Frameless Shower Seals

Seals are the consumable part of a frameless shower. The glass will last decades and the hinges will outlive most bathrooms, but seals harden, shrink and split with exposure to heat, water and cleaning products. If a shower that used to be watertight has started letting water onto the floor, the seals are almost always the cause, and replacing them is the cheapest fix in the bathroom.

There are three types and they do different jobs. Bottom seals run along the base of the door and stop water escaping underneath. Side seals close the vertical gap where the door meets a fixed panel or the wall. Glass to glass connector seals join two panels at a corner or in line. Most frameless showers use at least two of these, and it is worth replacing all of them at once since they will have aged at the same rate.

Profile selection depends on the gap you are closing and how the door sits. Tetra, Hydra, Locke and Flap each suit different configurations, and using the wrong profile will either leave a gap or make the door bind. The Flick profile deserves a mention: its angled fin actively deflects water back into the enclosure as the door swings, which makes it particularly effective on doors that get opened while the shower is still running.

Before ordering, measure two things. Glass thickness, which will be 8mm or 10mm, and the length you need. Seals are supplied in standard lengths and trimmed to fit on site, so order the next size up rather than the next size down.

If you are unsure which profile you have, photograph the existing seal end-on and send it through.