What is a shower sweep and do I need one for my frameless shower door?
When your frameless swing or pivot shower door is installed, we need to leave clearance space between the bottom of the door and the floor so that the door can swing open without scraping tile. A water sweep is used to prevent water leaking through that clearance space.
For frameless shower doors, the water sweep is attached to a clear rail or aluminum U-channel rail that fits over the bottom of the door. The flexible or vinyl sweep hangs down off the rail to seal the shower door clearance gap, as shown in this picture.
If a frameless shower door will receive water spray, a combination water sweep with drip rail should be used under the door. The drip rail attaches to the top of the inner U-channel to deflect water rolling off the inside door.
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| Shower Sweep | Water Sweep |
You may not need a water sweep for your frameless shower door if:
- The doorway of your shower is elevated with tile work.
- The floor of your shower slants away from your door and the frameless shower door is not within reach of the showerhead spray
- You're installing a European wet room
Keywords: shower sweep, door sweep, water sweep, water wipe, vinyl wipe
More Questions Popular questions in other categories.
- What is the difference between 3/8-inch thick frameless shower glass and 1/2-inch thick frameless shower glass?
- Which glass styles can I choose for a frameless shower door?
- What's the difference between a pivot hinge and a side-mount hinge?
- What Is Tempered Shower Glass?
- What are U-channels and how are these used for frameless showers?
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