If you have a glass shower screen or framed glass or perspex screen then one of the most important functional parts is the shower screen seal. It is a vital part of the screen as it prevents water from running and leaking out from the shower and getting onto the floor. When looking to replace the seal, you can either buy a direct replacement or use a type of universal sealing kit.
If your screen is old, unusual or bespoke made it may be difficult to find replacement shower screen seals and so you will probably need to look at manufacturing your own from a sealing kit. This is a lot easier than it sounds. First of all you need to measure the gap at the bottom of the screen. Most kits usually come in two sizes, one to fill gaps up to 8mm and another to fill gaps from 8mm to 18mm. The seal comes as a long strip which needs to be cut to the same size as the width of the shower screen. A silicone adhesive is then applied along the serrated edge of the screen seal. The seal then needs to be carefully placed along the bottom edge of the screen so that the lower edge of the seal sits on the bath. This is a simple but very effective method.
These kits often come in white and translucent colors, are very long lasting and pretty much maintenance free. Installation only takes around ten minutes and does not require any special tools. One bit of advice is to make sure the sealant has anti-fungal properties to inhibit the growth of mildew or mold. These kits are usually sold for around $15 to $25 (£14 to £20).
Some common questions about this type of seal are:
Will it fit a curved screen? – Absolutely. The silicone and sealing strip are flexible and will form a nice curved shower screen seal quite easily.
Does the thickness of the shower screen matter? – No. The seal is being stuck onto one side of the screen and so the thickness does not matter.
Which side of the screen should the seal be fitted on? – It can go on either side although many people tend to go for the outer side.
Can the sealant be used on a metal framed screen? – Yes – usually. The seal will often adhere to a metal frame around the screen but check manufacturers instructions.
As with all these types of products it is worthwhile reading and checking the instructions to make sure it will work on your particular screen.
The next option is to buy a glass shower screen seal that slides onto the bottom of the screen. For this you would again need to know the size of the gap at the bottom of the screen. This is more crucial than with the stick on method as there is no room to move the seal up or down. The seal is cut to the length you require, which will be the width of the screen and simply slides onto the bottom of the shower screen. These types of shower screens seals have small serrations on the inside which grip onto the bottom of the glass screen. They can be used on both straight and curved screens with ease. The designs of these strips, i.e. the sealing element, varies slightly depending on whether the seal is to be made between the glass and the floor, glass and a wall or glass and the bath.
If your shower screen rubber seal is a removable type that slides in and out and is not too out of date, then it is often possible to buy a replacement and simply slide the new one in. The key is to find the right one as they do come in different sizes and shapes. If you know the manufacturer of the screen, that will help. If not, you need to slide your old seal out and look at the shape of the cross section profile. You will need to buy a seal that matches the same profile as the one you already have in place. The most convenient way to do this is to go to the online plumbing supply companies whom often stock many of the different types of seals. By searching through the makes and different profiles you should be able to find a shower screen seal that suits.