HomeHomeowners today love stylish spa-like bathrooms. Gone are the days when this room was purely functional. Owners today want these rooms to be both relaxing and chic. Euro style showers with unframed shower doors are an upgrade that is quickly replacing the more common framed and usually less attractive enclosures.
Made to order showers can make a small bathroom look bigger and, because the doors often are customized, they can be installed in almost any configuration. Also, because they are unframed, they can be used even in homes with uneven walls and other awkward spaces. They are also popular because of the variety of decorative options they afford. The glass itself can be embossed or otherwise textured, if desired. However, more often the showers often feature beautiful ceramic, stone, granite, or solid-surface tile designs on the walls and/or floor. Heavy glass doors serve to frame, not obscure, these lovely features. The glass can be fitted over bathtubs or used for a walk-in shower.
Frameless entries require heavier glass than the standard framed enclosures in order for them to be free standing with minimal water channeling. The thicker glass in heavy euro shower doors also gives them a sleeker, more elegant appearance. Standard glass thicknesses range from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch, depending on the homeowner's needs. The heavy glass is very safe, having passed rigorous testing. The shower door options include butt-glaze or mitered corners, wall-to-wall glass, glass-to-glass, and top-to-bottom hinges. Shower framework is available in a wide variety of colors and finishes, including anodized silver or gold, brushed nickel and oil-rubbed bronze. Knobs, towel-bars, and other hardware features are available to complete the perfect spa-like design.
There are a variety of Euro shower options, starting with the single swinging door. One or two side panels can be added and these can vary in shape or size to fit the desired space. Hinged return panels sometimes are necessary or desirable and these too can be combined with a side panel or two. The ability to customize the enclosure to almost any shape makes this innovation fit perfectly into almost any bathroom configuration.
If you are an environmentalist, you will love these enclosures because of course, they eliminate the need for shower curtains. According to the Bath Enclosure Manufacturers Association (BEMA), most shower curtains are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which emits toxic compounds. Consumers need to replace plastic shower curtains frequently because they become moldy, so they end up in landfills. Glass shower doors can last up to 50 years with proper care and maintenance.
Maintenance is relatively easy. All glass, including these enclosures, can easily be cleaned using non abrasive cleansers. Abrasive cleaners are not recommended because they can cause scratches that allow discoloration that mars the simple elegance these doors afford. Some manufacturers suggest glass sealers, available from many retail sources, to protect and retain the original transparency. They are easily applied and make cleaning simple and straightforward.
Reputable Euro shower dealers can be found in all urban areas throughout the country. But for the best results, you would probably be better off consulting with a business that has some expertise in installing this feature for you.
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