Shower Door Installation
Standard and bespoke shower doors professionally fitted between two finished walls or across a prepared shower aperture. Send the opening, proposed door and bathroom layout before ordering so the handing, adjustment, clearance and fixing conditions can be checked first.
A Shower Door Between Two Walls or Across a Prepared Aperture
This service is for the moving shower door itself. The surrounding walls, tray or wet-room floor and finished opening should already create the aperture into which the door will be installed.
Customer-supplied door
Send the exact product, finished opening and bathroom photographs. SSI can check the likely fit and install a suitable complete product.
Manufactured door supplied and fitted
A framed or semi-frameless door can be recommended and supplied where its adjustment range, opening method and finish suit the room.
Bespoke glass door
A made-for-purpose hinged or sliding door can be digitally measured, specified, manufactured and installed for the finished opening.
What belongs on a different service page?
A bespoke door combined with a fixed inline panel belongs primarily within the bespoke shower-screen service. A manufactured door with a side panel forming a corner enclosure is better covered by premium branded screens and enclosures.
Hinged, Pivot, Sliding or Bi-Fold Shower Door?
The best door is not decided by appearance alone. The entrance, controls, sanitaryware, towel radiators and usable space on both sides of the opening all affect the right mechanism.
Hinged door
Provides a wide, simple opening. Manufactured and bespoke versions are available, but the full swing must clear the shower and bathroom fittings.
Pivot door
Part of the panel moves inward and part outward, reducing the external swing. Common in engineered framed systems and assessed as a complete product.
Sliding door
Useful where a swinging door would strike sanitaryware. Sliding systems need accurate track, roller, overlap and closing alignment.
Bi-fold or infold door
Folds towards the shower to conserve bathroom space. Correct frame level, panel alignment and seal contact are essential for reliable operation.
Bespoke frameless hinged door
Individually measured glass with selected hinges, handle, seals and threshold. Wall-to-glass hinges are normally the preferred starting route.
Bespoke sliding door
A specialist made-to-measure route where the aperture needs individual sizing but the room does not provide suitable swing clearance.
A Correctly Sized Door Can Still Be Wrong-Handed
Wrong-handed doors are probably the most common ordering mistake SSI encounters. The product may sit within the opening perfectly but remain impractical or unusable because it opens towards the controls, basin, toilet, towel radiator or bathroom door.
Do not assume “reversible”
Some doors are genuinely reversible. Others use handed hinges, profiles, handles, magnets or roller arrangements. Check the exact manufacturer drawing and model—not a similar photograph or product title.
Send the whole bathroom
A close photograph of the aperture is not enough. A wider image reveals the sanitaryware, controls, radiator, furniture and room door that may interfere with the shower-door movement.
Tray Size Is Not the Same as Shower-Door Size
Tiles, wall profiles, plaster, tanking build-up and out-of-plumb walls can reduce or alter the finished aperture. The relevant dimensions are taken after the important finished surfaces are complete.
For manufactured doors
Measure the width at the bottom, middle and top, then compare every measurement with the manufacturer’s published adjustment range. A door that falls outside that range should not be forced to fit.
Installing outside specification can compromise operation, seal contact, frame drainage and the manufacturer’s warranty. SSI will recommend a different size, product or bespoke route where required.
Plumb walls produce the best-operating shower doors
Bespoke glass can sometimes accommodate an out-of-plumb wall, but it is not ideal practice. Uneven walls can create changing seal gaps, difficult threshold contact and a door that moves when released. Where possible, correct the aperture before the glass is measured.
The Door Must Open Safely on Both Sides of the Aperture
In a suitable aperture, hinges that allow inward and outward movement can make entry, cleaning and water control easier. From a safety perspective, SSI aims to retain an outward-opening route wherever the design permits.
Common inward conflicts
- Shower controls and valves
- Handsets and hoses
- Grab rails or shower seats
- Internal shelves and accessories
Common outward conflicts
- Basins and toilets
- Towel radiators
- Bathroom furniture
- The bathroom entrance door
Approximately 600mm
Around 600mm is a practical minimum clear entrance for ordinary use. This is the usable opening—not simply the product’s advertised width.
Approximately 750mm
Around 750mm feels comfortably usable and is similar to the width of a standard bath. Individual mobility requirements should be assessed separately.
Wall Structure, Hinges and Glass Weight Matter
A frameless shower door repeatedly loads its hinges and fixings every time it opens. The structure behind the tile must be dependable enough for the selected glass, width and hardware.
Preferred fixing conditions
- Masonry capable of accepting the selected fixings
- Timber reinforcement positioned behind the hinge area
- Suitable structural tile-backer board and approved fixings
- A confirmed fixing zone designed for the shower door
A tiled surface may suggest a solid installation, but the tile itself does not confirm what is behind it. Where the fixing structure cannot be established, SSI may advise investigation, a lighter door, a framed system, a supporting fixed panel or a different design.
Preferred bespoke hinge route
Wall-to-glass hinges are normally the first choice for an aperture door where the wall structure is known. Glass-to-glass hinges can be used where a separate bespoke arrangement includes a suitable fixed supporting panel.
