When it comes to creating an upscale, luxurious look for your bathroom, few features will have a greater impact than your shower or tub enclosure. Not only do these spaces play a significant role in your bathroom’s visual appeal, but they also need to be highly functional so you can take care of your normal bathing routine without any complications or inconveniences.

With a DreamLine shower enclosure, you will enjoy the perfect blend of style and functionality. Here is a closer look at which factors you should consider when upgrading your existing bathroom layout, as well as the many high-quality options available from this manufacturer that will help you transform your space.

Should You Choose a Tub or Shower?

Whether you are adding a new bathroom to the house or renovating a pre-existing bathroom, one of the most important things to consider is whether you should select a shower-only setup or a shower/tub combo. Of course, you also can’t forget about a third option: to have separate shower and tub enclosures in the same bathroom.

There are several factors to take into consideration when determining which setup will work best for you and your family.

• Available Space: Naturally, the first factor you should consider is how much floorspace is available in your bathroom. This should account for both the total square footage and the layout of the space. According to The Spruce, the average bathtub takes up about 15 square feet, while a walk-in shower will only take up 12 square feet. When you consider that most bathrooms are only about 40 square feet, even a relatively small difference in size can make a significant difference for how big the room feels. This can make a walk-in shower especially beneficial for bathrooms that have an unusual layout, where a slightly larger bathtub would create a “cramped” feeling. Of course, if you are working with a larger bathroom space, this likely will not be as much of a concern.

• Water Usage: We live in a time when the way we consume water, electricity, and other energy resources is increasingly scrutinized. Data from Water Footprint Calculator reveals that the average bath can use up to 50 gallons of water. On the other hand, homeowners who install a low-flow showerhead only use 25 gallons of water per 10 minute shower. For many, this makes either a walk-in shower or a combination shower/tub a preferable choice. Not only will this help decrease your monthly water bills, but it will also make your home more desirable for environmentally-conscious buyers should you decide to sell your home in the future.

• Lifestyle: How you plan to use the bathroom — both now and in the years to come — should play a significant role in the type of upgrade you choose. While bathtubs are great for athletes who want to relax after a tough workout or for parents who will be bathing young children, tubs can present a significant slipping hazard for the elderly or those with an injury that limits their mobility. While walk-in showers aren’t ideally suited for bathing children, they can easily be equipped with benches, grab bars, and even non-slip tiles to ensure safe conditions for those who might otherwise be in danger of a slip and fall accident. When planning your upgrade, consider how you and your family plan to use the home in the coming years. Is this more of a starter home where you plan to raise your kids? Or is this the place where you plan to stay throughout your retirement years? Anticipating current and future needs will help you make the right choice.

• Cost: A final important factor to take into consideration is the cost of installing a tub or shower. When doing a full-scale bathroom remodel, building a walk-in shower can cost almost twice as much as installing a tub or a shower/tub combo. This can make upgrading to a walk-in shower a bit too pricey for some homeowners. However, if you are simply looking to improve a pre-existing space without overhauling the layout or design, both shower and tub upgrades are relatively affordable and can still have a big impact on your home’s resale value.

Generally speaking, while walk-in showers are considered more upscale and energy efficient, home remodelers recommend that families have at least one bathtub or tub/shower combo in the home, particularly if they have young children. Even if the bathtub features won’t be needed very often, having the versatility available for when your family needs a tub will be a much-needed convenience.

Why Glass Doors?

Determining whether you want a walk-in shower or a tub/shower combo is far from the only step in creating the right look for your newly upgraded bathroom. To create a truly luxurious look, DreamLine offers a wide range of glass tub doors, shower doors, and shower enclosures that allow you to avoid the standard metal rod and shower curtain look.

Upgrading to a glass shower door does more than simply enhance your bathroom’s look. Standard shower curtains require continual maintenance to prevent mold and mildew growth. Even forgetting to straighten the curtains after getting out of the shower could lead to mildew buildup, which can aggravate allergy symptoms and contribute to other respiratory issues. 

