Archive
Painted Glass Backsplash Designs
Recently, I posted a project to Facebook. It was a back painted glass backsplash job that I did over ten years ago… One of the people following the page sent me a message letting me know that I had dated the post 2008 instead of 2018. She thought that I had made a mistake in the date, since it was just being posted. I sent her a message back telling her the date was correct, and that I have been doing this type of work for over ten years. Painted glass backsplash was already popular on the East Coast a decade ago, even longer. Like most fashion trends, the ideas in New York eventually get picked up by people on the West Coast. At the time, no one was providing this product in our area, or had even heard much about it. When I began doing painted glass in 2008, I was sure we were about to have an explosion of projects in our area, and that this amazing and versatile product would be everywhere in no time. I was surprised that wasn’t the case.
I had a source for back painted glass from a company in Georgia – US Color Glass. Logistically, it was complicated to get the glass made and shipped out here to the Central Coast, but the folks at US Color Glass were very helpful, and we were able to get the job done for me. Today, I have other sources closer to home. That being said, I have continued to use US Color Glass on recent projects. The glass backsplash project that I did in Pebble Beach a few years ago was custom color matched and came from them. They do great work and are a pleasure to do business with. The cost and lead times are still comparable, so they are an option for me and my customers.
There are many standard colors of paint to choose from. The most popular are “Snow White” and “Sky Blue.” One of the many wonderful benefits of glass backsplash is that we can match any paint color. A customer can pick out the color they want from Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore (or any other manufacturer) and provide the paint ID number for matching. We have a variety of samples to check out here in our Santa Cruz showroom. If you supply some information about your backsplash project, I can provide you with a free ball-park estimate for a standard color. This is a great option instead of tile or granite and looks awesome! Give us a call or check out our website.
Showers Without Doors
One new trend in bathroom design is laying out the shower stall so that it doesn’t require a door. There are methods that allow setting up the shower so that the water is contained. The thinking behind this approach is that, if the water doesn’t spill out into the bathroom, there is no need for a shower door. Some may argue that this is a good way to achieve a more minimalist design and at the same time minimize costs. There is also the added benefit of the elimination of something that needs to be cleaned daily. You may be thinking that this is a crazy topic for a person who sells shower doors to write about! Do I want to prevent people from using shower doors? Absolutely not!
Shower doors and enclosures are more than just a way to block water from splashing out. Glass shower enclosures add beauty as well as function to a bathroom. There is no danger of them being eliminated from most bathrooms, at least, not any time soon. I do like the idea of people trying new things. I love innovation even more than I love shower doors, and that’s saying something! Whenever a person tells me that they are going in this direction (eliminating the shower door) I encourage them to try it rather than talking them out of it. The great thing about starting with no shower door is that you can always add one later, if needed. I do like to share my experiences with people when asked about trying this approach.
The main concern people have is whether the water will stay in the shower. That is certainly something to consider but is a little tricky to predict. There are a lot of different variables that will help to determine water containment. Only the actual use of the shower will tell for sure. Aside from the water proofing aspect of a shower enclosure, there is the climate control feature of the glass that people often fail to consider. The shower enclosure contains that heat and steam as well as the water. If you have ever used a shower without an enclosure of some type, this is the first thing you probably noticed. The flow of water and heat creates convection that produces a cool draft that comes in from the bottom of the shower and can be quite uncomfortable. Some people might like a cool breeze during a hot shower, but I personally don’t. If your bathroom is tiny, this is not likely to be an issue, though.
For me, it is not unusual to be asked to provide a door to a shower that was designed to be used without one. People often go with this design only to realize later that the door is more necessary then initially thought. Many times, there is just too much water getting out of the shower. There are several factors that come into play; the size of the shower area, the water pressure, the position of the shower head, if there is a handheld shower wand, how each family member uses the shower, etc. There is no way of predicting all these factors in advance. As mentioned before, if the bathroom is very small, the whole room will steam up and become warm. If the bathroom is large, it may make the shower experience less than optimal if you are missing a door. The good new is, I am here to help! If you decide later that you really do need a door, I can install one for you. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to try something new. Variety is the spice of life!
