comments:
Another suggestion: go shower curtains and low-lip shower install. And, save money with a fiberglass or porcelain shower insert. Tile unnecessary. Easier to clean, easier to waterproof, save the money. As others suggest, get sturdy grab bars. I removed our old, grungy glass shower doors. Hated them, they were very heavy and clanged a lot. Definitely was work removing and carrying the doors out, removing all the old silicone caulk, repairing screw holes in the tiles, replacing caulk along the shower floor. If anyone cares, we filled the holes using Milliput Superfine White, a two-part self-hardening epoxy putty. Fantastic product, totally waterproof, harder than porcelain tile when you mix it thoroughly (we kneaded it for five minutes continuously). Just be sure to smooth it out immediately and properly, because this stuff turns into a hard rock after a full cure. Replaced doors with a simple tension rod and an extra-long 84-inch fabric shower curtain. (You could go even longer if your bathroom has very tall walls). Was immediately happy with it. First, it looks fantastic using white, because the curtain sits very high, much higher than typical glass shower doors/panels (which would be simply too heavy at seven feet, or even eight or nine feet of glass for most installs using sheetrock anchors behind tile). This gives the appearance of a much larger shower, and a uniform solid white appearance conceals all the crap in the shower. It's modern and clean. And, none of the inevitable grunge and cloudiness that develops on shower glass, and especially the shower door tracks, which are disgusting. So, so much easier to maintain. We've found the traditional curtain much safer and more desirable. First, there is much more room in the shower. No longer confined by solid glass panels, no longer banging into them, don't even have to think about them when showering. Second, much more room to get in and out of the shower, like a lot more. Instead of glass panels blocking 50% of the shower ingress and egress, the shower curtain fully opens, giving you maximum room to maneuver. Third, no longer a shower door crossbar or crossmember track at or near your head, which I always bang into in other homes, hotels, etc. Now, the shower rod sits seven feet high, never even have to think about it, impossible to strike head. Fourth, no glass panels to break or shatter, which was always a concern. Finally, if you want a brand new shower curtain or a different look, the replacement cost is negligible, fast food lunch costs more, and replacement time is three minutes after acquiring your new curtain.