When it comes to upgrading your bathroom’s visual appeal and functionality, installing new glass shower doors is a great idea. You’ve got a ton of choice, and they can be fully customized to fit your space.

But to choose the right one you need to first understand that there are different types of glass used in making glass shower enclosures.

To help you make the right decision, our experts have shortlisted a few glass types based on their colours and patterns, as well as glass trends.

Consider These 7 Trendy Glass Textures

Knowing the different types of glass used in your shower doors or glass shower/bathtub enclosures can help you choose the best one. Here are the options to consider if you desire a truly unique appearance bathroom.

Acid Etched Glass

Etched glass is a textured variety used for decorative purposes as well as additional privacy. It appears translucent and differs greatly from frosted glass. Textured glass is also easy to clean and adds elegance and beauty to any bathroom interior.

Acid-etched glass can hold many patterns, lettering or artwork. Acid etching, also known as French embossing, is one of the oldest decorative techniques. Hydrofluoric acid erodes the top layer to create a frosted appearance which can be embossed with different hues for a luxurious look.

Tinted Glass

Tinted glass shower doors can add much-needed colour to your bathroom. They come in tones such as bronze, blue and grey. And since they’re fully transparent, installing them adds a small amount of colour to accentuate the room’s beauty.

The interesting thing about this type of glass is that the colour isn’t created by a film but the tint present in the material since manufacture. So you can be sure that this colour is permanent.

Another great thing is that although not fully opaque, it does offer a decent amount of privacy and you can alter the tones of your bathroom easily with it. For instance, you could use a bronze glass for a bathroom with warm, soft and earthy tones if you prefer a distinct copper look.

Tempered Glass

Perhaps one of the safest options, this glass type if perfect for shower doors and is manufactured by extreme heating and rapid cooling. This process makes it much stronger than other options by altering its molecular structure. This is also the reason tempered glass breaks into small pieces, as they’re not as sharp or dangerous as regular glass.

Tempered glass enclosures can be used to cover the entire space from ceiling to floor. They’re perfect for holding in steam and heat from your shower, which is ideal if you want to create a sauna-like effect.

Opaque-Clear Glass

This is a perfect option for creating a sophisticated look in your shower area. The transparency of standard clear glass also helps make small bathrooms appear more spacious.

This glass type is the most common choice when you want high clarity, easy maintenance and the least amount of greenish tint in your bathroom.

Sand-blasted opaque-clear glass has a distinct, uniformly smooth appearance. It also has the advantage of being semi-transparent, unlike its standard counterpart, and allows only a soft glow of light inside. This type of glass is etched on one side; the other is kept smooth for ease of cleaning.

Low-Iron Glass

Low-iron glass reduces the natural green tint present in most clear glass and is much clearer and sharper than other glass types. The best thing about it is its near invisibility, a condition that earns its other name: high-definition glass. The higher visible light transparency protects it from warping and makes it perfect for showcasing the actual colours of your shower.

Rain Glass

Rain glass, naturally, mimics the look of rain on your shower door and fills the area with soft light. One side is patterned while the other is smooth, much like opaque-clear glass. This helps make it resistant to fingerprints, water stains and other minor marks.

Hammered Glass

Manufactured with dents similar to hammered metal, this glass type creates unique light effects that will distinguish your shower from anyone else’s.

As you can see, there are plenty of options for you to choose from when it comes to shower and bathtub glass. If you’re still unsure about which is best for your bathroom, get in touch with a local expert.