On shower/tub combinations, another frequent problem is that the shower curtain will be left outside the bathtub after a bath. Then, when someone goes to take a shower, water will be able to drip onto the floor, making a big mess and potentially damaging bathroom items.

Many shower curtains also contain dangerous chemicals such as polyvinyl chloride, which can contribute to headaches, breathing trouble, and even kidney damage when they release toxins into the air.

Needless to say, a glass shower enclosure — or even glass tub doors — will help you avoid many of these problems. Glass shower doors require little maintenance, as the tempered surfaces can be easily cleaned with a standard glass cleaner or a sponge with soapy water. This can even be used to address scale buildup or hard water stains. 

Wiping down the glass surface with a squeegee after you shower makes it easy to prevent mildew growth, the pre-applied protective coating found in DreamLine products will also make the surface easier to maintain.

Thick, tempered glass offers the durability you expect as part of this major bathroom upgrade. You don’t have to worry about accidental bumps or other mishaps breaking the glass thanks to its long-lasting design.

While simplified maintenance is a key advantage of glass shower doors, what truly sets them apart is their distinctive style. Transparent glass creates a more open feeling that can help even the smallest of bathrooms seem more spacious and inviting. Clear glass allows light to travel freely throughout the room, making the most of both natural and artificial lighting sources. This creates a timeless, elegant look that will be sure to impress guests or potential homebuyers — a look that you’ll be able to enjoy on a daily basis.

DreamLine Door Options

No matter what type of shower installation you think will work best for your bathroom, there is a door or enclosure option available from DreamLine that will prove to be a perfect fit. Here is a closer look at the different styles you may wish to consider.

• Tub Doors: Tub doors are designed for shower/tub combination models. Both semi-frameless and fully frameless models are available to create a truly luxurious look for your bathroom. These glass doors are coated with ClearMax, DreamLine’s own unique water repellent coating that prevents stains and ensures easier maintenance of the door. Tub doors feature stainless steel top guide bars, as well as specially-designed large wheel assembly rollers that allow for smooth, easy opening of the sliding doors. Depending on the model you select, additional features include dual towel bars on each glass panel or reversible opening installations. Frameless hinged tub doors with a curved glass design are also available for those seeking a more distinctive look. These glass doors are perfect for those who wish to add a touch of luxury found in glass shower doors while still having the option to take a bath.

• Shower Doors: Frameless shower doors are ideally suited for a standard walk-in shower enclosure. As with DreamLine tub doors, ClearMax coating provides the ultimate in protection to reduce your maintenance needs. Top and bottom guiderails keep the shower doors properly aligned, while water guards on select models account for uneven walls and ensure that the shower doors create a watertight seal when in use. Several different shower door options are available to suit your usage preferences. Whether you want a door with dual towel bars to better utilize your current space or you need a more compact single panel swing door, there is an option for you. Both sliding and swing open doors offer a distinct, stylish appearance that matches the restrictions of your bathroom layout while also delivering on the watertight functionality you need.

• Shower Enclosures: When you need more than just a glass shower door, DreamLine offers elegant shower enclosures to match the layout of any bathroom. Prism Plus models create a net-angle enclosure with minimalist hardware and L-Bar support brackets that provide solid structural support without compromising the all-glass appearance of this three-sided enclosure. Quatra shower enclosures balance the glass door on pivot bars and hinges, while utilizing a full-length magnetic door latch for a superior watertight design. Enigma shower enclosures feature a similar two-sided “box” style as Quatra designs, but utilize a sliding glass door. With so many size and framing options available for these stunning shower enclosures, it’s easy to find a model that will be ideally suited to your bathroom layout. Shower enclosures are generally best suited for larger bathrooms, but a wide range of sizes makes them a realistic option for smaller areas as well.

Additional Features

DreamLine has more to offer than just the shower doors themselves. After all, a key part of creating a stylish shower enclosure are the additional features that can further enhance its overall appearance and functionality. For new shower enclosures, a quality Shower Tray plays a crucial role in ensuring proper water drainage, while also helping to prevent splashes from causing leaks. 

