Swinging, Sliding, or Pivot Shower Doors, What’s the Difference?

When planning your bathroom remodel or shower door replacement, you’ll need to know the difference between sliding, swinging, and pivot shower doors. All three of these types of glass shower doors can be beautiful and bring an updated fresh look to your bathroom. Choosing between the different types of shower doors comes down to functionality and style preference. To help you choose the best option for your bathroom, here are the differences between pivot doors, sliding doors, and swinging doors for your shower.

Pivot Shower Doors

The primary difference between a glass pivot shower door and a hinged door is that, as the name suggests, pivot doors are opened and closed by rotating on a pivot. They swing similarly to a hinged door, but because the pivot point is not at the end edge of the door, they reduce the distance that the door intrudes into the rest of the bathroom when it’s opened. This makes the pivot shower door a great option for a small bathroom or spaces where a traditional door may be obstructed by other fixtures. Like other glass shower doors, pivot shower doors are available in a variety of beautiful glass textures including clear, obscure, rain, and narrow reed, and are an excellent choice for a fresh new look in your bathroom.

Sliding Shower Doors 

Sliding shower doors traditionally slide horizontally on a track. Modern sliding glass shower doors are available in many styles, including barn door style sliding shower doors. These beautiful shower doors are an excellent option for tub and shower combinations, or for free-standing showers where there is not enough space to allow for a shower door that swings open like a hinged or pivot shower door.

Swinging Shower Doors

Hinged swinging shower doors have two robust hinges on the vertical edge of the glass door near the top and the bottom. Typically, hinged doors open out at least 90 degrees creating a more expansive space inside the shower enclosure. Because the hinges are located discretely on the side edge of the door, heavy glass swinging shower doors offer a frameless appeal and a seamless look that can be especially conducive to a modern aesthetic.

At Dick’s Rancho Glass we have many years of glass design and installation experience and are happy to serve homeowners throughout the Sacramento Area. Along with our beautiful custom glass shower enclosures and doors, we offer shower door options from Wardrobe and Bath Specialties and HMI Cardinal. Our expert glass design team can work with you to select a stunning new glass shower door that suits your style, space, and budget. To begin exploring your shower door options, check out our shower gallery, Click here to contact us, give us a call, or visit one of our two glass showrooms in the Sacramento region:

Dick’s Rancho Glass Sacramento at 2900 ROUTIER ROAD

 Or call us at (916)363-6554

 Dick’s Rancho Glass Fair Oaks at 5349 SAN JUAN AVE.

 Or call us at (916)863-2500

~ At Dick’s Rancho Glass our versatility and pride in craftsmanship are keys to our success. Our excellent reputation has been built on the foundations of quality, reliability, and maintaining a dedicated staff. ~