Browse Forums Bathrooms and Laundry 1 May 05, 2013 10:04 am Hi folks After having to rip up our ensuite floor tiles to rectify a leak, we are now about to rebuild it. We have the opportunity to redesign the layout and would love a walk in shower (ie one fixed panel of glass screen only). But this might not be a practical option given the layout, so we may have to stick to the original 900x900 shower in the corner. Thing is, I want to avoid as many places as I can that harbour mould and grime build up - so I want frameless screens and as little silicon/rubber strips etc as possible. Is it possible to have the two glass panels without any silicon at the right angle. Or am I asking for a watery mess after every shower? Likewise, I want to avoid rubber around the doors - again, is this asking for trouble? I see 'images' or displays where the glass panels are only joined by the shiny metal fastenings and no silicone or rubber involved - but just not sure if these work 'in real life'. Can anyone give me their experience or help out with ideas. As is said, one fixed panel with no moving parts or joins would be ideal but don't think we can make it work, so it will need to be two panels at right angles out from the wall - including an open/shut door. We won't be having a moulded base, as such. We want a tiled base - but will be happy to have a hob (? The raised base) if this would help with water containment and in turn less rubber required. Thanks folks HHCIB Sorry thing on iPad and easy to do typos Re: Shower screen question 2May 05, 2013 12:07 pm good screen installers user mold resistant sealants anyway. It really shouldn't be a problem and a little mold spray once a month when doing the tiles and grout will ensure a long lifetime. The problematic areas are the slides, hinges, handles, brackets etc. More so in framed and semiframeless and most commonly in sliding screens. In frameless screens we used chrome plated or stainless hardware, clamped to the glass using silicone rubber gaskets. Warranty 5 years trouble free. With a frameless sreen there is usually a 2-3mm gap where the door opens and closes. This was really the only complaint we used to have about them..and mainly because the shower rose was installed facing the door, causing significant water leakage. With your particular design you will need an infill (300-450mm) attached to one side panel for rigidity (which the door will be then hinged from). Alternatively there are crossbars that bridge across both side panels, and *possibly* eliminate the infill, although it's not common practice to do this. You don't need a hob, an aluminium extrusion is siliconed to the floor beneath the door (to contain the water) and a waterproofing flap is put on the bottom of door itself. hope that helps! Re: Shower screen question 3May 06, 2013 6:18 pm My frameless screens dont have any hardware at all and very little silicon. I installed U chanel aluminium angle on the wall before tiling. The tiles were then laid upto the U channel and the glass then slid into the channel with silicon. This gives a seamless look! Cutting Edge Kitchens and Cabinet Making http://cuttingedgekitchens.net.au http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cutting-Edge-Kitchens/290484196676 Mobile : 0419 430 575 PH: 9452 4772 Fax :9452 4772 cuttingedgekitchens@outlook.com Re: Shower screen question 4May 06, 2013 8:43 pm CuttingEdgeKitchens My frameless screens dont have any hardware at all and very little silicon. I installed U chanel aluminium angle on the wall before tiling. The tiles were then laid upto the U channel and the glass then slid into the channel with silicon. This gives a seamless look! i did it slightly different to get my seamless look. I left a 16mm beaded channel in the ceiling and ran the floor to ceiling glass panel through this into a 50mm ceiling cavity and only then had to silicon side and floor joints, the ceiling joint is finished flush with the plaster ceiling with paint-able silicon.. Re: Shower screen question 5May 07, 2013 10:23 am Thanks for the replies guys - I really appreciate it. Still trying to get my head around the technical methods you describe but I think I "kind of" get it - and can ask our bathroom guy (I just wanted to start picking out pieces). Bottom line is that it sounds like I can possibly avoid some rubber seals etc. i am off to check out a showroom now in fact (after I post one other quick question which would be great if you could check out/respond if possible...) HHCIB Re: Shower screen question 6May 07, 2013 1:48 pm Having just returned from visiting a couple of bathroom showrooms, I have seen exactly what I want... But not sure how practical it will be????? It was totally frameless. One panel was a plain fixed screen, the other was the door with a smaller fixed panel (is this the 'infill' you refer to marmalade?). There was a small gap between the two right-angled panels (where the door opens and closes) and another gap where the door hinges to the smaller fixed panel (no overlap, as such). So two potential leak areas. If I make sure the shower head is not on the wall that points directly at these two gaps, but on the side wall - will this make much difference? Or am i going to end up with two puddles of water outside the shower, after every shower? I guess for me, it's going to come down to the lesser of two evils- either some escaped water or rubber seals?? Oh if only I could fit in a walk in shower with one panel!! Oh, and just to clarify, i am not so worried about silicon where the panels join the wall or floor (and having re-read the posts, I do understand the concepts now ), it is more about the rubber seals and metal frames that I am trying to avoid. HHCIB Your shower screen has failed in the way it is designed to fail with tempered glass. You could replace it with laminated safety glass but make sure it has AS standards logo on it 1 11171 You have no photo with your post. Best I can say is to remove an A&L flyscreen don't be afraid to distort the frame almost like a trapezium. It doesn't take a lot of… 1 7071 2 4496 |