Sliding Shower Doors: Buyer’s Guide

Oozing style and sophistication, the timeless sliding shower door remains one of the most popular designs of shower doors available on the market.

How do you know the sliding door is the right for your shower enclosure? Will it stand out in your designer bathroom, or aren't you sure why you're inclined to purchase one? In this handy article, we'll dive into all information you need to know about sliding shower doors and what they are and help you decide if this shower door design is right for you.

What is a Sliding Shower Door?

Sliding Shower Doors are an outstanding space-saving alternative to other available shower doors. The door slides from left to right on a straight whilst utilising sliding runners, allowing the door to slide whilst built into the shower enclosure. They are increasingly popular with users who have limited bathroom space.

The doors can be installed in an alcove/ recess design of a shower or onto a side panel and inline panel. A cosy and contemporary enclosure is created if the doors connect to a side panel/inline panel.

What designs of Sliding Shower Doors can I buy?

Sliding Shower Doors usually come with a single or a double door design. If a single-door version is purchased, it will gently slide from one side to the other. However, if a luxurious double-door design catches your eye, each door slides adjacent.

The doors feature framed semi-frameless and frameless styles. A semi-frameless or frameless design is generally more suited for a modern bathroom or ensuite; however, they are usually more expensive due to their premium build quality and overall aesthetics.

Merlyn Showers is a leading brand that offers luxurious framed and frameless sliding door styles.

How much do Sliding Shower Doors cost?

The cost of a sliding shower door varies on brand, size, colour finish and optional extras. On ShowerstoYou, the prices range from £167 - £2700. The doors feature high-shine chrome, polished silver, matt black, nickel and even brushed brass finishes. We have an informative guide available for a full breakdown of shower enclosures.

Many of our sliding shower doors feature the option to complete the entire enclosure. Optional side panels, inline panels and shower trays can usually be purchased from the various drop-down menus, along with a few variations of showers.

An affordable brand of sliding shower doors would be Nuie Bathrooms. These doors include various collections and designs for specific types of bathroom settings.

How do I install a Sliding Shower Door?

Sliding Shower Doors can be installed on a side panel or a recess-fitting shower. The finished enclosure will have a corner entry if the door is mounted onto a side panel. If the sliding door fits onto a recess-fitting shower, the doors mount onto the sides of the tiles or wall.

An alternative is to purchase a complete shower pod. These self-contained shower cubicles include all the necessary items to complete a shower enclosure (shower tray, all fixings and the shower itself) and feature an attractive sliding door. However, these are usually on the larger side, so we advise measuring the area correctly before purchasing one.

What's a Quadrant Sliding Shower Door/ Enclosure?

A quadrant sliding enclosure is an eye-catching design. The door fits snug in the corner of your bathroom and features one or two curved sliding shower doors. They have two straight sides of the same size and require a quadrant shower tray.

You may have seen Offset Quadrant Sliding Shower enclosures on the internet. The difference between Offset and regular Quadrant Sliding Enclosures is that the Offset design had one side larger than the other.

Lakes Showers have various designs of corner sliding doors available on ShowerstoYou.

What shower trays are suitable for Sliding Shower Doors?

Depending on the style of sliding shower door you purchase, there are a few options for your robust shower tray:

• Squared Shower Trays are bought for a smaller sliding shower door. These premium trays often include pre-drilled corner waste and are ideal when deciding on a small shower enclosure.
• Rectangular Shower Trays can be used when the sliding shower door has a more extensive installation area. Elegant corner-designed doors like the Roman Showers brand stand out with a durable rectangle shower tray.
• Curved sliding showers require a Quadrant or Offset Quadrant Shower Tray. Most of the Offset designs feature left or right-handed options.

How do you clean Sliding Shower Doors?

We always advise reading through the manufacturer's guarantee before cleaning the doors, as this may void any future warranty claims.

The glass can often be cleaned with various household products such as soap, water, or glass cleaner. Baking soda, an old cloth or towel and white vinegar can be used for tougher stains such as soap scum, limescale or bacteria.

More often than not, sliding shower doors include a quick-release mechanism on the top and bottom of the rollers. Push the mechanism button down and carefully remove them from the rails. The shower door tracks can eventually have a significant build-up of limescale of soap scum, so we recommend the following:

• Combine a few tablespoons of baking soda with water in a bowl
• Mix thoroughly until the mixture turns into a smooth glue-like paste
• With an old cloth, apply the paste along the tracks
• Leave for approximately 30 minutes
• With a separate clean cloth, wipe the paste from the tracks and rinse the area
• Re-install the sliding shower doors onto the tracks

In general, sliding shower doors are easy to maintain. Unfortunately, all shower doors will eventually become dirty, so we strongly suggest maintaining them as often as possible.

Why buy a Sliding Shower Door from ShowerstoYou?

We have been offering expert advice and outstanding customer service for 38 years. We can provide you with free valuable technical advice not only on sliding shower doors but also on other door designs, complete enclosures and our full range of bath and shower items.

Not satisfied with your purchase? A comprehensive manufacturer's guarantee features all purchases, and we're always ready to discuss any issues with everyone.