What You Need To Know Before Choosing Shower Screen Glass

Bathroom renovation projects are becoming increasingly popular. In fact many homeowners in the Newcastle and Hunter Valley regions are adding extra value to their property by renovating their bathroom. Updating shower screens can be a very cost effective and simple way to do this, so we are often asked about what types of shower screens work best for different bathrooms. The truth is, there are so many different styles for shower screen installations, that we couldn’t possibly name them all here. We can however, share the most popular types which include fully-framed, frameless and semi frameless shower screens, as well as different types of glass that break in varying ways and an array of glass design options to choose from in different colours and textures. When it comes to new shower screens, most customers come to us feeling a little overwhelmed with all the choice. That’s why the team at Dee Glass is here to give you some advice on what you need to know, so you can choose the right shower screen for your bathroom:

Choose Glass that complies with Australian Safety Standards

When looking to renovate or update your bathroom we would firstly recommend having a look at the Australian compliance standards. Check out the Building Code of Australia, that outlines exactly what you need to do to comply with the following standards.

• AS 1288:1994, Glass buildings-Selection and installation
• AS/NZS 2208:1996, Safety glazing materials in buildings.

In brief, for all shower screens in Australia, you are required to use Grade A safety glass. This is due to safety precautions, to ensure that when glass breaks within the bathroom, it does not cause a safety or health risk by breaking off into large jagged pieces. You must use either toughened or laminated safety glass, and you need it to be a minimum of 5 mm thick for framed screens or 6 mm thick for partly framed and 10mm thick for frameless screens. We would highly recommend you look at the Fair Trading website to get a broader understanding of glass use in Australia before you start any DIY installation. You can also check out our blog on types of glass and how they break.

Choose eco-friendly glass that reduces your carbon footprint

We are in a time where we should be choosing eco-friendly consumer products to reduce our environmental footprint. We believe choosing the right glass for your home or your shower screen is no different. Here at Dee Glass, we use the technology of ClearShield® Non-Stick Low MR (Low- Maintenance) Glass treatment on glass surfaces to protect them against environmental pollution. What does this mean? It means that we apply ClearShield® onto ordinary glass as a liquid, and therefore upgrade it to ‘non-stick’ ClearShield Eco-Glass™. With the application of ClearShield on the glass surface, the frequency of the cleaning and costs will be reduced by around 50%. ClearShield offers immediate and ongoing benefits to you as a homeowner:

• It’s easier to clean and keep clean and eliminates the need for harsh and abrasive cleaning products or methods and introduction of natural cleaning methods
• It resists staining and discolouration, keeping an ‘as-new’ appearance and performance much longer
• It remains more hygienic as this newly-upgraded surface resists the adhesion and growth of bacteria

Choose glass that is easiest to clean

The second thing you need to consider in such a time poor world is how long you want to spend cleaning your new shower screen glass, and how easy it is to maintain. If you opt for the ClearShield® Non-Stick Low MR (Low- Maintenance) Glass treatment most of your worries will already be solved, but there are other things, like framing, to consider when thinking of glass maintenance and upkeep. Frameless shower screens are easy to clean as you can clean the entire surface of the glass without trapping any hidden dirt and mould where the frame meets the glass. Frosted glass is often more difficult to clean than clear glass, and soap scum is more evident on frosted glass, so most new homeowners opt for a clear, frameless shower screen for easy cleaning and upkeep. If you want to take advantage of the easy cleaning, but still want an element of privacy and style, then acid etched glass could be the perfect solution for you. With only silhouettes to be seen in certain light, acid etching allows you to shower in private, whilst still retaining as much light and translucency as possible. This is quite an expensive glass treatment, however you can customize the finish from satin to velour, or create a bespoke design if you have the money to spend. This is best left to the experts and whilst it is low maintenance and unlikely to leave fingerprint marks, it is a more expensive option than clear, frameless glass. If you’d like to find out about our frameless shower screens get in touch.

Use your space in the bathroom wisely

The next thing you have to consider when looking into shower screen glass is the size of the space. If you have a small space, sliding doors or bifold doors are the best whereas if you have some space to play around with, pivoted and hinged doors are more suitable. If you have a bathtub with an old shower curtain, you should consider looking at hinged glass doors. These hinged doors are a sleek choice for the bathroom that also keeps moisture in the bathtub. The natural light that shines through these hinged glass doors can also reflect and make the small space feel much bigger, so they can be cleverly used in small spaces with existing tubs. If you’d like to see how we can help you maximise your bathroom space, give us a call If you have a lot of space, you can get away with almost anything including fully framed, frameless or semi-frameless with tinted or frosted glass. Tinted or frosted glass will not affect the proportion of large bathrooms like it will in small spaces, and you can be creative with your tint choice. Remember that frameless shower screens with clear standard glass are affordable and very easy to maintain, whereas frosted glass or tinted glass do require higher maintenance. This means if you choose a high maintenance glass, you must commit to the upkeep.

Call in the Experts at Dee Glass for a FREE quote!

At Dee Glass, we guarantee the performance and durability of each shower screen we install, because we manufacture these shower screens in our own factory here in Australia. Our strong focus on quality workmanship and producing a wide range of options to suit any bathroom and budget, means we can work with a variety of different families and homeowners to provide a range of expert solutions. If you’re looking to get your shower screen glass repaired or replaced in the Newcastle, Maitland or Hunter Valley regions, get in touch with the team at Dee Glass for a free quote.