Pre-construction Consultation Service to Deal with Shower Issues
My favorite part of what I do is meeting people and helping them achieve their goals for their bathroom remodels. It’s a lot of fun! Normally I’m called out to meet with a contractor or a homeowner when the shower is ready for glass. We go into the bathroom and look at it together. At that point we can discuss what the client has in mind to finish the bathroom and what the various options are. Some people are not that picky about the details and leave it to me to make a lot of the decisions about how the shower enclosure will be done. Some people have very strong feelings about all the details and want something very specific. Both types of customers are a great fit for us.
Many times, we come across an issue where poor planning in the remodel limits the options that are available to the home owner. There are relatively small details in the tile work that can have a radical impact on the way your shower enclosure will work (or not work). The location of accent tiles, the slope of the tile at the curb (or the lack of slope), and even the corner details all have effects on the way the glass will fit. Even before the tile is set, the design of the bathroom and where the various furnishings are located makes a huge difference. Often the toilet and the shower head are on the same wall. This makes it easier for the plumbers to do their job. But saving the plumbers an hour of work and a few feet of pipe may result in decades of inconvenience because the toilet is always blocking your path in and out of the shower.
I offer my clients a pre-construction consultation service to deal with these issues. Instead of getting together at the end of the remodel, when it’s too late to change anything, we get together at the beginning. It allows me to provide information about what to expect and get them thinking about possibilities they might not otherwise have considered. We can come up with a configuration for the shower in advance. This allows the contractor to arrange things in a way that makes it work. We provide a rendition of what the shower enclosure will look like, and a full set of shop drawings. This also allows the customer to lock in the pricing for six months as opposed to the normal 30 days we provide with a quote. When they are ready for the installation, we have the information ready to go. If they decide to go with a different company, they still have the drawings from the consultation to “shop it around.” In any case, it’s a “win-win.”
Re: Advice on Shower
Hi,
My husband and I bought a small townhouse in the Shelter Lagoon complex in Santa Cruz. The previous owner installed a shower in the small half bath upstairs. There is a drain in the floor with no shower pan. A shower curtain hangs from the ceiling. We’re concerned about whether the current configuration will keep all water inside the bathroom, but we’re not sure there’s room for a glass enclosure. Is this a project your team could advise us on?
Esther Hill
Hi Esther,
Thanks for getting in touch. While I would love to be able to install a shower enclosure for you, I think you may be correct about not having enough room for one. The toilet is so close to the shower that a piece of glass in that location may be too close to allow comfortable use of the toilet. In addition, there is a building code that specifies how much clearance needs to be allowed between it and an adjacent wall.
Many bathrooms are being designed in such a way as not to require waterproofing. It’s a European design concept, and requires a bit of a mental adjustment for Americans. The idea is that water spilling out of the shower isn’t really a big deal, to put it simply. If the floor and walls are tiled, as is the case in your situation, a little water escaping the shower can’t really do any harm.
If you absolutely do want some glass in the room, a hinged panel in that location would allow it to swing into the shower area a bit, thus allowing some elbow room, and satisfying legal requirements.
I hope this is helpful,
Chris Phillips
Showcase Shower Door Company – CCL #957120
1970 17th Avenue #C – Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Phone: (831) 464-3899 – FAX: (831) 477-0760
How big is too big when it comes to the gaps…
Chris,
You provide great information in response to questions. I’m hoping you can help me with one I have. We just had a frameless shower installed. All walls are tile, the curb is solid granite. The glass is 1/2 inch with one panel fixed on top of a half wall and the other panel is notched and joins the panel on the wall (90 degree angle) and continues down to the granite curb. It’s a large space so we didn’t need any door. My question is about the notched panel. The tile is square edge but the notch is curved. The glass of the notch rests on the top of the half wall, but where the glass goes down the wall to the granite there is a gap of at least 1/4 inch that the installer filled with silicone. It seems too wide and way too much silicone to me. But I’m not the expert. Your thoughts?
