(TNS)—Installing a new shower? Unless you’re getting a walk-in shower or a bathtub/shower insert — which sometimes only requires a shower curtain — you’ll need to select a type of shower door.
Here’s some information to help you choose.
Sliding shower doors
Sliding shower doors, also referred to as bypass doors, take up the least bathroom space of any type of shower door because they never expand inside or outside the shower. They typically consist of two to three panels that slide past each other on tracks along the top and bottom of the door.
Because sliding shower doors come with at least two panels, they’re best used in wide shower openings measuring at least 60 inches. Framed sliding shower doors at a quarter-inch glass thickness, uninstalled, typically cost $175 to $500.
Round shower doors
Round shower doors, unlike most other types, open inward. They are ideal for corner showers. The curved glass gives you more elbow room, and the lack of a corner gives your bathroom more open floor space. They’re also easier to clean because you don’t have to dig into the corners.
Framed round shower enclosures, uninstalled, typically cost $500 to $1,000.
Neo-angle shower doors
Neo-angle shower doors are best suited for corner showers. They are designed to keep the door in the open space of the bathroom instead of forcing the door next to a wall. These shower doors typically have three panels: the door, and an angled panel on each side.
Framed neo-angle shower doors with a quarter-inch glass thickness typically cost between $325 and $900 before installation.
Pivot shower doors
Pivot shower doors are the traditional swinging hinged doors. They typically open outward from one side and are only installed in standalone shower stalls.
They’re ideal for showers under 60 inches that are too small for sliding doors.
For wider openings, like those that are 48 inches, you can choose a double-hinged mount, which allows the door to pivot both inward and outward.
Framed pivot shower doors with a quarter-inch glass thickness cost $140 to $500 before installation.
Bifold shower doors
A bifold shower door combines the sliding function of bypass shower doors with the movement of pivot doors. A bifold door has two panels attached by a hinge. When the user pulls the handle, the two panels fold inward toward each other.
If you’re buying a framed bifold shower door of a quarter-inch glass thickness, expect to pay $325 to $700 before installation.
Frameless shower doors
Frameless shower doors aren’t their own exclusive category: Instead, you can get framed or frameless versions of several different types of shower doors, like pivot or bypass.
Frameless shower doors are more aesthetically pleasing than framed shower doors. The clear, clean glass allows you to see through to the shower walls, so they’re ideal for showers with tile work.
Frameless shower doors are made from thicker glass than other shower doors — three-eights to one-half inch thickness as opposed to one-quarter inch thickness — so they tend to cost at least twice the amount of a framed shower door. Frameless shower doors start around $700 to $1,200, uninstalled, and the price goes up from there.
Kaley Belakovich is a reporter at Angie’s List
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