When planning a bathroom upgrade, choosing the right shower door is one of the most important design and functionality decisions you’ll make. Two of the most popular options are pivot glass shower doors and sliding glass shower doors. Each offers unique benefits depending on your bathroom’s layout, size, and style. Pivot vs sliding glass doors: which one should you choose? We’ll break it down in this post.
What is a Pivot Glass Shower Door
A pivot shower door, sometimes called a hinged shower door, swings open on sturdy pivot hinges mounted at the top and bottom of the glass. These doors provide a wide entryway and a sleek, minimalist aesthetic that suits modern bathrooms.
Key hardware components include:
Pivot hinges
Sturdy handles and knobs
Seals and channels for water management
Advantages of Pivot Shower Doors:
Wide entry space for easy access
Clean, frameless appearance that complements luxury bathrooms
Highly durable hardware with long-lasting performance
Potential Drawbacks:
Requires floor space to swing open
Not ideal for smaller bathrooms where clearance is limited
What is a Sliding Glass Shower Door?
A sliding shower door, also known as a bypass shower door, operates by gliding smoothly along a track. Typically, two glass panels overlap, allowing the door to slide open without swinging outward or inward.
Key hardware components include:
Rollers and smooth-operating track
Guide rails
Low-profile handles or pulls
Advantages of Sliding Shower Doors:
Excellent space saver for smaller bathrooms
Modern and contemporary look
Easy to use, even in tight layouts
Potential Drawbacks:
Entry opening is smaller than a pivot door
Tracks and rollers require periodic cleaning and maintenance
How to Choose the Right Shower Door for Your Bathroom
The choice between pivot and sliding doors often comes down to your bathroom size and design goals:
Small Bathrooms → Sliding doors maximize space and allow easier movement
Large Bathrooms → Pivot doors offer a luxurious, spa-like entrance
Style Preferences → Pivot doors appeal to minimalists and design-driven homeowners, while sliding doors balance modern style with practicality
Users → Families and households with limited bathroom space may prefer sliding doors, while those looking for a bold statement piece might gravitate toward pivot systems
Why Hardware Quality Matters
No matter which option you choose, the hardware makes all the difference. Precision-engineered hinges, durable rollers, and corrosion-resistant materials like 316 stainless steel ensure your shower door operates smoothly for years.
At J.R.E. Hardware, we supply both pivot and sliding shower door systems designed to perform beautifully in residential and commercial projects. Whether you’re a contractor, designer, or homeowner, our products are built to last.
Both pivot and sliding glass shower doors are excellent choices, but the right option depends on your bathroom’s size, layout, and style. Pivot doors deliver wide access and a luxury look, while sliding doors save space and provide practical functionality.
J.R.E. Hardware is excited to announce the newest addition to our product lineup – a stylish brass finished bathroom accessory set from our Kennedy line.
Offering classic design and durability, the Kennedy line is one of our most popular products and will help elevate the style of any space. Created from durable stainless steel and finished in a modern matte brass finish, this set includes a strong towel bar, a sleek toilet paper holder, a stylish hand towel holder, and a multi-purpose robe hook. This practical and easy to install set will offer a cohesive look throughout your washroom.
Brass has seen a huge increase in popularity in the interior design world in the last few years.
Its warm and luxurious vibe adds a touch of elegance to any bathroom, whether it’s a cozy powder room or a grand primary bath. It can elevate the aesthetics of the entire room and add a sense of sophistication. Known for its timeless appeal, brass ensures lasting elegance in any setting. We use high-quality materials to ensure our products are durable, reliable, and able to stand up to daily bathroom use. Maintenance is a breeze, with only the occasional soft cloth cleaning needed to keep up their beautiful gleam.
With endless styling options, our brass-finished accessories allow you to tailor your bathroom to reflect your unique taste and style preferences. Consider pairing them with crisp white tiles and luxurious marble countertops for timeless appeal and classic elegance. For a bold statement with a touch of drama contrast the brass against dark-colored walls or rich wood finishes. If you’re feeling adventurous, mix in other metallic accents such as chrome or brushed nickel for an eclectic yet harmonious design.
Ready to transform your bathroom?
Now is the perfect time to upgrade with 25% off retail prices on all our bathroom accessory sets until the end of May 2024. We also have frameless mirrors, medicine cabinets, and matte black shower hardware all in stock to make your bathroom update a breeze.
In today’s construction & renovation world, frameless glass showers are one of the leading trends. The reason is clear – no pun intended. By using frameless glass shower enclosures, the footprint of the shower appears to be minimized, the materials are durable yet sleek, and the design remains classic and in-style for many years optimizing the money you put into the upgrade.
There are many styles of glass shower systems out there to choose from and J.R.E. Hardware offers two systems that can quickly update any bathroom: frameless which utilizes clips, clamps and hinges to securely mount the glass, and our glass door roller system which utilizes a track & dual rollers to hang the shower glass. We stock the hardware, can assist with glass ordering & delivery and can get you in touch with one of our preferred installers. We are proud to work with many reputable glass suppliers and manufacturers who have installed hundreds of frameless shower systems.
One of the main reasons that frameless showers are used is because, as mentioned, the clean look provides an open feel where you can showcase tile and stone work creating a feature look in your bathroom. This style of shower enclosure will be the more expensive of the designs available due to the glass required – which is generally about 10mm – 12mm clear tempered. JRE Hardware’s line of shower hardware offers a variety of styles and finishes in stainless steel or brass.
Glass Door Roller Systems:
JRE Hardware is pleased to offer this system as a complete shower kit; rollers, header support track, door stoppers and guide. This system is perfect for any do-it-yourselfer who is looking to update their current tub/shower enclosure or for use in a brand new build shower enclosure. View our full shower catalogue HERE and visit our contact page HERE to send us a message and start planning your frameless glass shower project today.
