All you need to know about Shower Screens

Brindabella has been renovating and building bathrooms for more than 30 years and one area that is often misunderstood is the shower screen. All glass is not created equally so here are our expert tips on what to look for, and what to know, when choosing your shower screen.

The right type of shower screen can make or break your bathroom – literally. This is a major component of your bathroom but all too often we see homeowners looking past the quality and choosing cheaper options, sometimes from overseas. However, buyer be warned, importing cheap knock offs can have a devastating effect; not only with the risk of the glass imploding but also not correctly fitting your shower.

Many cheaper shower screens will also look green in appearance, compared to the clarity of quality glass.

Most imported glass panels are typically “square” – not in shape but in dimensions. But, the challenge is that most homes are not perfectly square so this can mean gaps in your screen which will need a lot of silicone to fill. At Brindabella, we measure onsite to ensure the screen is the correct size and shape – this is vital considering that 99.9% of showers and homes are not a perfectly square. It’s this attention to detail that ensures a Brindabella installed shower screen will fit the exact space faultlessly.

Glass Shower Screen Types

There are three types of glass shower screens.

1. Fully Framed Shower Screens – with frames all around the edges of the glass, including the door.
2. Semi Frameless – where the door glass may not be framed and the frame is on the outside of the screen
3. Frameless Shower Screens – an entirely frameless approach.

At Brindabella, the majority of our clients desire a frameless shower screen with clear glass.  However, some clients do opt for the acid-etched look that provides an opaque and non-see-through appearance on a part of, or the entire screen.

What Makes Some Shower Glass Screens Look Green?

It’s the iron content in the glass that can give it a green look. This is also prevalent in thicker shower screens or on the edges of the shower screen. There is an important process that reduces the iron content in the glass but cheaper glass alternatives normally bypass this important process leaving homeowners with unattractive green tinge. We normally recommend brands such as Crystal Clear or Starphire as this glass is a more pleasant aqua appearance and gives our discerning homeowners the look they desire.

Advantages of Frameless Shower Screens

There are many advantages with clients choosing a frameless shower screen. Probably the most important is that it can make any bathroom look bigger and much more open.

A frameless shower screen will also allow your bathroom to seem lighter, while being completely tailored to your space, giving you ample flexibility with your bathroom design. They are also much easier to clean, and stay clean – a big bonus for busy homeowners.

At Brindabella we ensure the shower screen is flush inside the tile so there are no visible brackets on the wall. An L-bracket can also be used to hold the glass panel but these not only look ugly but can be very difficult to keep clean. Mould simply adores hiding in these little spaces and can cause headaches for even the most meticulous homeowner. Our research and development centre at our Headquarters in Hornsby NSW has demonstrated this perfectly.

At Brindabella it’s all about ensuring the shower screen not only looks impeccable, but can also stand the harsh environment it endures.

If you are planning a bathroom renovation this year, now is the time to talk to us so we can start the all-important planning and preparation stage of the process. Contact us today.