Custom arched-top frameless shower door installed in Mississauga

This custom arched-top frameless shower door was installed in a master ensuite in Mississauga. Its radiused top edge was CNC water-jet cut and contoured to the curved tile ceiling, which makes the enclosure a truly bespoke part of the room. The specialty glass geometry was templated before fabrication. If you are designing a custom bathroom in Mississauga or Oakville with curves of its own, this guide explains how arched shower glass is planned.

When an arched top makes sense

An arched top is usually a response to the architecture rather than a decoration on its own. It suits a shower that sits under a curved or barrel ceiling, an arched alcove, or a room where curves already appear in mirrors, niches or doorways. When the glass repeats a curve that is already there, the enclosure looks like part of the build. When nothing else in the room is curved, an arch can feel out of place, and a straight top is often the calmer choice.

It also helps to decide how far the glass should go. Glass that follows the ceiling curve closely encloses more of the shower and gives the strongest architectural effect. Stopping the glass with a straight top below the curve leaves an open band above it, which lets moist air move out of the shower more freely. Talk through which matters more to you before the design is fixed.

Why curves are templated, not just measured

A rectangular door can be described with a width, a height and a few angles. A curve cannot. The radius of a tiled ceiling is rarely perfectly uniform, and small differences that are invisible on their own become obvious when a crisp glass edge sits right next to them. That is why curved shower glass is templated: the shape of the finished opening is recorded, and the glass is cut to match it.

The cutting has to happen before the glass is tempered, because tempered glass cannot be cut or trimmed afterwards. The shape is cut, the edges are finished, and only then is the panel tempered. This is the main reason the measurement must be taken after the tile is complete. Once the glass is tempered, there is no adjusting the curve on site.

Coordinating with the tile work

Arched glass depends on the tile more than any other shower style. Before the measurement, make sure that:

• all tile on the ceiling, walls and curb is finished, including grout;
• the curved edge where the glass will meet the ceiling is as smooth and consistent as possible;
• the wall where the hinges will land has solid backing behind the tile;
• niches, benches, valves and shower heads are in their final positions.

If your tile installer knows from the start that glass will follow the curve, they can give that line extra care. It is much easier to plan a clean, even edge than to correct an uneven one after the tile is set. A short conversation between the designer, the tile installer and the glass installer early in the project saves a lot of rework later.

Glass and hinges for a custom door

Lux Glass builds shower enclosures in 10mm or 12mm tempered safety glass made to CAN/CGSB-12.1. Clear tempered glass is standard. Low-iron (Starphire) glass is available on request for a more neutral look that can suit pale stone or white tile, and acid-etched (frosted) glass is an option where the ensuite needs privacy. Shower doors hang on solid forged brass hinges, and you can learn more about them on our hardware page.

Because an arched door is a one-off shape, the decisions about glass type and hinge position are made together with the template rather than separately. Changing the glass type or the hinge side after the glass is made means starting the panel again, so it pays to confirm both before anything goes into fabrication. For more on this type of work in the area, see our page on frameless shower enclosures in Mississauga.

Lux Glass is based in Oakville, has 18 years of experience and serves Mississauga, Oakville and the wider GTA. If you are planning an arched or otherwise custom shower, the first step is a free on-site measurement. Call 416-897-0767 or get in touch to arrange a visit.