Measure the doorways leading up to your bathroom to ensure you can carry the shower door through your house without damaging the glass. Make sure there is room to turn your shower door if necessary.
What You Will Need
- At least two people
- Tape measure
- Pen and paper
- Level
Step 1: Make a Sketch of Your Shower
With your pen and paper, sketch a small diagram of your shower. Use this visual reference to label your measurements.
Tip!
Take each measurement twice, and if your numbers differ, go with the larger one. Always round to the nearest 1/16ʺ for accuracy. If you opt for a custom shower door, knowing precisely how to measure for a glass shower door is even more essential.
Step 2: Measure the Width
Using your tape measure, measure the width of your shower from one side of the wall to the other. Measure the width in three spots – along the base, middle, and top. See Image 1.
If you have a neo-angle shower, measure the width in sections along the base of the shower pan. See Image 2.
Step 3: Check if the Walls Are Plumb
Older homes or showers may not have walls that are perfectly straight. If your wall is plumb, meaning straight up and down, you should have a worry-free shower door installation. If your walls are not plumb, you should seek the help of a professional when installing your shower door.
To check if your shower walls are plumb, place your level flat against each shower wall. Look at the bubble on the level and see if it is centered between the two indication lines. If the bubble is centered, the wall is plumb. If the bubble is not centered, angle the level away from the wall until it is. Holding the level in this position, mark the distance between the wall and the level on your measurement sheet. Share these measurements with the professional who will be installing your shower door. Do this at the bottom and top of each wall to ensure they are plumb all the way up. See Image 3 below.
Step 4: Measure the Height
Measure the distance from the base of your shower to its top. If your shower door will rest on a threshold, have your measurement begin at the top of this “base.” See Image 4. If your desired shower door size is shorter than your shower’s overall height, only measure up to this point. See Image 5.
Step 5: Measure the Opening
If your new shower door will be the same style as your current door, measure the width of the current door and use that measurement as a reference. If your new door will sit over a section of the threshold that you have previously measured, use this width. See Image 6. If your shower door will be smaller than your threshold’s width, measure your desired width. An example would be a fixed shower door that only covers three-fourths of your threshold’s overall width. See Image 7.
If your new door will swing outward (hinged, pivot, or folding doors), take your tape measure and make it the desired width of your shower door, then place one end of the tape measure where the door’s hinge would be. Holding it in place, pull the tape measure in a semicircular motion. This will determine if there is sufficient room for it to open without hitting a wall, door, or vanity. See Image 8.
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