Frameless pivot hinges are not normally the first choice unless combined with an appropriate kerb, threshold or engineered pivot system.
| Door consideration | Practical SSI position |
|---|---|
| Manufactured framed glass | Engineered 6mm systems are acceptable when installed to the product specification. |
| Bespoke glass thickness | Normally 8mm or 10mm. A lighter 8mm door places less stress on hinges and fixings. |
| Useful bespoke width | Approximately 600–1000mm, subject to height, glass weight, structure and hinge capacity. |
| Preferred moving width with inline glass | Around 700mm where practical; the full configuration belongs within the bespoke service. |
| Typical bespoke height | Approximately 1950–2000mm, with reduced heights available where the room requires them. |
| Hinge quantity | Follow hardware tolerances. Many doors up to about 750mm use two suitable hinges; larger specialist hinges may support wider doors. |
Moving Glass Should Be Designed as a Complete System
Glass thickness, width, height, hinge capacity, handle position, seals, threshold and wall structure are interdependent. Increasing the glass thickness does not automatically improve the door if the extra weight creates unnecessary stress on the hinges and fixing surface.
Bespoke doors can be made lower where required and can often swing inward and outward within a suitable aperture. The final design should preserve safe outward access while avoiding the controls and bathroom fittings.
Will a Frameless Shower Door Be Watertight?
A correctly designed shower door can provide good practical containment, but a moving frameless door should not automatically be described as fully watertight. It needs working clearances around hinges, seals and the floor.
Preferred water-control components
- Clear bottom sweep seal
- Threshold or water bar
- Bubble seal where a standard closing seal is suitable
- Directional seal where water needs redirecting
- Accurate threshold contact across the door width
Conditions beyond the door itself
- Shower-head direction and pressure
- Tray level and floor falls
- Position of the user
- Correct closing position
- Drainage and waste performance
Do Not Aim the Shower Head at the Hinges
The hinge side contains deliberate movement gaps. Directing a powerful shower towards those gaps is one of the most probable causes of water escaping around an otherwise correctly installed door.
Why does an outward-opening door drip onto the floor?
Water remaining on the inside face can travel over the threshold when the wet door opens outwards. This is not necessarily an installation failure. Pause briefly to let the water run down and use a suitable bath mat outside the opening to reduce the risk of slipping.
Customer-Supplied, Standard Supply or Fully Bespoke
SSI can become involved after a door has been purchased, before a product is selected or from the first measurements of a bespoke aperture.
Door already purchased
The exact model, instructions, components, dimensions, handing, opening and access are checked before installation begins.
Help choosing a manufactured door
SSI is manufacturer-neutral and can recommend and supply a suitable door according to the aperture, mechanism, finish and available adjustment.
Bespoke shower door
Digital measurement, hardware selection, manufacturing information and professional installation for an individually made door.
View the bespoke process →Customer-supplied product checks
- Exact manufacturer, model and product link
- Published adjustment and intended handing
- All profiles, hinges, rollers, seals and fixings present
- Glass and frame undamaged
- Finished opening, wall condition and access suitable
If the supplied door is unsuitable
Work pauses before unnecessary holes are drilled. The issue is explained and the practical options are discussed. A return attendance may be chargeable where a replacement product or missing component must be obtained.
Typical Fitting Times and Bespoke Door Costs
Times vary with product complexity, wall and tile condition, access, adjustment, missing components and the size or weight of the glass.
| Door type | Typical installation time |
|---|---|
| Manufactured framed hinged or pivot door | Approximately 1–2 hours |
| Manufactured sliding door | Allow approximately 2 hours |
| Manufactured bi-fold or infold door | Allow approximately 2 hours |
| Bespoke glass door | Approximately 2–4 hours |
Manufactured-door pricing
Product prices are commonly available online. Installation is priced after reviewing the exact door, aperture, wall and tile conditions, access and postcode.
Bespoke doors from approximately £450 installed
A straightforward bespoke aperture door commonly ranges from around £450 to £900 installed, depending on size, glass thickness and component configuration. Complex supporting panels or unusual conditions are assessed separately.
Guide figures assume the finished opening and fixing surfaces are ready and suitable. Final pricing follows the agreed product or bespoke specification.
How the Shower Door Installation Process Works
Send the opening
Provide wide photographs, finished dimensions, product details and postcode.
Check the route
Handing, swing, adjustment, wall condition and installation route are reviewed.
Measure or confirm
A manufactured product is confirmed or the finished aperture is digitally measured for bespoke glass.
Install and align
Two installers handle, position, fix, adjust and seal the agreed door system.
Demonstrate and sign off
Operation, seals, condition, cure guidance and aftercare are reviewed with the customer.
When can the shower be used?
A bespoke moving door may be usable immediately where no silicone-bonded threshold, channel or fixed component has been installed. Manufactured doors often require silicone around profiles or tracks; where silicone is used, follow the product or sealant manufacturer’s stated cure period.
Door Operation and Condition Are Confirmed at Handover
A shower door is a moving glass component. The handover confirms that it operates as intended and gives the customer the opportunity to inspect the glass, frame and hardware before the installation is signed off.
