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Pioneer Glass

Pioneer Glass offers shower enclosures, window glass replacement, mirrors and more in Worcester, Middlesex, Norfolk , & Suffolk County MA

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Shower Enclosure Guide: The Shower Glass

It's no surprise that when it comes to shower enclosures, the glass has the most options to consider. From thickness to type to variety to treatment options. Let's dive into it!

Thickness

Shower glass comes in a variety of thicknesses. Below are the most common options—but you can get thicker or thinner (see next section).

1/2" thickness Expand

1/2" thickness glass is considered attractive and elegant – many luxury hotels and high-end custom showers use 1/2". It is heavy and may require extra support in the wall and hinges. The hinges may not last as long due to the stress placed on them by the weight of the glass.

3/8" thickness Expand

Most semi-framed and frameless shower enclosures end up with the 3/8" thickness. This balances cost and appearance. 3/8" is a typical glass thickness, but may require a top header to give stability to the whole unit. These headers do not spoil the look of the shower.

1/4" thickness Expand

For high-quality framed enclosures, 1/4" is a popular choice. The thinness of the glass can really make a shower enclosure stand out. Framed shower glass can be thinner than framless and semi-framed due to the structural support of the metal frame.

Glass Varieties

Dress up your shower door in multiple ways. Colors, patterns, thicknesses, and treatments all can dramatically affect the look of a shower.

Colored Glass Expand

Looking to go against the grain? You can color your shower enclosure one of several ways.

Colored Glass: Smoke
Colored Glass: Bronze
Colored Glass: Azuria
Colored Glass: Low Iron Glass
Colored Glass: Clear Glass
Colored Glass: Solexia

Pattern Glass Expand

You can customize your shower enclosure with a wide variety of patterns.

Pattern Glass: Everglade
Pattern Glass: Autumn
Pattern Glass: Aquatex
Pattern-Glass-Rain-1
Pattern Glass: Glue Chip
Pattern Glass: Bamboo
Pattern Glass: Reeded
Pattern Glass: Glacier
Pattern Glass: Satin

CAST GLASS PATTERNS

Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Marine Mold
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Pattern - Grapevine
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Meander Edge example
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Meander
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Palm
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Rock Wall
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Scuba
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Sensu
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Storm
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Waterfall
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Vineyard - Meander Detail
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Vineyard - Safari Detail
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Vineyard - Safari
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Vineyard - Storm Detail
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Vineyard - Storm
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Cottage
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Lodge
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Creek
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Lava
Cast Glass Shower Enclosure - Neo - Safari

12►

HEAVY GLASS PATTERNS

Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Affinity, pattern example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Affinity, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Antique, pattern example
Heavy-Glass-Pattern-Shower-Enclosures-Azuria-pattern-example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Bamboo, pattern example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Bronze, pattern example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Brush, pattern example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Brush, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Bubbles, pattern example
Heavy Glass Shower Enclosures -Transom Example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Coral, pattern example
Heavy Glass Shower Enclosures -Single Heavy Door
Heavy Glass Shower Enclosures - Clear, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Shower Enclosure - Frost, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Shower Enclosure - Heavy Brush, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Shower Enclosure - Rain, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Shower Enclosure - Savanna, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Wisp, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Lunar, shower enclosure example
Heavy Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Flurry, shower enclosure example

123►

THIN GLASS PATTERNS

Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Aquatex, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Autumn, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Bamboo, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Bronze, pattern example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Bronze, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Clear, pattern example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Clear, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Everglade, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Glacier, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Glue Chip, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Obscure, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Rain, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Reeded, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Satin, pattern example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Satin, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Smoke, pattern example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Smoke, shower enclosure example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Starphire, pattern example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Glacier, pattern example
Thin Glass Pattern Shower Enclosures - Aquatex, pattern example

12►

Cast Glass Expand

The richly textured, three-dimensional character of cast glass adds a beautiful, stunning elegance to your bathroom.

Ultimate Optique

An additional feature is Ultimate Optique; a thermally formed art glass design. A revolutionary kiln casting process integrates the rich textural elements of kiln-formed glass with unobstructed, optically clear areas or patterns, creating an effect that is striking and original. Available for certain types of cast glass enclosures.

Heavy Glass Expand

Heavy glass provides a modern, contemporary look. The appeal is structural integrity, durability, and to stand out from its peers.

Thin Glass Expand

Thin glass shower enclosures allow your bathroom to look spacious, crisp, and modern. Comes in 3/16" thickness—and possibly even less!

Low-Iron Glass Expand

A comparison of low-iron and clear glass.

Everyone calls standard glass clear, but there is even clearer glass available today. For a truly pristine view, you can purchase low-iron glass without the slight green tint of regular glass. Low-iron glass lets in more visible light than regular window glass, creating a crisper view.

Glass Customization

Bring a dash of personality to your shower enclosure.

Chipped Edges Expand

Cardinal Shower chipped edge option
Cardinal Shower chipped edge option

For a dramatic looking shower, you can add a chipped edge to your heavy glass shower enclosure. A "Chipped Edge" refers to the scalloped edge work on the glass.

