Whether you are upgrading your current shower door, or just installing new ones into your bathroom, you have to choose the right shower glass.
Not only do they enhance the aesthetics of your washroom, but also they come very necessary to keep your washroom clean.
So finding the right glass is very important. You’ll find many articles online about different types of shower glass, but you won’t find one as elaborate and decisive as our 3/8” vs. 5/16” shower glass comparison.
So, let’s get right in.
A Quick Comparison Table
Before we dive into the details, let us first compare the two types of shower glasses doors in the chart below:
| Criterion | 3/8” | 5/16” |
| Frame | No Frame | Frame is Present |
| Cost | More Expensive | Costs Less |
| Installation | Harder | Easier |
| Cleaning | Easier | Harder |
| Rust | Less Prone to Rusting | More Prone to Rusting |
| Replacement | Harder to replace | More difficult to replace |
| Style | Contemporary | Vintage |
Differences Between 3/8” And 5/16” Shower Glass Sizes
- Frames
In the market, you will find both shower glasses that have frames, and ones that are frameless.
Which type you will choose will be up to your preferences.
Frameless glasses have a modern outlook, although they are not the trend anymore.
The ⅜” shower glasses do not have any frames, whereas there are frames available in the 5/16” shower glasses.
This is why you will find a lot of contemporary homes with ⅜” glass, while homes designed long ago have 5/16” glasses. The presence and absence of frames play a pivotal role in the traits of the glass.
- Cost
When it comes to price, frameless shower doors cost more than framed shower doors. This is mainly down to two reasons –
It is much more difficult to install frameless shower doors than it is to install framed shower doors. Secondly, frameless doors are made from thicker tempered glass; thus it makes them more expensive than framed doors.
So due to this, the ⅜” shower doors are much more expensive than 5/16” shower doors.
- Ease of Installation
As we have just mentioned, the ⅜” shower door is more difficult to install than the 5/16”. The difficulty of installation depends on two factors:
- Weights
- Attachments
When it comes to weights, frameless shower doors weigh a lot more than framed shower doors. The weight of the frameless glass is more as it is thicker than the framed ones.
Frameless glasses have to be thicker in order for them to be able to withstand the absence of frames.
Furthermore, the frameless doors are attached to the bathroom walls using various types of clips.
This makes it challenging to install because the glass has to be put into place accurately so that the clips can be put in place alongside.
Besides that, since the glass is heavy, you have to put the clips in the right place. Otherwise, the weight will not be distributed correctly, and the glass can start to sag.
On the contrary, the weight of 5/16” glasses is lighter. The weight is evenly distributed, thus it is easier to attach their frame to the walls and floor.
Approximately, it might take you twice the time to install a ⅜” than to install a 5/16”.
- Replacing the Glass
Both the ⅜” and the 5/16” glasses are made of tempered glass. Even though tempered glass is very durable, it does not mean that it will never wane.
Cracks or breakage might ruin the quality of the glass. Under such circumstances, it becomes essential to replace the glass.
Replacing a 5/16” is much easier than it is to replace ⅜”. This is primarily down to the connected panels which are held together by silicone.
The frameless door also comes with mounting clips and other attachments. You have to replace those too if you are replacing the glass itself.
All of these factors combined make it difficult to replace the ⅜” in comparison to the 5/16”.
- Potential for Rusting
The 5/16” is much more susceptible to rusting than the ⅜” shower glass. One of the key reasons behind this is the presence of the metal frame.
However, this does not mean that the ⅜” cannot rust. There are several clips and attachments on the glass body that raise the potential for rust.
The positive aspect is that the size of these attached pieces is very small. This makes the propensity of rusting a lot lower.
- Cleaning the Frame
The ⅜” is much easier to clean than the 5/16”. This is primarily down to the absence of the frame.
Because of the frame, there are a lot of intricate places that are difficult to reach, thus there is the potential of places remaining untouched when it comes to cleaning.
- Aesthetics
As we have already mentioned, the ⅜’ has become really popular in contemporary times. On the flip side, the 5/16” is preferred by people who want to give a vintage look to their washroom.
The frameless doors are less noticeable, so they are very apt for smaller bathrooms. If your bathroom is bigger, or if you want a vintage decor style, you should go for the 5/16”.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are a few frequently asked questions and our answers to them for your clarification.
There are two main types of glass for shower doors: Tampered and Laminated. These days, most professionals use Tampered glass because of its high durability.
These days, ⅜” is the most popular when it comes to the thickness of shower glass. It is solid and lighter than most other dimensions.
Yes, ⅜” is too thin, and flimsy for shower doors.
½’’ shower doors are thicker and heavier than ⅜”.
Final Words
At the end of the day, which type of glass you will purchase is entirely on your preference. Before you buy anything, properly assess the condition of your washroom to see what fits it the best.
As shower glasses are expensive materials, and installing them is rather difficult, you ought to do it once rather than having to do them over and over again.
We hope our 3/8” vs. 5/16” shower glass comparison will help you in your pursuit of finding the right type of glass for your washroom. Best wishes!