Silicone Free Shower Enclosure
From: Belinda Shaw
We are in the process of getting a quote for a frameless shower. I recently saw a post from your archives about not using silicone around the base of the glass to seal from water. “Frameless shower enclosers are not designed to be completely water -tight.” I am very interested not using silicone due to the mold that can occur after time. I am concerned that our contractor will not be cooperative in not using a sealer. He also likes to use the u-channel instead of the brackets to hold the glass in place. I like the look of brackets instead of the u-channel. Can you send me more information about not using the silicone to seal and any info on use of brackets over the u-channel? Thank you for your help in this matter.
Hi Belinda,
I’m glad you asked that question. The bottom line is that you have the final say whether your shower enclosure gets caulked or not. If you have come to terms with the fact that your shower may “leak” a little when you used it, you are a good candidate for a frameless shower enclosure. There are some advantages to using channel rather than glass clamps. One factor is that the channel will make the enclosure hold water a little better. Some people think that the channel gives the enclosure a cleaner look, as the clamps are a little bulky. It’s a matter of personal preference…
On the other hand, glass clamps are the preferred choice of designers and architects. Many people feel that this is the definitive look for a frameless shower enclosure. Again, you are the one who gets to decide. If you do go with the glass clamps, don’t try to fill in the gaps with clear silicone. It completely defeats the purpose of going frameless. You want the clean “glass only” look, with just a little hardware as needed. One thing we have been doing recently is using a dry silicone tubing to fill gaps where needed. If too much water is escaping, and the gaps between the glass and tile are large enough, you can use the silicone tubing instead. This just gets stuffed into the gaps, and looks really clean. If you ever want to replace it, you just pull it out an replace it. There is no cutting it out and scraping off the residue.
Good luck with your shower enclosure! I hope it goes well, and you end up with the shower that you really want.
