Are you thinking about installing or replacing the shower door hardware on your own for the first time? We are here to help you! In this guide, we will provide you a step-by-step guide on how to do this!
As a homeowner, you already have realized maintaining your home can get quite costly. One of the most straightforward solutions to save money and bring the expenses down as a homeowner is to learn how you replace glass shower doors. Indeed, there will be some tasks that are better if it’s done in the hands of a professional. On the contrary, there are also more manageable tasks that any person that can handle tools like yourself should be able to get done! All you need is some easy-to-follow instructions on how you need to proceed.
One such project would be installing or replacing your glass shower door hardware. After gaining the initial knowledge, going through blogs, and watching videos on installing or replacing a shower door, you may gather enough courage and feel the urge to go on a little DIY trip. If that’s the case, here are set-by-step and easy-to-follow instructions.
Can you Replace Shower Door Hardware?
Frameless shower doors got handles on each side. When you take out the end caps, the handle will move out, and you can put the replacement in place. The replacement part must be the same size as the old handle since the glass door has premade holes.
Before we continue, first, let us provide you the list of commonly used hardware on glass shower doors; this may vary in different models:
Here is a list of shower door hardware that you may need to replace.
- Rollers
- Hinges
- Shower Enclosure Handles
- Doorknobs
- Shower Door Seal
- Glass Door
Rollers are the First Shower Door Hardware You Need to Replace
When you decide to replace the rollers of the shower door, you first need to check and see which type of rollers your shower door uses. There are two different types: a flat edge and a round edge. The edge types are what will fit into the roller groove, so it’s essential to match the correct rollers to the kind that is going to be replaced for your shower door.
Hold the shower door and pull it off the track that it is attached to. Lift and pull outward to remove the shower door hardware from the door frame. With the shower door taken out from the shower door frame, take a screwdriver and remove the shower door rollers. Loosen the screw (it should be a Philips head or hex screw) and pull the roller off the shower door.
You need to place the replacement shower door rollers you just bought on the shower door and fasten them using the screwdriver. You have to make sure that the rollers are fastened nicely and securely to the shower door and are not loose or wobbling.
Now that the replacement shower door rollers are in place take the shower door and snap it back on its track in the shower door frame. It is essential to make sure that the rollers have contacted the shower door hardware and pull the door along the edge to ensure that it is in place. If you feel the door is not easy to slide, there might be the need to use spray lubricant in the track to ease the door’s movement in the frame. Ensure the shower door rollers you have installed are suitable for using a spray lubricant.
Hinges
Before ordering your glass shower door hardware, ensure that you order the correct type of hinge; there are various hinge styles that all have different hole/notch/cutout patterns and sizes.
Please be careful if you choose to do your own shower door hinge installations. Although most shower doors are made from clear tempered glass, which is a safety glass, it can still cause serious injury.
Tools you need for replacing shower door hardware:
- Wood Shims
- Standard Screw Driver
- P2 screwdriver or Allen Key
This task typically needs to be done by two people. First, remove the bottom sweep from the glass shower door and shim the door with the wood shims.
Then you need to remove the screws from the inside of the shower door hinge place. You will need help from another person to hold the hinges’ exterior. Remove the old gasket and the door hinges.
Install the new hinge the same way the old hinge came off. Don’t forget your gaskets and tighten the screws down.
At last, remove the shims and replace your bottom sweep. And the task is complete!
Shower Enclosure Handles
Both framed and frameless shower door handles need replacement and maintenance once in a while. The handle can either be on both sides or one side. To replace this glass shower door hardware, you will need to remove the end caps using pliers. After removing the end caps, the handle will come out, and you can install your replacement. Just ensure that your shower door hardware replacement is the same size as the old handle.
Shower Door Knobs
In this step of replacing glass shower door hardware, you need to grab the end caps of your shower door’s old handle and rotate the pliers counterclockwise. This will loosen the end caps.
Remove the end caps entirely while holding the handle with your free hand.
Clean the predrilled holes in the glass shower door attached to the handle. Use a clean cloth for light cleaning or a scouring pad if the entry has mineral build-up.
Slide the threaded ends of the new glass shower door hardware through the predrilled hole or holes in the glass door.
