You should never try to drill into your shower doors in Houston. It will only result in broken glass.
There are many ways to customize shower doors to suit your bathroom. Sometimes, people may want to add a towel bar or additional fixtures to their shower doors in Houston after they’re installed. However, additional hardware often requires additional holes in your shower doors. Unfortunately, there are some concerning tips on the internet about drilling holes into your Houston shower doors. You should never try to drill into or cut your glass shower doors. Instead, look for other options and talk to your shower door experts about the safest and most practical options for your needs.
Why Can’t You Drill Holes to Your Shower Doors in Houston?
Your shower doors in Houston are made of tempered glass for additional strength, durability, and safety. Tempered glass undergoes heat treatment to harden it and make it impact-resistant. Also, this type of glass can withstand temperature fluctuations from taking hot showers without cracking or breaking. Tempered glass doors are four to five times stronger than regular, non-tempered glass. That is why tempered glass commonly used in commercial buildings, auto glass, and your shower doors in Houston.
However, if the structure of the tempered glass is compromised in any way, such as by a small chip or crack, it’s meant to shatter into many small, rounded pieces. While this type of glass requires more force to damage, it essentially crumbles once damage occurs. This “crumbling” helps prevent injury from broken glass. Therefore, trying to drill or cut into your shower doors will only cause damage that will most likely shatter your doors.
Dangerous Instructions on the Internet
Unfortunately, some sources on the internet say that it is possible to drill holes into your Houston shower doors. Generally, these web pages say that you will need a specialized diamond drill bit and advises to use constant water to lubricate the bit. They also advise to make a border around the area you plan to drill with clay. Finally, these dangerous instructions say the trick is to apply slow pressure with your drill. All this information is incorrect and puts your safety at risk. Drilling into your shower doors in Houston will only result in shattered glass, since they’re made of tempered glass. Therefore, if you have decided you want to change the fixtures or add fixtures to your shower doors in Houston, talk to your trusted glass company about getting a new door made that will fit your needs.
How Do Glass Companies Add Fixtures to My Houston Shower Doors?
So, if you can’t cut or drill tempered glass, how do we even make glass shower doors? When you order shower doors for your bathroom, we take your dimensions and specifications to create your glass shower door. Your shower doors in Houston start out as normal flat glass. Therefore, we perform all the necessary cutting and drilling while it’s in this form.
Even in its untampered state, glass requires specialized training to cut or drill. It can be quite a slow process and also requires tools designed just for glass. There are also specific safety measures glass technicians take to ensure no one gets hurt during the process.
After we are done and sure that everything is correct, then we temper the glass to make your shower doors safe and strong for your use. Therefore, there is really no way to add holes for fixtures to your current tempered shower doors.
Modifying Shower Doors in Houston
So, what are your options if you want to change the look of your shower doors in Houston? This depends on the result you’re trying to achieve. However, there are always safe options for changing up your shower doors. You don’t need to risk your safety by taking a hand drill to your glass.
Decorative Films
If you’re just looking for something a little bit different, glass films might be a good option. For example, you may decide that you want more privacy than your crystal clear doors offer. Or, perhaps you changed the décor in your bathroom. There are many products on the market that can add a frosted look to your shower enclosure. If you’re looking for some extra privacy, a frosted glass film will do the trick. For more ornamental options, there are multiple options out there, like patterned frosted films. Some even feature translucent pictures.
Suction Cup Hardware
As far as hardware goes, there are some options. First, your glass experts may be able to switch out the handles or other hardware for a different style, so long as it will fit into the current holes and their dimensions. However, if you’re looking to add a towel bar, your best option is likely a suction cup version. This allows you to stick a towel bar on your shower doors in Houston without drilling into or damaging the glass.
Replacement Doors
If those options won’t work, you’ll likely need replacement doors. Additionally, if you want to switch from framed to frameless shower doors in Houston, you’ll also need replacement glass. Framed doors usually use thinner glass, since the frames provide additional support. By contrast, frameless doors need to be thicker to withstand the stresses of opening and closing without that extra reinforcement.
To replace your doors, talk to your glass experts about your needs and they’ll help you determine the safest, most practical option that fits your needs and budget. Start with the dimensions of your shower enclosure opening and discuss the hardware you’d like. This way, your glass technicians can create a new custom door with precisely drilled holes and cut edges to fit your requirements.
At Apple Glass Company, we are a leading glass company in the Houston area. We provide glass solutions for your home, business, and vehicle. Whether you’re looking for gorgeous frameless shower doors in Houston or mobile windshield repair, our expert technicians have the experience you need for your glass project. Call us today at (713) 680-1400 in Houston or (281) 296-0600 in The Woodlands to learn more and request a free quote. At Apple Glass Company, we are here to serve you.
