How Thick Should My Frameless Shower Glass Be?

If you are building or renovating a home, there are good reasons for you to consider installing a shower instead of a bath. A shower would be more hygienic and easier to maintain, not to mention likely better for the environment, as showers tend to use less water than baths.

Though the glass panels of many showers are held in place with structural frames if you fear that this would look inelegant, rest assured that we can deliver frameless glass showers to NZ addresses nationwide. Still, if you go frameless, what thickness of glass should you select?

What Glass Thicknesses Can You Pick From?

In New Zealand, the available thicknesses for shower glass can range from 4mm to 12mm. Most often, though, the options you are likely to see are 6mm, 8mm and 10mm. (When we say ‘thickness’, we mean the depth of the glass when the sheet is seen from the side.)

Nonetheless, when ordering a frameless shower, there’s a limit to how thin you can go with the glass — as the thinner this glass, the more fragile it can be as well.

A shower frame can make up for this problem by helping to strengthen the overall structure. Conversely, you wouldn’t get this particular benefit were you to purchase a frameless shower.

Should You Choose the Thinnest Possible Glass?

For a frameless shower, the thinnest glass you should consider is 10mm, as this will provide the overall shower enclosure with sufficient stability. However, you might be tempted to go even thicker to further increase the sturdiness of the glass. Would this be a wise course of action?

The answer very much depends on your preferences, as the greater thickness could indeed enhance your peace of mind. Remember, though, that thicker glass can also be heavier and in turn threaten the shower’s stability by adding too much weight.

Given that thicker glass can be more expensive, too, you might want to strike a happy balance by going for the 10mm option. We can dispatch all of the necessary components for frameless glass showers to NZ homes; for a closer look at what we offer, please explore our website.