We get a lot of questions in regards to the word “Backing” in our custom shower door enclosure contracts located in the “Terms” section.
“Backing is recommended for hinges and clamps behind tile or substrate, and lack thereof is not responsibility of SDS, we will not be liable for any additional costs, delays or injuries in absence of proper placement of backing! Backing is neither provided nor inspected by SDS!”
What this is referring to is the stud or wood located behind your tile and or stone when the shower door is mounted. It is impossible for us as a company to verify if there is adequate wood inside your wall so this responsibility falls on the contractor and homeowner. Ideally when whomever is framing in the shower enclosure they put a few 2×4’s stacked together inline with where the glass shower door is attached. This is usually the case which makes installing a custom shower enclosure an straightforward task, however sometimes this detail is missed. When this is the case there are certain things we can use to make the shower enclosure as safe as possible by either using pivot hinges or a header bar to name a few. Backing is most important when hinging a wall mounted swinging door off of the wall as the leverage of the shower door requires sound wood backing to attach too behind said tile or stone. If for instance you wanted to go with a sliding shower door layout the backing would not be as critical because most of the weight is held by frame and or stationary glass. If you’re certain there is no backing for your custom glass shower enclosure and you have access to the backside of the wall, through either a closet or adjacent room an option is opening the wall from behind and adding the necessary wood backing. We hope this article has given you some insight into what is needed structurally for a custom glass shower enclosure to be installed in your home. If your located in the great Seattle area and would like more information about getting a new shower door please contact us at sales@showerdoorwa.com.
