Fitting a shower screen in a not very square room

[Arron]

OK, latest issue. We have a bathroom which is newly tiled (floor and walls) and I have just purchased a large shower screen for it. Actually, it’s just one of those single glass panels (2000 x 1100mm) so I guess it’s what is usually called a walk-in shower. It came with two wall brackets and a single floor bracket, and two large holes drilled in the glass.

When I held it in place, it was clear that the wall kicks out at the base, so there is a larger gap at top then at bottom. I think what has happened is that the wall was plumb when built, but successive trades have ruined this - principally the waterproofer who built the base up with several layers of product.

I think it’s about 15mm from plumb, but will check when next on site.

I believe the floor is flat where the glass is required to be, I’ll check that too.

What can I do to get the glass up,stable and looking reasonably gap-free.

I imagine this is a very common problem - and I doubt my job is worse then anyone else’s - so I’m imagining there is a solution.

Cheers
Arron

[tonzeyd]

I'm no expert but the usual process is to install the panel into a U Channel. Any out of square will effectively be hidden in the U channel.

[rwbuild]

U channel against wall.

[Arron]

Well the problem is the glass has holes drilled for the two mounts. They aren’t small because the glass is rubber mounted. I don’t think they will be hidden by the channel.

[Beardy]

Fit the screen so that you have an acceptable margin on the wall, the variable gap on the floor can be either taken up with silicone or a U channel

What normally happens is the opening is site measured and the glass is made out of square as necessary to fit the opening

Just a heads up, your Certifier will ask for a glazing certificate for your shower screens and glass balustrades etc

[Arron]

Ok, so I am heading for a u-channel.

2 options

Option 1 - put this glass panel aside to use in one of the upstairs bathrooms, and get a new glass with no holes. Then use a channel on the wall. When doing the upstairs, make sure the trades keep that wall plumb.

Option 2 - Beardys solution. Use the clips on the wall, and the channel on the floor. Neat solution as the floor projection is only half the wall height so the variance will be halved, and the holes get covered.

Both would work. As always, this forum delivers the goods.

This is a wonderful resource.

And thanks everyone who participated.

Also thanks for the reminder about glazing cert. I will need to chase these for all the glazing.

Cheers
Arron

[riverbuilder]

15 mm out of plumb is NOT normal, certainly not on any of my jobs, that’s for certain.

[rrich]

Let me put it this way. "Wet or dry can fix almost anything."

Where that came from is the Apollo program more than 50 years ago. On occasion I had to deal with the machine shop. There was one machinist that could make almost anything work. I always went to him for assistance. An extra cup of coffee to his preference most mornings worked wonders.

He would machine things for me and then use a bit of wet or dry (sand paper) to make things fit, exactly. The other machinists would laugh at him and call him a sand paper mechanic. But the thing is, all of his machined parts fit, worked and didn't come back.

The lesson here is that with some sand paper, a chisel and caulk almost anything can be made to fit. If the fit is aesthetically pleasing, you're finished with the project.

[Arron]

An interesting idea but can one sand toughened glass with sandpaper ?

I’ll have to experiment tomorrow. I have some sandpaper a glazier gave me a while back which was apparently for sanding glass. Lots of patience and lots of water I expect.

If it works, the idea is a good one because most of the variance from plumb occurs in the bottom 100mm, so I wouldn’t really need to remove much.

[aldav]

An interesting idea but can one sand toughened glass with sandpaper ?

I’ll have to experiment tomorrow. I have some sandpaper a glazier gave me a while back which was apparently for sanding glass. Lots of patience and lots of water I expect.

If it works, the idea is a good one because most of the variance from plumb occurs in the bottom 100mm, so I wouldn’t really need to remove much.

Diamond impregnated sanding blocks designed for sanding tiles would be a better bet, BUT REALLY??? You should be able to buy some clear silicone (?), they're probably more accurately described as a plastic material, pieces from a specialist tiling shop to stand the screen on on the floor, they come in different thicknesses, and use them to adjust the fit to the point where you can use silastic to attach the screen to the floor and wall. I'd be surprised if the brackets you have will work with any kind of a channel and quite apart from that it would look terrible.

[rrich]

An interesting idea but can one sand toughened glass with sandpaper ?

No but adjustments to the wall and/or ceiling can be "adjusted" easily.