Denise
Hi Denise,
Thanks for your question. How big is too big when it comes to the gaps in your frameless shower enclosure? I’m sure different people will give you different answers… In my opinion, 1/4” is borderline. Generally speaking, we aim to have 1/8” gaps between the glass and the tile. Where the hinge side of the door meets the wall a 1/4” gap is normal. You have the back plate of the hinge, which is 1/8” thick, and the additional 1/8” clearance there. The gap from glass to glass (where the strike side of the door meets the fixed panel at the vertical gap) is normally 3/16”.
It’s important to keep in mind the limitations of the fabricator and the installer. The standard tolerance for frameless shower glass is plus-or-minus 1/8”. This is the industry standard… Although an installer may aim to make all of the joints 3/16” or less, it is not always possible if the glass is not fabricated exactly to specifications. In your case, I would have to say the ¼” gap is acceptable. If it were 3/8” or more I would not be satisfied, but there is little that can be done to prevent what you are describing. After all, it is only 1/16” larger than the ideal.
I hope you find this helpful,
-Chris
Re: Shower Question – October 2017
Hi Chris,
I have a frameless shower door held by two wall hinges (hinges are on the shower head side). I re-caulked the tub (due to some leakage at this exact spot), and all is better, but not “well”. I notice when I open the door, the caulk is starting to get pulled out (it’s been about 3 months). I will redo the caulk job, but was wondering if there was a trick to caulking between the door and wall where the door opens?
I’m just afraid water will get by and run down the wall side of the tub (causing interior water damage, mold, or damage to the ceiling of the floor below).
Here are some pictures which should show a little of what I was talking about. You can see the corner, and then the caulk that is being pulled up by the gasket when you open the door. My fear is that the caulk gets pulled out and then water seeps in the space created by the caulk getting pulled out.
I appreciate any thoughts you might have…
Dave
Hi Dave,
Judging by the photos, I would say that the caulking is due to be replaced. I normally wouldn’t recommend a frameless shower enclosure to be installed within a few inches from drywall. Frameless shower enclosures are not designed to be completely water tight. If you aren’t experiencing leaking now, that is great. If the silicone does pull away, that could lead to water beginning to escape.
Again, it would probably be a good idea to re-caulk this enclosure. You can also use additional plastic edge seals if you prefer that to silicone. Sometimes using the right shape will deflect more water back into the shower, reducing the need for more caulking.
Hope this helps,
-Chris
I Love Shower Doors!
It’s something that I say all the time, and my friends always get a laugh out of it. But it’s true, I really do love what I do. There are so many new things to learn, so many new challenges. Even after being in business for well over a decade now, I am still enjoying the journey. I still have projects that challenge me, even worry me (a little.) It’s a good thing. The exhilaration of the challenge – wondering if I have bitten off more than I can chew this time… it’s a lot of fun.
I love customer service… Does that seem strange? I love the fact that my attention to clients needs exceeds that of my competition. I feel bad for potential customers when they tell me that they have received less than desirable results when contacting other shower door companies. But at the same time, I feel good that they did eventually find us. I know that we can give them the service that they deserve, and that makes me feel awesome!
Being in business isn’t for everyone. It requires a lot of effort and devotion, and if you don’t love what you do, it can be a bummer. On the other hand, there are a lot of opportunities to help people, and that makes it all worth while. Remodels are stressful for people, and the shower enclosure comes right at the end of everything. People are often at an emotional breaking point when we arrive, and what we do can really make-or-break the bathroom project. I try hard to put people at ease, and take some of the stress out of the process.
We have carved out a niche for ourselves by taking on jobs that other companies refuse to do, or claim can’t be done. We have never had to tell a customer that we tried, but just couldn’t accomplish what we set out to do. At least, not so far. It would be boring to have to do the same old thing every day… That is why we welcome the opportunity to do new, cutting edge projects. It keeps things interesting, for us and our clientele. It’s the “Showcase Experience” – Luxurious Everyday Living.
Silicone Free Shower Enclosure
From: Belinda Shaw
We are in the process of getting a quote for a frameless shower. I recently saw a post from your archives about not using silicone around the base of the glass to seal from water. “Frameless shower enclosers are not designed to be completely water -tight.” I am very interested not using silicone due to the mold that can occur after time. I am concerned that our contractor will not be cooperative in not using a sealer. He also likes to use the u-channel instead of the brackets to hold the glass in place. I like the look of brackets instead of the u-channel. Can you send me more information about not using the silicone to seal and any info on use of brackets over the u-channel? Thank you for your help in this matter.
