The traditional curtain made of water-repellent material for enclosing the shower area no longer meets consumer requirements: it is not aesthetically pleasing or durable enough.
It was replaced by opening or sliding curtains made of glass or plastic. A shower screen is an important element of bathroom zoning. It will not only separate the bathing area, but also protect furniture, floors and walls from water and splashes.
A functional and beautiful bath screen, assembled with your own hands from simple materials, can become a source of personal pride and decoration for a bathroom or shower room.
Curtains have a richer assortment
Bathroom curtains are made from inexpensive PVC or water-repellent polyester. Unlike glass structures, curtains can have any pattern, color and degree of transparency. This makes it possible to add variety to the interior design: if you get tired of the look of the bathroom, changing the curtain will not be difficult.
Advantages and disadvantages
Glass bath curtains have a number of undeniable advantages:
- the interior looks more sophisticated and will look organic with any interior style;
- ease of care and washing;
- Fungus rarely forms, and this is important for a damp room;
- glass is convenient to use as a curtain; there are no streaks;
- You can order any size and shape to order.
- use of impact-resistant glass.
- Possibility of painting with special paints.
- have hygienic properties.
- Durability up to 15 years of use and wear resistance are especially appreciated.
- They always look perfect in appearance, while requiring a minimum of care.
- possibility of applying different textures.
- relatively inexpensive price.
- If you periodically treat the surface with a special composition, there is a minimal chance of the appearance of parasitic microorganisms.
- the safety of modern glass for the bathroom, if it breaks, there will be no small fragments, there will only be large pieces of thick glass.
- Strength is guaranteed by hardening at 600 degrees during production.
- a screen can divide a small bathroom into zones.
Glass curtains for the bathroom have almost all the advantages, the only disadvantage is that mold may appear in the place where the walls are sealed to the tray, along the seam of the main structure. When glass partitions are used in everyday life, lime deposits may appear on their surface; they are visible after drying, and this is due to poor-quality water from the tap water. If you thoroughly wipe the cabin after each shower, you can reduce such contamination to a minimum. The high cost of some types of glass and its finishing is one of the significant repulsive factors for buyers, so they replace the partition with pop polycarbonate plastic.
The curtain is cheaper
Finding a fabric product to your liking will not be difficult: any construction hypermarket or home goods store offers them.
Creative individuals can order a curtain on online services using the individual printing function, and even this exclusive option will be much cheaper than purchasing, delivering and installing a glass partition.
DIY installation
It is worth noting that a glass partition is installed labor-intensively and by at least several people. The general installation principle is standard; only the mounting locations of the structure may differ; some are attached to two walls, and some to one.
The main stages of assembling the structure:
- materials are delivered to the assembly site separately, since working with glass is very difficult and requires skill and skill. If an accordion screen is installed, it comes disassembled and is assembled on site. Despite the strength of the material, glass requires careful handling. Depending on the partition model, manufacturers include installation instructions with the product. Initially, the structure itself is installed, to which the glass will later be attached;
- It is important to correctly mark the mounting points; it all depends on the size and shape of the bathtub, as well as on the type of partition. The screen model is attached in two places, which are marked with a marker and drilled;
You need to make holes in the wall for mounting
- After the holes are drilled, begin the installation itself. The fastening lines must be treated with sealant in advance; this must be done at this stage. Having installed the glass and secured it with fasteners, you need to leave the partition for two hours for the sealant to dry completely;
An aluminum profile is attached to the prepared holes
Sealing seams with sealant
- the work is completed if it is a glass partition in the form of a screen, but other models will require the installation of sashes as the final stage of installation.
The glass sheet is simply inserted into the installed profile
The screen does not hide space
Transparent glass structures allow light to pass through, making the bathroom visually lighter and airier. They are suitable for interiors where no frills are required, and seem to dissolve in space, becoming almost invisible in the right lighting.
This is especially appreciated in small bathrooms in Khrushchev-era buildings, as well as in bathrooms up to 3 sq. m.
Design of glass curtains in the interior
Transparent
Designers like to use transparent partitions in minimalist interiors or small bathrooms. In small spaces, clear glass is almost invisible, making it appear as if it is not there. This makes the room visually seem larger.
Photo by ReRooms
Matte
Matte partitions are often used in combined bathrooms. Due to the fact that the material is opaque, you will not be visible behind it. Of course, it won’t hide you completely, but being in the shower will become much more comfortable.
Photo by ReRooms
Glass partition is more modern
Glass screens are not yet as common as curtains, so they look more original and elegant. There are interiors where a fabric curtain does not fit into the chosen style - this applies to luxury bathrooms with luxury renovations: in this case, a glass partition becomes a more appropriate solution.
Varieties of design
Protective screens for showers and bathtubs are divided into frameless, framed and combined.
Depending on the method of connecting the panels to each other, partitions are:
- Stationary. Such curtains are fixed motionless and protect only that part of the bathtub where the shower stand is installed.
- Foldable. They consist of narrow sections that fold like an accordion. A convenient option for a corner or curved bathtub.
- Swing. The design is similar to doors; they consist of 1-2 leaves suspended on hinges. An inconvenient option for cramped bathrooms - it requires a lot of space to open freely.
- Sliding. The blades move along the guides, opening or closing the opening. For better sliding, roller systems are used. Versatile and compact option. Suitable for limited space.
