For decades, glass shower enclosures came with frames and rollers to open and shut smoothly, and remain properly supported. Over the last 15 years, with the introduction of frameless shower doors becoming more and more popular, anchoring issues can arise when drilling into certain tile substrates — especially glass tile.
While every tile requires slow drilling to prevent cracks, glass tiles are particularly prone to cracking when being drilled no matter how much care is exercised, and no matter what type of drill bit is being used. It’s certainly more reliable to drill a loose glass tile on a drill press, and then attach it to the wall. But this technique won’t prevent the damage that can occur after the shower door is installed, and anchored into the tile with screws.
If you’re lucky enough to drill glass tiles without cracking them, the weight of a heavy glass door hanging on those screws puts a lot of stress on the tiles. If they don’t break immediately, it is very likely that the repeated opening and closing of the shower door will eventually crack those tiles. In addition to cracking the tiles, it is very likely that the screws and anchors will come loose as well, resulting in the door dropping. Although you may not mind the look of a couple small cracks in your tiles, the safety issues aren’t worth the risk.
Luckily, there are some options if you have your heart set on the popular glass tiles of today if you’re willing to replace the tiles along the hinge line of the door. Plan on adding a vertical accent strip of either porcelain or ceramic tile where the hinges will sit to give it plenty of support. You won’t be giving up on the beauty of a glass tile shower, as the remaining balance will still be glass tile with only a small accent strip of the other more durable tile substrate along the hinge line. If you’re doing a full renovation, it is always a good idea to premeditate where your hinges will be placed, and be sure to have a wood stud installed along the hinge line to ensure proper stability and support for your new shower enclosure.