DreamLine shower trays utilize a high-gloss acrylic with fiberglass reinforcement to prevent stains and reduce maintenance needs. A textured design also enhances safety by reducing the risk of slips when the surface is wet. Shower trays are available in several different colors with varied drain locations to better suit the overall appearance and design of your bathroom. All shower trays are cUPC certified, which means they meet public health and safety standards for the United States and Canada.

DreamLine also offers a series of luxurious shower columns to further enhance your shower experience. Options like the Rainfall Hydrotherapy Shower Panel utilize a large handheld shower head and adjustable body massage sprays to create a spa-like atmosphere. Toccoa Shower Panels have a cutting edge design that combines a rectangular overhead shower, a hand shower wand and two body jets to create a one of a kind look. Thermostatic mixers give you precise control over water temperature.

The modern design of these shower columns ensures that they will blend perfectly with other shower decor, such as shelving or mirrors. With both back to wall and corner installations available depending on the model you select, these upscale shower columns are sure to help you create a truly luxurious atmosphere.

Installing Your New Shower Door

DreamLine shower doors (and their accessories) are designed to stand the test of time — it’s why almost all DreamLine products come with a limited lifetime manufacturer warranty that covers material and workmanship defects. However, to ensure that everything goes smoothly with your bathroom upgrade, you must follow installation guidelines — perhaps most notably, the need for professional installation.

Selecting the right measurements for your shower door or enclosure is crucial. Though the top and bottom guardrails on most DreamLine shower doors can be trimmed by as much as four inches to adjust for width, the glass doors themselves have specific measurements that must be adhered to.

To ensure that you order the right size shower door, you must wait to take measurements until all other renovation work has been finished. Back walls and tile installations should be completed before you take measurements, as adding new tile would alter the dimensions of the shower space. 

For shower installations, you will also need to measure the threshold depth, as proper installation of a DreamLine door will require a depth of at least 2 and 3/4 inches. A shallow threshold depth will cause serious problems during the drilling that must be performed for the installation of the threshold. This is why many homeowners also purchase a DreamLine shower base for their new installation, as these adhere to the threshold height requirements.

Similar factors should also be considered for tub doors. DreamLine tub doors are only suited for straight bathtubs — a curved bathtub won’t have the right dimensions for the door installation. The tub itself must allow for drilling, as tub door components will be drilled into the edge of the tub. If your current tub does not allow for drilling, you will need to replace it if you wish to install a glass tub door.

Even with the rest of the bathroom remodeling work completed and the right tools in place, installing your new tub or shower door should be left to the professionals. Amateur work could cause damage to the shower doors or increase the risk of future glass breakage, while improper fitting could leave your bathroom vulnerable to leaks.

Most notably, however, DreamLine’s warranty policy specifically states that the warranty will be made void if the installation is performed by someone who is not a fully licensed and insured professional. 

You are most likely already hiring a professional remodeler to assist with other bathroom upgrades. Don’t leave one of the most complex features (and one that you will use on a daily basis) to chance. Let a professional do the work and you will save time and enjoy peace of mind knowing that you’re covered in the rare likelihood that something goes wrong.

The Right Pick

There’s a reason why bathroom remodeling projects tend to deliver a higher ROI than other home improvements — few parts of the house get more use on a daily basis. Regardless of whether you plan to age in place or hope to sell your home for a profit in a few years, upgrading your bathroom with DreamLine shower doors will go a long way in enhancing your bathroom’s overall appeal.

These glass shower enclosures won’t just help your room look more open and spacious; they will also help you make better use of your space and minimize maintenance and water cleanup. 

If you are planning a major bathroom upgrade, work with your contractor to determine which type of glass shower door installation would be best suited for your available space and your lifestyle. Once you make the switch to these gorgeous glass shower doors, you will wonder how you ever did without them.