Frameless glass alternatives

Let’s take a quick look at what else is out there.

The Australian market has 3 formats of shower screens. Fully framed, semi-framed (often called perimeter framed), and frameless glass.

Fully framed

Sliding and swinging doors are both available. Glass is generally thin and there is a frame around all panels. The glass is often laminated. The customer may find milky bubbles in laminated glass. Fully framed generally looks basic and the frames can be somewhat difficult to clean. On the upside, they are good for water control, as the frame across the threshold keeps surface water inside the cubicle even under extreme use.

Semi-Framed

Semi-Framed is generally available in swinging doors only, which often open in and out. A top frame is usually incorporated, along with vertical frames against the walls. notably, the door itself is pivot-hinged with no frames down the vertical edges. This leaves a visual finish that is fairly tidy. The glass thickness is commonly only 6mm, therefore it can look a touch flimsy.

Frameless Glass

Frameless glass is available in swinging, sliding and fixed. Generally, the swinging door opens in and out. This style has no frame at all, hence the name. Frameless glass is available in thicknesses of 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm. Occasionally, over-bath panels and budget screens come in 8mm. Doors sag is a known issue with using 12mm glass. The most common glass thickness is 10mm.

The simple sophistication of a frameless glass shower screen is visually far superior to the alternatives.

Our opinion

Fully framed and semi-framed are serviceable and can therefore be handy for budget bathrooms or utility-type spaces. A frameless shower is ideal for a stylised bathroom or Architectural design. We specialise in quality made-to-measure frameless showers with a range of glass and hardware options.