getting rid of glass shower doors

[CTyankee]

Is this a relatively simple thing to do?

My husband is recuperating from spinal surgery (his second in two years) and his occup. therapist is recommending we get rid of the glass shower doors and giving him a transfer bench. Is this something that a good handyman could do? I do not have the skill myself nor do I have anyone in my family who is that experienced.

If it is a simple job, really just removing the frame and carefully carrying out the doors, then perhaps my son could help out even without much mechanical expertise (he is a prosecutor!).

Is it more complicated than what I think it is?

Thanks!

[Warpy]

1. I've had to pull mine out several times to regrout the tile underneath, paint it,

and fix the shower door arrangement. I've often toyed with the idea of getting rid of them completely, but it's just so convenient to squeegee them off after a shower and have that as the only necessary maintenance rather than having to cope with a shower curtain covered with limescale and worse.

The side posts are screwed into the wall surface and once you pull them down, you'll have to fill that surface. The problem is getting anything but white to match correctly and that's what a professional can do for you.

Other than that, it's just a question of lifting heavy doors off the track, popping the top off (I tap it with a rubber mallet), and unscrewing the sides. The bottom track is usually sitting on a bed of caulk, so once you manage to chivvy it off with a thin blade scraper, you'll have to gently scrape the residue off the tub. It's not difficult.

They're actually easier to pull out than they are to put in.

[CTyankee]

2. Thanks. I think this is a bit beyond us so maybe my handyman can do it...

I was afraid of the caulk residue as that looks just awful. But perhaps this guy could do a good job of it so it doesn't look weird...

[FSogol]

3. A razor knife and some solvent can remove the caulk residue.

Some rubbing alcohol can remove mold and clean the surface. You'll need a piece of trim or rubber grommets to cover holes under the frame. You could also just fill the holes with grout. Probably an easy job for a handyman.

[CTyankee]

4. Can one strong guy do this or would it take a couple of people?

[FSogol]

5. Hard to say over the web.

Tempered glass is heavy, so the answer would be: probably.

[CTyankee]

6. That's my guess, too.

Thanks!

[NEOhiodemocrat]

7. I took mine out years ago

It was an easy job, I think you could do it yourself! Especially if your son can help with the hauling the doors out. Mine were not especially heavy and the small amount of grouting left on the wall where the frame set in was very easy to remove with a putty knife and some elbow grease. I did it just because I was tired of them and was a 50 something year old lady with no experience and no problem. I wouldn't pay much to have it done, that is for sure.

[CTyankee]

8. I would probably screw up too much! That's just me, not a very technical person in any way!

However, I have other talents...

At this point and at my age it will have to be farmed out. Hopefully, it won't cost an arm and a leg but we set aside money now for just such expenses, as we age (we are a bit too old to try doing this).

[Stinky The Clown]

9. An easy way to cut through the caulk holding the tracks in place . . . .

If the installer used a lot of caulk, removal could be a really tough job. That caulk is tenacious! It is almost impossible to cut it, given the width track covering it. Pulling the track up is also close to impossible as that stuff is strong, too.

The old Mafia hitmen used to use a little device called a garrotte. It looks like this.



You can fashion one from some galvanized wire and two small lengths of wooden dowel. Cut the wire about 24" to 30" long. Wrap each end around the dowels, to make handles. (See the picture.)

In practice, get a path cleared so you can get the wire between the rail and the tub or wall, and into the caulk. Then just saw back and forth with the wire, cutting through the caulk.