Rules for choosing fittings for glass shower cabins

In a modern apartment, it is difficult to do without a shower cabin, which has successfully replaced outdated bathtubs, and with its variety of design types attracts an increasing number of buyers. At the same time, it takes up much less space, fits more beautifully into the design of the bathroom and has many more functions. One of the most important elements in this is the choice of fittings for shower cabins, which will ensure safety, durability and reliability of use.

Separately, one should dwell on the choice of glass for shower cabins, which is used in several versions, differing both in design and in the degree of safety during use.

The following options are most commonly used:

• ordinary glass - on impact it crumbles into fragments;
• curved - more durable glass, which is obtained by special heat treatment (giving the required shape);
• beveled - with a special processing of the edge of the glass, which makes it smooth and protects against cuts;

• matte - obtained by sandblasting, possibly with the implementation of all kinds of patterns;
• stained glass - made by gluing different parts of glass of different colors;
• triplex - special glass made of several layers, resistant to impact.

Currently, shower enclosures are made of plastic, polycarbonate and glass. Plastic is a cheaper material, but with prolonged use in conditions of sudden changes in temperature and humidity, it loses its appearance. The cabins made of glass have a high cost, but also much greater durability, resistance to temperature extremes and reliability. When choosing accessories for cabins made of glass, you should be especially careful and take into account the fact that glass is fragile, breaks when hit or deformed, which can be dangerous to humans.

A standard set of fittings for shower enclosures includes several basic elements.

• Rollers. They are used in versions of cabins with sliding doors. When driving along the guides, the doors should not have lateral play that allows vibration, and also have a smooth and even movement forward and backward.
• Seals. Used to seal and prevent water from leaking outside the shower cubicle. Installed between doors, panels, bathroom walls and shower stall panels. At the same time, they must adhere tightly to the products to be connected, not lose their properties with changes in temperature and humidity indicators, otherwise water will inevitably flow out of the shower stall.
• Door hinges. They are used to ensure door opening. In this case, the hinges must hold the glass door firmly enough, preventing it from cracking. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that glass doors, in contrast to plastic ones, have a significantly higher weight, which will certainly affect the load on the door hinges.

• Handles for opening and closing doors. They have a lot of options. One of the most common is a model combined with a lock for fixing the shower stall doors.
• Door lock. Used to fix doors and prevent them from opening. It is used separately, if not combined with the handle for opening the doors. In addition, magnetic locking devices are often used instead of locks.
• Injectors - additional watering cans of various shapes. They are used in hydromassage modes, installed on the side surface of the booth on special platforms. It is often possible to change the direction of the flow of the water jet in different directions.

They must ensure reliable mounting of the mirror in conditions of changes in temperature and high humidity.

The most important requirement when choosing fittings is its resistance to temperature changes and the ability to work in high humidity conditions. That is why the main preference when choosing fittings should be given to brass, aluminum, plastic options, as well as products made of stainless steel.

When choosing the material from which the shower stall seal is made, it should be borne in mind that the materials used for its manufacture (rubber, PVC, silicone, thermoplastic elastomer) have various advantages and also some disadvantages. For example, rubber seals have a low cost, but at the same time low resistance to mechanical abrasion.

Sealing PVC profile has significantly higher abrasion resistance and is not subject to deformation when exposed to temperature. Silicone products are resistant to various temperatures, do not crack or deform, adhere perfectly to structural elements. Magnetic seals (silicone seals with inserts from magnets) are also made of silicone, which ensure tightness between the closed doors of the booth. Thermoplastic elastomer combines the advantages of rubber, silicone, PVC, but it has a high cost.

For an overview of glass shower fittings, see the following video.