Thank you for choosing SGAW Co. as your shower door supplier. You have purchased a PREMIUM QUALITY shower door. If you’re a Do-It-Yourselfer, you will find installing your shower door a rewarding experience, and you will enjoy the fruit of your efforts for years to come. Follow these instructions carefully and you will have no trouble with this product. We have already done much of the work for you. You will find that the hinges are pre-installed, and if there is a panel(s), the U-channels are already mitered, cut to size, and drilled and counter sunk for the screws. Our goal is to make your installation smooth and trouble free.

Take care handling your new glass door and panels.

Tempered glass is very strong, but glass is glass and there is always a danger of the door and panel(s) chipping or completely shattering into pieces.

Important Information

• ALWAYS wear safety glasses.
   
• DO NOT let the glass come into contact with tile, marble, concrete, metal, or any other hard surface.
   
• ALWAYS set the glass down on a soft protective surface (see photo on the left). Bubble wrap or plastic wrap is NOT meant for this purpose.
   
• DO NOT install the door until it has reached room temperature.
   
• Get a friend to help, work safely, and ENJOY your new quality shower door assembly!

Crating and Packaging

We take great care in packaging your shower door. Unpack the crate and save the packing material to use as shims and glass protection. Set the glass down in the shower room on a soft protective surface... the wood from your crate will work fine. 

Tools Needed

You will need your shop drawings, a pencil, a tape measure, a level, an electric drill, screwdrivers, a spay bottle with water, carbide drill bits, a hammer, a chisel, a shop vac, rubbing alcohol, silicone, and a friend to help with the heavy lifting. Renting a suction cup is also a good idea.

You'll find a nice collection of tools here. This collection is available at a discount price when purchasing a custom frameless shower door.

Measuring and Marking

Locate and mark the inner and outer edges of where your glass door will be. >>>	Do the same for where your panel(s) will be.
Using a level, mark the vertical locations of your door. Locate and mark all the way up to the door height. >>>	Using a level, do the same for your panel(s).
Locate and mark where the panel(s) will be.

Tape Down Shims... Then Wait One Day!

Tape down 3/8” shims for your door to rest on. (You can use the pieces of the plywood that came with the crate)

NOW STOP! WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW TO INSTALL THE DOOR.

THE GLASS DOOR NEEDS TO COME TO ROOM TEMPERATURE BEFORE YOU INSTALL IT!

Marking and Drilling Hinge Holes

OK, Now it's Tomorrow

OK, now it’s tomorrow. Set the door in place, holding it perfectly in the vertical position, and mark the hinge screw hole locations the tile with a pencil. >>>	Do the same with all the hinges. A second pair of hands is helpfull for this stage!
Draw screw hole circles around your markings and draw crosshair lines through the hole markings. This is important for when you do the drilling. >>>	We include a piece of plexiglass in your package. Drill through the plexiglass into a piece of wood, then use the plexiglass as a template for starting each hinge hole. All drill bits mentioned are 1/4”..
Begin drilling your hinge holes. If you have glass tile or some other type of hard wall covering, we recommend using 1/4” diamond tipped core bits. For normal tile, use 1/4” carbide masonary drill bits. Continuously spray with water to keep the drill bit cool. >>>	Drill into the wall covering 2-1/4” deep OR until you reach a wood stud or block.
If you are using a core bit, pop the core piece out with> a screwdriver. >>>	Finish drilling each hole with a cardbide masonary bit. KEEP SPRAYING WATER. Drill 2-1/4” deep or until you hit a wood stud or block. Do NOT drill into the wood stud, you want the screw to bite into the wood.
Clean the holes with a shop vac before proceeding. >>>	Hammer in the supplied plastic anchors.
If necessary, drive the plastic anchor into the hole another 1/4”. >>>	If the plastic anchors stick out, cut them flush with the tile with a hammer and chisel.
Before installing the door, we recommend driving a #10 screw in and out of the holes. This will make installation much easier when you are holding the door in place. You can use a screw from the crating material. >>>	We recommend taping protective material over the hinge to prevent accidently scratching it when screwing in the hinges.

Installing The Glass Door, Panels, and Hardware

Hold the door in place and screw the hinges into the tile. Have another person hold the door straight and steady for you. >>>	Stand back and look at the door. It should be straight and sturdy. You can now remove the shims and start working on the panel(s).
If you are installing a door only, disregard the instructions relating to panel installation, but DO NOT skip over the silicone steps! Lay the U-channel pieces in place and mark the hole locations with a pencil. >>>	Drill holes as explained in the previous section.
Clean the holes with a shop vac. Then wipe down the area with rubbing alcohol to further clean. >>>	Hammer in the plastic anchors.
If possible, hammer the plastic anchors down another 1/4” with a hold punch or old drill bit. >>>	If the plastic anchors stick out, cut them flush with the tile with a hammer and chisel.
Clean the entire area that the U-channel will sit on with rubbing alcohol and let dry. Apply silicone the the areas where the horizontal U-Channel pieces will meet the vertical U-channel pieces. Apply silicone to the same place on top of the U-channels after they are installed. >>>	Apply silicone to the underside of all of the U-channels before installing them. When opening the silicone tube, cut the tip close to the end at a 22 degree angle in order to make a SMALL bead.
Apply a drop of silicone to each hole. >>>	Screw in the U-channels. Dipping the tip of each screw into silicone will make the job much easier.
After screwing the U-channels into place, apply a drop of silicone to the head of each screw. >>>	Use the supplied clear plastic setting blocks to shim the panels. Experiment until the panels are level.
Shim at each side of the panels and slide the panels into place. >>>	The pulls are back-to-back and easy to install. Screw the outside handle onto the door.
Place the inside handle into place. >>>	Secure the inside handle with the supplied set screw.
Stand back and look. The door and panels should be level and secure. The door and panel(s) should be at the same height, and the door seal should overlap the panel by 1/16”. Adjust the panel shims as needed. >>>	Silcone with a small bead all along each U-channel where it meets the tile and then where it meets the glass.
Keep sealing... >>>	Also seal completely on the inside of the shower.

NOW, WAIT AT LEAST 48 HOURS BEFORE USING THE SHOWER!

The silicone needs to dry COMPLETLY! Check to make sure the hinge screws are tight, and check again every 3 months.

Congratulations on your fine work and new door. Enjoy!

 

 

Be sure to read the Maintenance Page to ensure a long lasting installation!

Cleaning Your Frameless Shower Door Enclosure

Never use harsh chemical cleaners on your shower door and hardware! They will damage the surfaces! Here is a safe and effective cleaning solution: In a spray bottle, poor in 1 teaspoon of a mild liquid dishwashing machine soap. Then fill about 20% of the bottle with vinegar, and fill the remaining 80% with water. Mix and use the solution to clean your shower door. Avoid spraying the door edge seal as much as possible. This will weaken the glue. Rinse the door with water and hand dry. After showering, leave the exhaust fan on until the room dries as moister can also weaken the seals.

 

Links

Browse Our Catalog of FL Series Heavy Frameless Shower Doors

Knowledgebase Index

Choosing a Shower Door

• Heavy Frameless
  • Swinging Shower Doors
    • Glass Types
    • Hardware
    • Installation (you are here)
    • Photo Gallery