Why Shower Doors Fail to Fit or Operate Properly
Most expensive door problems begin before installation—with the wrong product, an unsuitable opening or an unconfirmed fixing condition.
Wrong handing
Probably the most common ordering error and often discovered only when the door is offered to the aperture.
Tray not level
Changes the bottom gap, seal pressure and door alignment across the opening.
Unsuitable hinge fixing
A heavy moving door cannot rely on tile alone or an uncertain substrate.
Door drop
Hinge movement or poor support can cause seals to stop meeting and the glass to catch.
Outside adjustment range
A manufactured frame cannot be forced beyond the limits for which it was designed.
Obstructed swing
The door fits the recess but strikes controls, sanitaryware or the room door.
Water aimed at hinges
Direct spray pressure can push water through the necessary movement gaps.
Missing components
Absent seals, magnets, rollers, fixings or profiles can stop a supplied product being completed.
When the Project Is More Than a Door Across an Aperture
Shower Door Installation Across Wiltshire and Surrounding Areas
SSI normally works within approximately one hour of Corsham. Wider travel may be considered for suitable bespoke doors, specialist sliding systems or several glass installations at one property.
See the Areas Covered page for the main regional service locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Practical answers about door types, measurements, handing, access, hinges, water containment, installation and bespoke glass.
What does shower door only mean?
It means a moving door fitted between two finished walls or across a prepared shower aperture. A door combined with fixed inline glass is normally treated as a wider bespoke configuration, while a door and side panel forming a corner enclosure belongs within the branded enclosure service.
Can SSI install a shower door I have already purchased?
Yes, subject to checking the exact product, finished dimensions, handing, adjustment range, components, wall condition and bathroom clearances. Send the product link, photographs, measurements and postcode before booking.
Can SSI supply the shower door as well as install it?
Yes. SSI can recommend and supply a suitable manufactured door or manage an individually measured bespoke door. The choice is based on the opening, mechanism, finish, access and required level of water containment.
Which shower-door manufacturers do you install?
SSI is manufacturer-neutral and installs suitable products from established brands including MERLYN, Matki, Crosswater, Kudos, Lakes, Coram and others. The best product is the one whose dimensions, adjustment and mechanism suit the room.
How do I know whether I need a left- or right-handed shower door?
Check the hinge side, handle side, inward and outward swing, controls and bathroom obstacles against the exact manufacturer drawing. Wrong handing is probably the most common shower-door ordering error, and not every product is reversible.
What measurements are needed for a shower door?
Measure the finished width at the bottom, middle and top, plus the available height. Also check wall plumb, tray or floor level and the intended door swing. Manufactured doors must remain inside their published adjustment range.
What is a comfortable shower-door entrance width?
Around 600mm is a practical minimum for ordinary use, while approximately 750mm feels comfortably usable. The clear entrance can be smaller than the advertised product width because of profiles, pivots, overlaps or folding panels.
Should a shower door open inward or outward?
Where the hardware and aperture permit, inward and outward movement is useful. SSI aims to preserve an outward-opening route for safety, while checking that the door avoids controls inside and sanitaryware or radiators outside.
Is 6mm glass suitable for a shower door?
Yes, in a properly engineered manufactured framed system designed for 6mm glass. Bespoke frameless doors are normally 8mm or 10mm. Glass thickness should be considered with the hinges, frame, dimensions and fixing structure.
How wide can a bespoke shower door be?
Bespoke aperture doors commonly work from approximately 600mm to 1000mm, subject to height, glass thickness, hinge capacity and wall structure. Where fixed inline glass is included, a moving door closer to 700mm is often preferable.
Can a shower door be fitted to an out-of-plumb wall?
Some bespoke doors can account for an out-of-plumb surface, but plumb walls produce the best operation and seal alignment. A manufactured door must stay within its stated adjustment tolerance; it should not be forced beyond it.
Will a frameless shower door be completely watertight?
It can provide good practical containment but should not automatically be described as fully watertight. Hinges and moving edges require gaps. Seals, a bottom sweep, threshold, shower direction and floor level all affect performance.
Why does water escape around shower-door hinges?
The hinge side contains necessary movement gaps. A shower head aimed directly at those gaps is one of the most common causes of water escape. Repositioning or redirecting the shower may be more effective than adding excessive sealant.
How long does shower-door installation take?
A straightforward framed hinged or pivot door usually takes one to two hours. Manufactured sliding and bi-fold doors commonly take about two hours, while a bespoke door normally takes approximately two to four hours.
When can I use the shower after the door is installed?
A bespoke moving door may be usable immediately where no silicone-bonded component has been installed. Manufactured profiles and tracks may require silicone; in that case follow the product or sealant manufacturer’s cure period.
How much does a bespoke shower door cost?
A straightforward bespoke door across a prepared aperture typically starts from around £450 installed and may reach approximately £900 depending on size, glass thickness, hardware and installation conditions. Complex panels are separate.
Send the Opening, Door and Bathroom Layout
Include a wide bathroom photograph, width at the top, middle and bottom, available height, preferred hinge side, proposed product link and postcode. SSI can then advise on the likely fit, handing and installation route.