Hi Belinda,
I’m glad you asked that question. The bottom line is that you have the final say whether your shower enclosure gets caulked or not. If you have come to terms with the fact that your shower may “leak” a little when you used it, you are a good candidate for a frameless shower enclosure. There are some advantages to using channel rather than glass clamps. One factor is that the channel will make the enclosure hold water a little better. Some people think that the channel gives the enclosure a cleaner look, as the clamps are a little bulky. It’s a matter of personal preference…
On the other hand, glass clamps are the preferred choice of designers and architects. Many people feel that this is the definitive look for a frameless shower enclosure. Again, you are the one who gets to decide. If you do go with the glass clamps, don’t try to fill in the gaps with clear silicone. It completely defeats the purpose of going frameless. You want the clean “glass only” look, with just a little hardware as needed. One thing we have been doing recently is using a dry silicone tubing to fill gaps where needed. If too much water is escaping, and the gaps between the glass and tile are large enough, you can use the silicone tubing instead. This just gets stuffed into the gaps, and looks really clean. If you ever want to replace it, you just pull it out an replace it. There is no cutting it out and scraping off the residue.
Good luck with your shower enclosure! I hope it goes well, and you end up with the shower that you really want.
Relationship Based Services
I recently received this comment / question from a reader:
Great services that you provided for installing a new shower door. But I have one question for you. Do you service for repairing purposes?
-Sharon Reams
Thanks for your question, Sharon. We have been blessed with many, many local customers. Although we do provide repair services, we only provide these services to existing customers. As a licensed California C-17 Glazing Contractor I am able to do any type of work that falls within my area of expertise. That includes commercial as well as residential glass projects. Windows, glass doors, storefronts, handrails, aluminum panels (and other architectural metals), mirrors, painted glass panels, restroom partitions, glass office dividers, and more.
Our decision to specialize in shower doors and enclosures has been a good one. It has allowed us to become very proficient in providing very high quality products, and to turn them around quickly. As a result, we have become the undisputed champions in shower enclosure design, manufacture, and installation in the Santa Cruz County area. We have customers with multiple homes in the area that we have been working with for many years. That is not to mention the many quality general contractors and home builders that we work with on a regular basis.
We are more interested in the relationship we have with our customers than the specific work that we do for them. Once we are doing business with a customer, we are available to do whatever is needed to meet all of their glass project needs. We are in this for the long haul, and building relationships with our customers has been the number one secret to our success so far. We offer an online frameless shower enclosure quote to anyone who is interested, free of charge. Just follow this link: http://showcaseshowerdoor.com/quote-request/
Installing Customer-Supplied Shower Enclosures
We get calls from people who have purchased shower enclosures online and are looking for qualified technicians to install them. In the past, we have made it our policy to avoid installing customer-supplied shower door kits. There are so many different types of enclosures made by various companies… We have found it to be a good idea to just avoid the pitfalls of getting involved with installing them. We have vendors who can supply any type of enclosure that we are not able to manufacture ourselves, so it has made sense to us to install only the doors and enclosures the we sell.
Recently, glass barn door style shower enclosures have become very popular. I first became familiar with these types of enclosures when Cardinal came out with the “Skyline” series enclosure. This was the first frameless sliding enclosure of that type (to the best of my knowledge). It wasn’t long before other manufacturers began to make similar products. It took a while, however, to find any that matched the quality of the Cardinal version.
Today, they are common, and are likely all being made at the same factory overseas… We have started to take orders to install enclosures for people who have purchased them elsewhere, having become so familiar with them. There are other, even more innovative frameless sliding shower enclosures that have come on the market. One such product is the “Essence” series enclosure from C. R. Laurence. It utilizes 1/2″ tempered glass, and has no cross bar at all. This enclosure has become my favorite sliding shower door to install. It’s AWESOME!
For more information, feel free to get in touch.
-Chris
Showcase Shower Door 