How to Adjust Frameless Shower Doors

Many people have difficulty with frameless shower doors sticking or fitting poorly. If the door is new the most common reason for these problems is that the frames or floors that are not square or level. Most pre-made frameless doors are adjustable to about ½ inch, which helps if you have slightly uneven walls. Frameless shower doors give a bathroom a modern and uncluttered look that oozes style.

Step 1 – Discover Where the Problem Lies

Take the square and check whether the frame of the shower is square. If the frame is too out of plumb, the only fix is to use a different door, or to take off the tiles and remake it to fit. If the frame is only a small way out, you can adjust the door to fit it, or adjust the clamps. 

Is the floor even? Again, you may need to redo the flooring if you really want to have a frameless door. If the glass door has only lately started to bump as it swings, it is likely that the clamps have worked slightly loose.

Step 2 – Adjust the Door

Most shower door companies will charge you around $50 to come and adjust the door, but it is a simple job you can do yourself, especially as some doors need to be adjusted more than once a year. Open the door slightly and place the wedges under it so the weight is supported. The clamps are usually tightened to the glass with Phillips head screwdrivers. Loosen the top hinge, and the bottom one if the glass is not snug against it. Press the door back against the hinge until it is snug. 

Step 3 – Tighten the Hinge Clamp

Before you tighten the hinge clamp, squeeze some locktite under it before tightening the screws. If necessary, remove the hinge to allow you to apply the locktite.  Recheck that the door fits without a gap and clean up any excess sealer. After the locktite has dried, you can remove the wedges and test the door. 

Step 4 – Install a Third Hinge

If you find that your door needs adjusting often, you may find that adding a third hinge in the middle will fix the problem. 

Step 5 – Adjust the Catch

Sometimes it is the catch that needs adjusting. This is even easier than adjusting the door itself. The catch is usually held on with a couple of screws. If you loosen these screws you can adjust it so there is a little resistance to closing and opening. Depending on the type of catch, you might need to add a bit of lubrication to it so it stops sticking. A magnetic catch will probably just need adjusting up or down. 

If the door has had a hard knock and the hinge has been damaged or twisted, you may need to buy a new door assembly, or install new hinges. If your frameless door runs on a rail, you should check to see that the rail is not bent or filled with hair, scum, or the like.