Thread the end cap or caps on by hand with a clockwise turn until they are flush with the glass door. Put a rag over the end cap and grab with the adjustable pliers. Check that the rag is between the teeth of the pliers and the finished surface of the end cap or caps before tightening. Give the end cap or caps a 1/4 to 1/2 turn to entirely pull them onto the threaded nipple of the handle.
Shower Door Seal
Replacing the shower door bottom seal is relatively easy. If you are going to replace more than one door seal hardware, replace the bottom one first:
Remove the old sweep or seal, and clean the glass edge of the door; you can use a glass-safe scraper to remove dirt and then wash it with a suitable glass cleaner.
Measure your new seal against the door frame of your shower door hardware. You can use cutting pliers to cut the hardware in your size.
One side of the bottom will have a lip that you should install facing the inside section of your shower.
Snap the shower sweep onto the bottom of the door and slide it into place.
Glass Shower Door Hardware
Removing the Previous Glass Door is the first step to any replacement is to get rid of the original piece. Shower doors are fragile and heavy, so it’s recommended to complete this with a trusted partner or a professional. Sliding shower doors can be taken off their track by tilting them up and out. You can remove the hinged glass shower door hardware with a screwdriver. Remove the side frames of the shower. Use a screwdriver to remove the jambs. Scrape away all excess caulk.
Steps to Install a Sliding Door:
Measure the base track to fit the specification of the shower’s threshold. Use a hacksaw to cut the path and use a file to smooth the newly roughened edge.
Put it on the threshold, and the fit should be bundled with the help of a tape measure check to see if it is centered.
Slide the strike rail onto the second jamb and hold the rail together as you line up the door with the track. Mark the positions of the holes and use an automatic pump to create divots. Drill 3/16-inch holes, tap plastic wall anchors in, and attach the jamb with screws, sliding the door into place.
Drill a ½-inch hole through the meeting point of the track and the vertical frame; use a screw to secure the two.
Follow the same steps used to attach the bottom track. Set and secure the top one.
Some rollers come separate from the tracks, and some come already attached. Regardless, it is worth noting that rollers for the inside door face inside the shower enclosure; rollers on the outside front outward.
Hang the inside first and slide it toward the wall with the showerhead. Hang the outer one and make sure both glide freely.
Seal your work with caulk around the inside and outside of the base track and jambs; smooth the caulking with a putty knife.
Attach the handles to complete your installation. Sliding doors tend to have long, horizontal handles. Your kit should include the necessary materials.
Attach the handles. Your kit should include the necessary materials for installing a pull handle.
Steps to Install a Hinged Door:
Measure the base track to meet the specification of the shower’s threshold. Cut it with a hacksaw and use a file to smooth the newly roughened edge.
Set the track on the threshold—the fit should be snug—and use a tape measure to check that it is centered.
Place it in the base track and against the shower opening, and mark the position for the screw holes. An automatic punch can be used to create divots for the screws.
Use a 3/16-inch drill bit to drill holes where you made the divots.
Tap plastic wall anchors into the drill holes with a rubber mallet; align and position the jamb using a 1 ½-inch-pan-head screw for each hole.
Make sure the hinge rail is positioned as you slip it into the jamb. As a partner holds the door in place, use a 7/32-inch drill bit to drill four holes through the hinge rail and mounted frame. Use ½-in-pan-head screws to hang it.
Slide the strike rail onto the second one and hold the shower door frame together as you line up the door with the track. Mark the positions of the screw holes and use an automatic pump to create divots. Drill 3/16-inch holes, tap plastic wall anchors in, and attach the jamb with screws, sliding the door into place.
Drill a ½-inch hole through the meeting point of the track and the vertical frame; use a screw to secure the two.
Cut the drip rail to specification and file the edge smooth. Use pliers to crimp the ends together and position the vinyl sweep down. Drill 7/32-inch holes along with the frame—make sure not to hit the glass—as you hold the drip rail against the door. ½-inch screws can be used to attach to the floor.
Seal your work with caulk around the inside and outside of the base track and jambs; smooth the caulking with a putty knife.
Attach the handles. Your kit should include the necessary materials for installing a pull handle.