Type of Chipped Edge Pattern

  • Double-Sided - The glass is chipped both directions, providing an attractive rough edge to the glass. Very non-symmetric.
  • Single-Sided - The glass is all chipped one direction

Type of Edge Cut
The shape of the edge of the glass.

  • Straight Cut - Typical cut on the glass. No charge.
  • Wave Cut - A smooth wave. You can specify the height of the waves and the distance between the peaks and valleys. There are limitations to the steepness of the waves. If they are too extreme, the glass will break when chipping it. Talk to us for full details.
  • Jagged Cut - A rougher random cut that complements the chipped edge pattern making it look like a broken edge.
Etched Glass Expand

Shower enclosure etched for privacy
Shower enclosure etched for privacy

Get your shower enclosure etched! Etching is the process of a design embedded into the glass to create an engraving. Pioneer will provide top-quality etching to help your shower door stand out. What can you get etched?

  • Privacy areas – block out sections of the enclosure
  • Decorative patterns to add flair or complement other design elements in the shower and/or bathroom
  • A logo, perfect for commercial applications
  • Highlight the S-curve!
  • And more
In-Glass Printing Expand

Dip-Tech Ceramic Digital Printing

Pioneer chooses to work with Dip-Tech for all customized shower enclosures—we consider them the best in the business. Dip-Tech inks are developed by chemistry experts in collaboration with academic institutions.

Whether you want your shower to have a pattern, words, privacy panels, or anything else—it can be done.

Dip-Tech ink is fused into the glass through the tempering processed, and results in glass that can be laminated, bent, and/or double-glazed. These products are environmentally friendly with customizable effects.

Cardinal's Satori® Digital Ceramic In-Glass Printing

Should you elect to move forward with a Cardinal shower enclosure, you can use the Satori process that digitally prints ceramic ink to glass surfaces. The ink is then fused with the glass during a tempering process that results in vivid images. The Satori process increases resistance to chemicals, scratching, UV light, and weathering.

S-Curve Expand

The Cardinal S-Curve is a popular option for adding flair and style to a simple slider. It surprised even us how the simple change dramatically changed the look and feel of the unit.

While the S-Curve is available in our full range of 1/4” or 3/8” glass patterns, from clear to our luxurious Venetian Cast Glass, for the most dramatic effect, we recommend using clear glass which highlights the edge.

  • Stock and custom sizes available
  • Glass overlaps 1” to 3”
  • Installs as easily as our Euro unit with one additional bumper
  • Available with our Recessed Finger Pull
  • Available with custom etching to highlight the curve

Euro-ETE-S-Curve-Etched-ORB-Clear
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - TESE Chrome Clear S-Curve 07
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - TESE Chrome Clear S-Curve 06
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - TESE Chrome Clear S-Curve 05
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - TESE Chrome Clear S-Curve 04
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - TESE Chrome Clear S-Curve 03
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - TESE Chrome Clear S-Curve 02
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - TESE Chrome Clear S-Curve 01
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - TESE Chrome Clear S-Curve 08
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - ETE - CH-Clear - S-Curve 02
Shower Enclosures - Euro Series - ETE - CH-Clear - S-Curve 01
Cardinal S-Curve - CH-Clear
Cardinal S-Curve - Detail. The glass overlaps one to three inches
Euro Series Enclosure in Oil Rubbed Bronze with S-Curve
S-Curve with custom etching to highlight the curve
Heavy Euro Series Enclosure with S-Curve

Treatment and Protection

Back up your investment in a shower enclosure with treatment options that will keep it looking like new for years.

Surface Treatment Expand

Adding a surface protectant to a shower enclosure during installation reduces cleaning frequency and intensity. Surface protectants come with a 10-year warranty and repel water, oil, and is resistant to UV exposure.

 

Manufactured Glass Protection Expand

Water contains many minerals which can slowly pit and discolor glass. For the most maintenance-free shower glass, the permanent protective layer of Guardian Showerguard® will hold up for years and years.

See a comparison of Showerguard vs. other types of cleaning (click to expand):

Exposure Testing Shower Enclosure Glass ShowerGuard

Category iconShower Enclosures

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Shower Enclosure Guide: The Enclosure | Pioneer Glass says:
    December 2, 2017 at 4:51 pm

    […] THE GLASS […]

  2. Shower Enclosure Guide: The Shower Door | Pioneer Glass says:
    December 2, 2017 at 4:53 pm

    […] THE GLASS […]

  3. A Guide to Buying Shower Enclosures | Pioneer Glass says:
    December 2, 2017 at 5:33 pm

    […] There are so many options for glass, it's hard to know where to start. That's where we come in – consider thickness and type of glass. But wait – it doesn't stop there. SEE GLASS OPTIONS […]

Visit Pioneer Window Fashions–our sister business located in the same building, for all things window treatments!

Visit Pioneer Window Fashions

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240 Church St. #1
Whitinsville, MA 01588

  (508) 234-7063

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