installed properly. We will even install it on glass tiles (although it is not recommended). The issue is not necessarily from the drilling aspect, but the pressure and force that are applied at the hinges and the fact that we need to secure the door snugly to carry the weight of an 80-lb door.  

If you are still early enough in the tile selection and design process, we suggest a solution that both looks great visually and will make your shower door installation significantly easier. Choose a smooth/flat/solid material as an inset border where the glass will attach to the wall. This works well if you want to use glass tiles, stone, or other materials with a lot of texture. The shower shown here used a border because of the uneven texture of the stone and the surface not being smooth, but this technique can be used for glass tile as well. 

If a tile does happen to crack or break during installation, we will notify you of the problem so you can have it fixed, and then we will finish the installation after it has been replaced and the mortar has had time to completely dry. I would like to reiterate; tiles do not crack often — otherwise, we would not be in the business of installing shower doors and drilling into tile daily. But it can and will happen from time to time, so it is better to address the reasons it could happen and the steps we will take if it does happen. 

AFTER INSTALL CARE 

Please do not use your new shower door for 24 hours after installation. The door must also remain in the position left by the installation crew during this time. All silicone areas will continue to cure and cannot be touched during the first 12 hours. If there are any taped areas do not remove the tape for 48 hours. You will also want to keep all shower head(s) and/or body jets directed away from the door as much as possible. Any water directly aimed toward the door gaps will cause a leak within that area. When closing your shower door, place the door in the closed position and do not release the door until it makes contact with the vinyl door stop. (“Slamming” will occur if the door is not placed shut). 

Cleaning Instructions 

To ensure a long-lasting finish, we recommend following these basic tips when cleaning your shower enclosure. With minimum maintenance and proper cleaning, your bath enclosure will provide you with years of beautiful service. 

After each use, rinse with water and wipe down your enclosure with a soft cloth/towel or squeegee to maintain that like-new look. 

The glass should be regularly cleaned using a damp microfiber cloth and a mild detergent or cleaner to remove any soap scum and grime from the glass. 

We recommend caution for any commercial cleaning solution marked as safe for shower doors. Please test any product on an inconspicuous area before applying it to the entire enclosure. Be sure to rinse all surfaces completely and wipe dry. 

Never use any abrasive material or harsh chemicals to clean surfaces and do not allow cleaners to soak on surfaces. 

Many over-the-counter cleaners, if applied to the aluminum and left on, will harm the metal finish and cause permanent damage, even though their directions indicate safe use on shower doors. 

Heat treatment in glass is used to produce tempered glass. Tempered glass is a safety glass used widely in the residential and commercial markets. It is much stronger than annealed glass and breaks in a much safer manner. However the manufacturing process can impart some visible distortion to the product. A certain element of visual distortions in glass are accepted in glass manufacturing. Tempered glasses such as that used in shower enclosures and some windows, go through additional manufacturing processes which can change the visual appearance of the glazing.

Damaged glass is always classed as unacceptable and will not be installed on site, however, there are a few types of visual distortions in glass that are well documented and accepted as a natural element of processed glass.

We, at A Touch of Glass, closely follow all glass industry standards when checking in materials and before installation.  It is important to note all of the characteristics listed about, are a characteristic of heat treated (tempered) glass and are not considered a defect. These characteristics can be intensified by the light conditions that they are subjected to as well as show up temporarily after using the shower, while the glass is wet. They cannot be removed and are inherent in the production of all glass. 

Anisotropy (or Strain Pattern)

Anisotropy (also called strain pattern) can be seen in some tempered glass panels under polarised light. It is caused by the different layers of ‘stress’ or tension within the thickness of a tempered glass unit. When polarised light passes through these areas of the glass it can appear as an iridescent or coloured pattern on the surface of the glass.

As polarised light is present within normal daylight, Anisotropy may be visually apparent at certain times of day or under certain lighting conditions. This type of visual distortions in glass is often more apparent when the glass is viewed in a slanted manner or when glass is installed at right angles to each other.

Anisotropy is an accepted characteristic of the glass toughening process and is not classed as a glass defect.

Roller Wave/ Orange Peel/ Heat Marks

Roller Wave is a common type of visual distortions in glass that may be visible in toughened glass units. It is caused during the glass tempering process when the heated and slightly molten glass is passed over large rollers whilst it is cooled. As a result, the glass may have a slightly waved finish to the surface.

This does not affect the strength of durability of the tempered glass. These marks are typically only visually detectable under certain circumstances and conditions. These are seen many times when looking at glass from a certain angle and cannot be seen looking from a different angle.  

As a rule, the visual appearance of Roller Wave is not classed as a glass defect in shower enclosure and insulated glass unit installation. Orange Peel is an imprint left on the glass from the furnace roller. 

Heat Marks can be found in flat heat treated glass products. The heat treating process will cause certain small marks on the glass surface. They are very similar to fine salt grains and they usually will show when viewing the glass at an angle and/or against a bright background. They are more visible in thicker and larger pieces of glass. 

Iridescence: 

A Strain pattern also known as iridescence is inherent in all heat-strengthened and full tempered glass. This strain pattern may become visible under certain lighting conditions. It is a characteristic of heat treated glass and should not be mistaken as discoloration, distortion or a defect in the glass. The strain pattern does not affect any physical properties or performance values of the glass.