Considering that the shower door is often the part of the shower that gets the most use, it is a good idea to have some knowledge of the hardware that goes with it. Of course, there are a few types of shower doors, which is why shower door parts often vary. For example, hinges are necessary on swinging doors, while rollers are needed on sliding doors. On the other hand, nearly every shower door needs a handle, which comes in different shapes and sizes. Bumpers can keep the door from slamming shut, while catches can keep the door closed once someone shuts it, and a simple metal frame can add a border to any door.
The shower door parts for swinging doors are often a bit different than the ones meant for sliding doors. For instance, swinging doors need hinges, which are usually small metal devices that allow a door to swing open and shut smoothly. Quality hinges often stop the door from opening too widely and hitting the wall or other items behind it, making these shower door parts helpful to the smooth operation of the door. On the other hand, a good roller can ensure that a rolling shower door opens and shuts smoothly, without getting jammed or coming off the track.
The majority of shower doors include at least one handle, allowing users to easily open the door, whether it swings or glides. Most of these shower door parts are made of metal, often ranging from chrome or stainless steel, to brass or nickel. A handle can be a small metal part that homeowners can grasp and pull easily, or it can be a knob that resembles the typical doorknob. Either way, it is usually a simple part since it does not need to lock, but it does need to be both firmly affixed to the door and easy to grasp.
There are other shower door parts that are also important, such as the catch. This ensures that the door does not bounce back open once it is shut. It can be plastic or metal, and its ability to work well is crucial in order to avoid getting water on the floor due to it not shutting firmly during a shower. Bumpers are shower door parts that are typically associated with sliding doors, as they guide the door on its path to sliding open or shut smoothly. Finally, a door frame is a metal part that creates a border around the material of the door, though of course frameless shower doors do not have this part.