A Guide To Choosing the Right Shower Door Type & Size

Simplify Your Bathroom Upgrade

Upgrading your bathroom requires a hefty amount of decision-making. You’ll need to choose everything from the fixtures and tile to lighting and storage options. Amidst selecting stylish tile accents and wall styles, the shower door shouldn’t be overlooked.

Choosing between a traditional curtain or glass doors depends on your look preference and unique household needs. To make your decision easier, we’ve put together a shower door resource guide designed to help you weigh the pros and cons of each choice and find the right size doors for your new shower.

What Is the Standard Size for Shower Doors?

While bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes, the average U.S. primary bathroom is 75 – 100 square feet. Full bathrooms are smaller, measuring 40 – 60 square feet. Within these layouts, standard shower doors range from 22 – 36 inches wide, according to Houzz. Understanding these dimensions can help you plan your bathroom upgrade.

Many older homes feature space-saving tub-shower combos with a shower curtain or sliding glass door. This two-in-one design offers multi-purpose appeal and functionality. To increase the value of their home and give them a contemporary look, homeowners are refreshing their bathrooms with walk-in showers.

If you want a dramatic walk-in shower but space is limited, you can still make it happen. Walk-in showers come in a variety of sizes. Safe Step’s space-saving walk-in showers are designed to fit in the footprint of a traditional tub-shower combo.

Minimum Size Requirements for Shower Doors

When choosing the size of your shower door, it’s important to pick a width that will make entry and exit comfortable. No one wants to squeeze through a tight shower door. A door that’s too small may also pose safety challenges if balance or mobility are a concern. To ensure your shower complies with building codes, aim for a minimum clear egress width of 22 inches.

Maximum Size Requirements for Shower Doors

Single shower doors are usually capped at 36 inches wide to support the structure and allow for easy use.

Types of Shower Doors & Size Considerations

With these average shower door sizes in mind, it’s time to consider your design preferences and functional needs to choose the best type.

Sliding Glass Shower Doors

Sliding glass shower doors are a great solution for smaller bathrooms, because they don’t require extra room to swing open. These doors create a clean, modern look while still allowing natural light to flow through the bathroom. The wide opening allows for easy entry and exit. The overlapping door design also keeps water contained and prevents potential slipping hazards.

Sliding Glass Shower Doors Sizing

Safe Step’s sliding glass shower doors come in a range of sizes depending on the shower base you select:

• Door height: 72” – 76”
• Door width: 72” – 76”
• Door thickness: ⅜”

Pivot or Hinged Shower Doors

The minimalist design of pivot shower doors makes a lasting impression. They’re versatile and the lack of a bottom track makes them one of the easiest types of doors to clean.

Pivot Shower Doors Sizing

Safe Step’s hinged or pivot shower doors feature smooth, tempered glass and a frameless design. They are available in the following sizes:

• Door height: 72” – 76”
• Door width: 72” – 76”
• Door thickness: ⅜”

Curved Doors

A corner shower may be the best option for a non-traditional bathroom layout. A curved door gives the shower a contemporary appeal and provides extra elbow room inside the shower without increasing its size.

Fixed Panel Door

For a clean, polished look without hardware, a fixed panel door is an elegant choice. This stationary door keeps water contained, but it may limit entry space for people with mobility concerns. A design specialist will also need to ensure adequate splash control.

Traditional Curtain

Sometimes, a tried-and-true solution is the best choice. A traditional shower curtain is an affordable, flexible option that’s easy to install and replace whenever you want a new look. It also provides a wide, unobstructed entry opening and works well in bathrooms where you need maximum accessibility or don’t have the space for a swinging or sliding door.

Safe Step can match your shower rod and rings to your walk-in shower fixtures.

Measuring Your Shower Door Space

Measuring your shower door space is simple, but accuracy is key. A Safe Step design specialist has the training and tools to get exact dimensions. However, if you want to browse products and need rough measurements, here’s what you’ll need:

• Width: Use a tape measure to measure the width of your space at the top, middle and bottom, because walls are not always perfectly straight. Use the smallest measurement.
• Height: Gauge the height by measuring from the top of the shower base to the height you prefer. Most shower doors are not taller than 76 inches.
• Threshold space: You’ll need to measure your shower threshold’s depth and width to ensure door hinges can be installed securely.
• Door clearance: If you want a pivot or hinged door, it may need swinging clearance. Safe Step’s pivot doors are conveniently designed to open inward or outward, depending on your bathroom layout.

Choosing a Door Type & Size by Bathroom Layout

The type and size of door you choose will depend on the layout of your bathroom and the scope of the remodel you want to tackle. If you want a tub replacement, your door options will need to accommodate your existing space. But if you are doing a full-scale remodel, you’ll have more door choices.

Small Bathrooms

With the wrong shower door choice, a small bathroom can be cramped and create safety hazards for people with mobility limitations. A hinged door that opens inward or a sliding glass door gives you more room to maneuver.

Large Bathrooms

The sky is the limit with a large bathroom. The door you choose will depend primarily on your design style. A sliding glass door makes it easy to keep a towel handy, while a pivot door allows you easy push or pull entry and exit.

Unique Layouts

A bathroom with a unique layout often calls for creative design solutions to maximize unusual angles and tight corners. With thoughtful planning, these spaces can become some of the most functional and visually striking rooms in the home. For out-of-the-box bathroom layouts, curved doors or sliding doors may make the most sense.

Other Considerations for Choosing Your Shower Door

Layout and space play a major role in choosing the right shower door, but they aren’t the only factors to consider. Proper water containment helps prevent slip hazards, and the door’s design can impact how much maintenance is required.

Safe Step’s walk-in showers feature a quick-drain design to reduce water pooling and a grout-free, mold-resistant design for easier cleaning. We recommend using the shower wand to rinse all surfaces after use to help prevent buildup from soap scum, bacteria, minerals, and other residue. Once a week, clean the surfaces with a mild, non-abrasive, non-ammonia cleaner.

Choosing a door with a warranty for added assurance is also important. Safe Step’s walk-in showers come with a lifetime-limited warranty to provide peace of mind for as long as you live in your home.

Transform Your Bathroom With Safe Step

Did you know 72% of people who want to age in place plan to make a bathroom upgrade? Whether your bathroom is outdated and needs a new look or you want to add accessibility features to make it easier to navigate your daily routine, a bathroom renovation doesn’t need to be a hassle.

A Safe Step design specialist will come to your home for a free consultation to answer all your design questions. And our local team of professional installers can have your bathroom looking its best in as little as one day.

Get started today by scheduling a free consultation to turn your bathroom into a showpiece.