We have 2 Kohler Sonata acrylic shower stalls installed in our new house. The opening width for the door measures 40 inches. Door concerns:
- My wife has ideas about having a steam generator added to one of the units.
- I don’t like the doors (e.g. at the gym) dripping from the bottom edge after opening.
- Do any manufaturers have an optional window that can be installed above the door (later) to accomodate a steam atmosphere?
- Glass door assemblies aren’t inexpensive, so we’d like to do it right the first time.
Replies
Before doing a steam unit, try to talk to someone who has one. My tiler did one at a customer's house, and it turned the shower into a petri dish for mold. It's the perfect climate for mold.
Bryan, he's talking about an acrylic stall, a totally different thing than a tiled shower.
Dave, you can probably get what you want by dealing with a glass shop that handles custom shower enclosures. They will have a manufacturer make what you want, and then install it. A couple of brands are Holcam and Alumax, and there are plenty of others, you can find some of them online. They typically sell thru glass shops, plumbing wholesalers, and sometimes the box stores. Have a glass shop do it and have them install it.
Re the water dripping, a framed glass door will sometimes have a gutter on the inside and maybe that's what you're talking about. If you get one without, or go frameless, you may have less dripping, but some water's going to get on the floor regardless.
RE: dripping on the floor -
If the shower is big enough, have the door open "in" - or use two doors in a "french door" format and have them both open "in"
RE: transom glass to contain steam-
Yes, they exist pre-made and can be custom - or you can make one yourself with acrylic or polycarb.
I don't think there's any way an inswinging shower door would be code.
How about one that swings both ways?
Why not?However it would talke a large shower to have room for it to open in.But Sterling makes a inward opening bi-fold door that does can be used in a small shower.http://tinyurl.com/ctdjf