How to Choose the Right Glass for Your Shower

Whether you’re remodeling or designing a bathroom for a client, the type of shower glass you choose is one of the most important decisions you can make. The glass will affect everything from safety and durability to light flow and visual style. It’s also crucial to consider how the various styles of shower doors can complement your bathroom design. Sliding, pivot, bi-fold, and frameless door options can influence not only the appearance but also the functionality of the space.

At Architectural Glass, we’ve been helping contractors, designers, homeowners, and glass companies make informed decisions for over 36 years. If you’re unsure where to start, here’s everything you should know about shower enclosure glass.

The 6 Main Types of Glass for Showers

1. Clear Glass

A popular and timeless choice, clear glass allows for maximum light transmission, making small bathrooms feel larger. While it has a slight green tint due to its iron content, it creates a clean, open aesthetic that blends seamlessly with any style.

2. Low-Iron Glass

If you love the clarity of clear glass but want to eliminate the greenish hue, low-iron glass is the answer. It delivers crystal-clear transparency, allowing your tile colors and fixtures to shine through. However, due to its visual purity, it can display streaks and fingerprints more prominently.

3. Patterned or Textured Glass

Offered through our pattern class collection, this glass features beautiful textures inspired by rain, reeds, or bamboo. These patterns add visual depth while providing varying degrees of privacy, making them ideal for clients who want something decorative without sacrificing natural light entirely.

4. Frosted or Acid-Etched Glass

Our acid-etched glass features a smooth, satin-like finish that provides both privacy and elegance. This type of glass is translucent, diffusing light while maintaining visibility, making it ideal for shared bathrooms that feature classic or modern styles. Frosted glass is created by acid-etching or sandblasting at least one side of the panel. This process makes cleaning easier and helps hide fingerprints and watermarks.

Sometimes they’re used interchangeably, but it’s important to note that frosted and opaque glass are not the same. While frosted glass allows natural light to pass through, opaque glass fully blocks light, often using coatings or internal layers to achieve this effect. Opaque glass can make a bathroom feel darker or smaller, so it’s rarely used in shower enclosures.

5. Tinted Glass (Bronze, Gray, Blue) 

Tinted glass adds subtle color to your bathroom while increasing privacy. Bronze or gray tints perfectly complement bathrooms with rustic and modern interiors. Tinted glass is also great for reducing glare and hiding streaks better than standard clear glass.

6. Laminated Glass

Made by bonding two layers of glass with a plastic interlayer, laminated glass holds together even when shattered, making it an excellent safety option. Although it's not as widely used in showers as tempered glass, laminated glass is ideal for clients who want extra strength and soundproofing.

Tempered vs. Non-Tempered Glass for Shower Enclosures 

Tempered glass is the industry standard for shower enclosures. It undergoes a heat-treatment process that makes it up to five times stronger than standard annealed glass. If it breaks, it crumbles into small, blunt pieces instead of sharp fragments, greatly reducing the risk of injury.

Non-tempered glass (such as regular clear float glass) is not safe for use in wet environments. It can fracture into large, hazardous pieces and should only be used where safety is not a concern. For this reason, all shower enclosures should be fabricated from tempered or laminated glass. At Architectural Glass, we only recommend shower glass that meets or exceeds industry safety standards. We can also temper custom orders upon request.

Design Your Ideal Enclosure Today

With so many options to choose from, the right glass for your shower ultimately depends on your design goals, privacy needs, and layout. Architectural Glass is here to guide you through the build process, offering tailored fabrication services, hands-on experience, timely custom support, and the largest selection in the industry. Explore our diverse collection of glass products online or contact us today. Our team will deliver a pristine shower enclosure that effortlessly combines safety and style.