Can I take down a shower enclosure & replace it with a shower curtain?

Kathy Lassiter
by Kathy Lassiter
We have a very small 40" x 40" glass with brass trim shower enclosure. In the 8 years we have lived here, I have never been able to get the cloudy glass clean or keep the mildew off the brass trim. It has tile on 2 sides and a tub at the end. I'd like to take it down and put up a shower curtain on a curved rod. Has anyone ever done this?
  6 answers
  • You can make it work. Just make sure to hang your shower curtain low enough so that it stays on the inside of the lip of the shower floor. I always use two liners for my shower and when the kids were younger I actually used 2 shower curtains and 2 different heights -1 for the inside of the tub that hung down in to the tub and the outer decorative rod and curtain on the outside\ which sometime was just a bit higher depending upon the curtain.
  • Wendy Leon Wendy Leon on Apr 19, 2014
    Yes, Kathy. Last year after surgery on my right knee my husband discovered mold under the metal enclosure on our shower. He removed it all, cleaned it up and bought spray paint the color of our shower and I spray painted the front lip of the shower. He bought a really nice shower rod and we put up a shower curtain and it is so much nicer and easier to get in and out of than the sliding door. I recently redid our bathroom and bought a cloth shower curtain and a really nice liner. I like the fact that I don't have to clean the glass doors anymore. Good luck.
    • Kathy Lassiter Kathy Lassiter on Apr 19, 2014
      @ @Wendy Leon Thank you. Our shower has a door, tile on the left and straight ahead. The glass is on the right side over the tub and on the front wall with the door. Is that how yours was? I wish I could see a piture of someones or knew how to post a picture of ours.
  • Deni Nichols Deni Nichols on Apr 19, 2014
    I live in an apartment, and had the maintenance company take the glass doors out . However the frame is still intact. It was too difficult to clean inside and out, so even that little bit makes a big difference. I now use shower curtains.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Apr 20, 2014
    My sister had to take down her sliding glass doors once she was diagnosed with Parkinson's...the motor skills are so impaired. She now uses a shower curtain and it works great!
  • Chris aka monkey Chris aka monkey on Apr 20, 2014
    it is doable but a slight pain in the butt...just find all of the screws and take them out..this is a 2 person job have someone holding the doors and frame it should come out.you may have to slide a knife under sides of frame to loosen it from the caulking...then comes the cleaning of the caulking.. after that you can enjoy having the ease of a shower curtain just make sure you have the liner tucked when you shower...we did mine and i love it xx
    • See 1 previous
    • Chris aka monkey Chris aka monkey on Apr 20, 2014
      @Kathy Lassiter do you have any contractor friends or really handy someone you know who can just come and look at it and tell you what to do i think all of us diy'ers are always afraid of messing up xx
  • Jennifer G Jennifer G on Apr 22, 2014
    I have removed those yucky glass doors and tracks in every home I've lived in! Some were easy and some were HARD. One person used Liquid Nails to adhere the metal frame to the tub and it took me 4 DAYS to pry and scrape off that crud with a 5-in-1 tool and razor blades. But the results are so worth it! Use the right tools and take your time to avoid damages and injuries. You can do it and you'll be so proud of your results! Good Luck!