Frame screens
This design involves the presence of a framing profile made of aluminum or plastic. For panels, 4 mm glass or plastic is used. Such protective screens can consist of one or several sections.
Some of the panels can be fixed motionless, making them a stationary partition, while the remaining ones will fold or move on rollers along the guides.
Frame screens are durable and reliable. They are sealed and well protect surrounding objects from splashes and streams of water. Rigid construction is the safest solution for families with small children.
The main disadvantage of a screen on a frame is its massiveness. It can only be installed in a spacious room: in a cramped space, such a design will look too bulky, visually reducing the space, which is already small.
Using frame technology, you can also make sliding screens that hide pipes and connections. An original screen for the bathtub, made with your own hands from the same materials as the shower curtain, will stylistically support the design of the bathroom. In addition to aesthetics, such a screen also performs a practical function, for example, it adds stability to an acrylic bathtub.
Frameless structures
They are most often made of thick tempered glass (6-8 mm). Sections can be installed permanently, moved away or folded. Fixed load-bearing elements are made from thicker canvases, movable ones from light and thin ones.
The absence of a frame makes such structures smaller in size and visually light. They look great in small spaces. Folding screens are especially convenient: they are easily assembled like an accordion against the wall and do not clutter up the approach to the bathroom.
The main disadvantage of this design is poor tightness: water easily seeps into the cracks between the panels. But if you use the shower carefully and do not turn on high pressure, this will not create problems.
Combined
Such screens combine the design features of the first 2 options. For example, the stationary part is framed by a profile, and the movable part is a glass or plastic panel with hinges or hinges.
Photos of homemade bath structures
Your homemade curtain will look no worse than an expensive purchased booth if you follow 3 basic rules:
- correct design;
- careful installation;
- careful operation and regular maintenance.
If you don’t yet know how to decorate the shower area of your bathroom, photographs of successful homemade projects will help you make a decision.
Decoration
If you don’t want to tinker with a sewing machine and other tools, you can purchase a ready-made bath curtain and change it beyond recognition, making it a real work of design art. To do this, you can use any available materials and decorative elements that are probably lying around your house idle. So, to decorate curtains you can use:
- lace;
- foil;
- glitter;
- shells;
- buttons;
- mosaic fragments:
- beads;
- pebbles;
- and much more.
Application
Applique is a type of decorative and applied art that most of us were introduced to in kindergarten. We invite you to remember your skills with paper and scissors and experiment with the design of your bath curtain.
To decorate a plastic curtain you will need waterproof glue and clear varnish. The choice of images is left to your taste. These can be abstract figures made of colored paper, family photos, fragments of wallpaper or magazine clippings. The main thing is to glue the applications not from the side of the bathtub, otherwise all the beauty will not last long.
Materials used
To install the screen you will need:
- guide profile (aluminum can withstand heavy loads and will last longer);
- sheets of plastic or glass cut to size;
- silicone sealant;
- accessories: hinges, screws, etc.
Transparent materials are the most popular: they are economical and do not overload the interior. The most expensive option is tempered glass with a decorative pattern.
Plastic or polycarbonate
Plastic attracts with its variety of colors, decor and low price. It is practical, easier to work with at home: it is easy to cut, does not prick, etc. The main disadvantage of this material is that it will not last as long as glass or polycarbonate, it is easily scratched and quickly loses its appearance.
When choosing this material, keep in mind that plaque and dirt appear on it quickly. With insufficient care, the appearance becomes untidy and the surface becomes cloudy. Fungus or mold may appear.
Polycarbonate is a durable, versatile polymer. It is lightweight and impact-resistant, therefore safe and easy to install.
It is more practical in operation than plastic; it can easily withstand high humidity and temperature changes, which is why it is often used for making cabinets and screens. In appearance and durability, things made of polycarbonate are no worse than glass.
Glass
This material is not as impact-resistant as polycarbonate, although high-quality tempered glass comes close in this characteristic. The safest and most durable is triplex. The risk of injury when using it is minimal: if such glass breaks, it will not crumble into small and sharp fragments.
The remaining performance characteristics of this material are higher than those of plastic. Mold does not form on it; its surface can be easily cleaned with a special product and a cloth or paper napkin.
A transparent glass screen is a win-win option, suitable for any style of bath design.
Additional installation tips
The service life of the screen largely depends on the assembly. Accuracy of execution, accuracy of measurements and technical nuances are important here.
Before installation, think through all the details:
- Do you need a gap between the top edge and the ceiling to ventilate your shower stall.
- Is there a need to install an additional lamp in the water treatment area?
Pay special attention to the selection of metal fittings: rollers, hinges, fasteners, rubber bands, etc. Products of poor quality are not able to ensure trouble-free sliding or smooth opening of the sashes.
Review Reviews
Judging by the reviews that periodically appear on the Internet, most buyers evaluate the glass replacement for a regular curtain positively. Users like both the aesthetics and ease of use of the products during water procedures.
The only nuance that forces some to abandon the innovation and return to the usual vinyl curtains is the need to periodically wash the structure. There are no problems with the glass itself, especially if you purchase a model with special treatment that prevents streaks. But it can be difficult to clean the guides from dirt. Problems also arise if moisture is not wiped off from parts in a timely manner.
