When you move into a rented apartment, you can usually not decide for yourself whether your shower cubicle should be made of glass or plastic. A shower cubicle is often already available when you move in, and until the 1990s plastic was almost exclusively used for its manufacture. However, if you want to upgrade your bathroom or even plan a completely new bathroom for your own house, it is worth taking a look at the advantages and disadvantages of glass or plastic in the shower stall. You can get a simple overview in our guide. To see stylish kitchen murals, please check necessaryhome.
A plastic shower stall is the cheaper choice
If your shower stall is made of plastic, you are usually dealing with Plexiglas. This material is also called “acrylic glass” or “artificial glass”, but should not be confused with real glass. In contrast to the glass used in shower stalls, plastic is significantly lighter and cheaper. Due to the low weight, shower cubicles made of plastic can be glued and usually do not need high-quality hinges – which also affects the price.
However, the plastic in shower stalls has one major disadvantage compared to glass: it is sensitive to various ingredients (e.g. acetone or alcohol) that cleaning agents may contain. Also, be careful with the cleaners you use on the rest of your bathroom furniture —such ingredients can cause cracks or even breakage in the plastic over time.
Overall, scratches can hardly be avoided with plastic, at least if the shower is used frequently. So you have to expect that a shower cubicle made of plastic will look dull and milky after a few years.
Tip: Choose textured plexiglass so scratches are less noticeable. However, the inside of your shower stall should be smooth for easy cleaning and less soap scum buildup.
A glass shower cubicle looks classy and aesthetic
glass in the bathroom? If you’re one of those people who tend to slip in the bathroom, the thought might not seem so appealing to you. In fact, glass shower stalls are very safe because the glass is processed in such a way that it crumbles into countless small crumbs if it breaks. These have no sharp edges, so there is hardly any risk of injury. Glass and plastic are therefore equivalent for shower cubicles in terms of safety and therefore both are suitable for a child- proof apartment , for example .
Tip: If you occasionally lose your balance in the shower, glass may even be a better choice for your shower stall. It is usually sturdier and less likely to break than plastic.
Compared to a plastic shower stall, a glass stall is heavier and usually more expensive. On the other hand, the material is more durable and still looks like new years later. However, you should also clean your glass shower cubicle regularly – but on the other hand you don’t have to pay as much attention to the ingredients as you do with plastic.
Overall, glass is much more resistant to scratches. It is also available in different strengths, so you can influence the stability.
This is how you decide whether your shower cubicle should be made of glass or plastic
The following criteria will help you to choose between glass and plastic.
- Frequency of use: If your shower stall is used frequently, opt for glass instead. In a guest apartment that is rarely used, plastic is completely sufficient.
- Rental period: If the shower is installed in an apartment where you expect to live for a longer period, glass is the better choice. However, if you are only moving in temporarily, plastic is cheaper.
- Cleaning: If you like cleaning and do it often, your plastic shower cubicle can look good for a long time. Glass, on the other hand, is also suitable if you find cleaning in the bathroom rather tiring.
- Bathroom furniture: To a superior equipment with high-quality mirror cabinet and elegant Glass shower cubicles usually fit bathroom shelves better than plastic ones.
Regardless of whether your shower cubicle is made of glass or plastic, you can create a more or less pronounced privacy screen with the help of tints and structures. Also make sure to always use a suitable cleaner – especially if you want to remove limescale from your plastic shower stall. Harsh, intensive cleaning agents are generally not suitable for this.
One last tip for those who don’t like cleaning: maybe a shower with a corner entry would fit in your bathroom? Then you only have to clean two shower walls – and the tiles on the bathroom walls are usually much easier to clean.
