Enclosures & Doors

Shower Enclosures Buying Guide

If you’re simply looking for a new shower screen or a complete shower cabin, our range of high-quality glass shower panels come in a variety of finishes and styles to suit your budget and preference.

What you will need to know is which type of shower you’ll need to install, which will depend on the available space and accessibility needs. Here, we’ll explain the different types of glass shower enclosures, so you can decide which one is right for you.

Types of Shower Enclosures

Quadrant Shower Enclosures

A quadrant enclosure is one of the most commonly found shower cubicles in the UK, as they are a great space-saving option. UK homes tend to have smaller bathrooms, meaning fittings need to be installed economically to conserve as much floor space as possible. A quadrant shower enclosure fits in the corner of the bathroom to allow other bathroom features to be included.

If space is not so much of an issue, and you’d prefer to have a large cubicle, we also offer offset quadrant shower enclosures, which have one side longer than the other.

Pivot Shower Doors

Pivot doors are similar to a hinged door that it will either open out towards you, the difference being that the glass is secured at the top and bottom of the shower frame rather than at the side. Having a pivot shower door is advantageous when you don’t have much clearance space to open the door, as part of the screen will rotate into the shower when it is opened.

Walk-In Shower Screens

If you are installing a wet room, we also offer beautiful glass walk-in shower screens to help stop excess water from entering the bathroom. Walk-in shower enclosures are a statement bathroom piece, as they use a glass screen to create an open plan and fluid showering experience.

Bi-Fold Shower Doors

Where you don’t have a corner shower and still want to save space, a folding shower door will not open out into the bathroom. We have a range of different sizes to match your shower tray, including 700mm, 800mm, 900mm and 1000mm.

Hinged Shower Doors

Like a standard door mechanism, a hinged shower door is fixed to the wall or a frame and the full door swings outward to open. Although this option isn’t the most suitable choice for a space-saving screen, shower doors on hinges can create a more seamless bathroom design as you can create a frameless shower enclosure.

Corner Shower Enclosures

A corner shower enclosure fits into the corner of the room to help you save space, similar to a quadrant enclosure. The difference being that corner shower uses straight glass screens instead of curved panels. The choice between a corner or quadrant shower often comes down to personal preference.

Sliding Shower Doors

Sliding shower doors are used on many of the enclosures we stock at Tap ‘n Shower, as they are a great space-saving solution. Sliding doors do not open out into the room, creating space to add vanity units, bathroom tallboy cabinets and other larger fittings.

Infold Shower Doors

An infold shower door is a clever solution for smaller bathrooms. The door swings into the shower tray and closes behind you so that it doesn’t restrict the space inside the cubicle. An infold door can be used in a recessed or a corner shower.

Shower Side Panels

A shower side panel will help to keep water inside your enclosure or walk-in shower. There are a huge variety of finishes, styles and materials to choose from, so you can match the aesthetic of your bathroom. At Tap ‘n Shower, all of our tempered glass shower wall panels and side panels are available in different sizes and thicknesses to fit our range of shower trays.

Glass Shower Door Thickness

Shower panels and doors come in various thicknesses and are designed to be safe in the event of an accident. Tempered glass, which is manufactured to the British Standard Class A, is required to be used in shower enclosures. This means that the shower screen is designed to take heavy impact, and in the event it does shatter, it will crumble into tiny pieces rather than into the more dangerous sharp shards.

Glass shower screens are typically between 3mm - 10mm thick, with the thicker glass panels being a more luxury choice. Here is a breakdown of the standard sizes:

4mm Panels

Glass shower panels that are 4mm thick is a standard size used for a more budget-friendly enclosure.

6mm Panels

6mm is also a standard thickness for shower doors and panels, but creates are more durable and higher quality feel. This thickness would be ideal for a family bathroom.

8mm Panels

Panels that are 8mm and above are the highest quality glass screens and also come in at the highest prices. Because these doors are much heavier, it is important to also use sturdier frames, hinges and mounts to accommodate the weight.