Anchoring a frameless shower door over porcelain tile

I purchased a dreamline frameless glass shower door (3/8" thick) and am trying to hang it on an existing porcelain tile (shiny type of tile) shower stall. it is on a 46" wide opening so there is a fixed panel about 22" wide and 72" tall and a pivoting door about 24" wide and 72" tall. Each piece weighs about 80 lbs give or take.

The door hinge placement is about 2" over from the nearest stud, and to complicate matters the wall is a townhome party/fire wall with metal studs instead of wood presumably.

The instructions call for screwing directly into wood studs behind the drywall and tile drilling 5/16 holes thru the tile. However a tech told me if it was close to a beam toggle wall anchors would suffice.

Thinking thru this many times over I am less than optimistic wall anchors will work, and they require drilling enormous 3/4" holes in the tile.

The other option is to cut a hole on the drywall above the tile and drop in a piece of 2x4 coated with liquid nails to secure it to the drywall. I would drill a hole thru the tile and use a woodscrew to pull the 2x4 tight against the drywall while the glue sets.

If I use the toggles the 3/4" hole will lead to an verticle offset for the hinge placement so I would have to compensate by drilling the holes a little higher.

Has anyone done this type of install before? Will toggles work without cracking the tile? Or do I need to do drywall surgery and try to insert a wooden beam?

 

Are you considering re-doing the tile? This would be a good excuse for a remodel. Heavy glass is something I've always planned for prior to make sure there was framing in place to secure it and I've either worked the tile spacing so you can go through the grout joints.

I don't like the toggle bolt or any idea supporting the glass off the wall board since you probably have no idea how well it was attached. Any flexing in the wall may cause a crack. Do you have replacement tile in case they break or crack when you're drilling holes? I have run into one porcelain tile that was nearly indestructible and almost impossible to drill while others drill rather easily and unfortunately also crack easily.

 

Are you sure that the tile is on Drywall as opposed to cement board? Look under the shower handle trim plate and see if is is drywall or not. If drywall, then a thin layer of paper is all that holds the tile to the wall. Would prefer to see cement board.

Carpet layers use a chemical to adhere tack strips to cement that is strong enough to stretch a carpet against. It also is a bear to remove. I would like to see some of this under the hinge. Called Chemrex, comes in a tube like caulk. Apply, spritz with water to activate and 2 hours later you need a chisel to remove it. Look for carpet supply stores or ask a flooring wholesalers. Box stores will only give you the deer in the headlights look. Chemrex plus lead anchors sized perfectly to holes and screws. Put up the hinges first, let all set up and hand the glass the next day.

 

Unless you toe nail that 2 x 4 or anchor it some how to the existing framing it won't do much good. Constant swinging of that door over the years will surely work itself loose.

Cizzi idea sounds like it might work but only if you have cement board as discussed. The toggle bolts might work also but I would get the biggest available. A sliding door would've been a better choice. Can you exchange it?

 

Unless you toe nail that 2 x 4 or anchor it some how to the existing framing it won't do much good. Constant swinging of that door over the years will surely work itself loose.


Since it is a metal stud I would have to use screws from the opposite side of the metal stud in to the 2x4. Puting screws in at an angle it would probably shift it away from the drywall. First glue it, let it set, then go with the screws?

 

Yes,I forgot you said you had metal studs.

Before you do anything do a Google search on metal stud systems. You might find accessories or add-ons that might help you along. I never worked with the metal studs so I can't say to much.

 

Well it turns out the framing is not metal. So I stabilized the drywall with about a dozen drywall screws along the tile edge into the framing. I used 1/8" toggle bolts to hang the door, which required a 3/8" hole. Drilling porcelian tile was very easy with the proper bit and a spray bottle.

To improve the support, Lowes carries a 3/8" x 1/2" nylon sleve that I used over the screw to help center the toggle and distribute the weight better.

For now that is all she wrote.

If I see any signs of sagging or cracking I guess I will get the tile guy in to take out that section of tile and add framing and backing board.