# Forum Home Renovation Bathrooms  Attaching shower screen

## Tiger

I need to attach a frameless shower screen in a bathroom. Instructions call for 8 holes to be drilled into tiles. I don't want to break tiles so are there any alternatives to drilling and using plugs eg silicon ?

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## silentC

Not really. I wouldn't trust silicone in that situation. Get yourself a decent masonry bit and you should be OK. Put a bit of masking tape where the hole is to go, mark the position on the tape and then drill. The tape helps to stop the bit slipping around. 
I installed heaps of these things and never managed to break a tile, so I reckon you'll be OK. Just take your time. Don't put too much pressure on the drill.

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## juan

You can buy a special drill bit from Bunnings for drilling glass and tiles. I have used it very successfully and it will not break or crack the tile.  Definately you should affix the glass supporting brackets to the floor and wall with stainless steel screws. Assuming it is a solid masonary wall, make sure you get the plastic plugs below the tile or there is a chance the tile could crack around the hole when you tighten the screw. You can just drill out the plastic plug a bit using the same tile drill bit if u cannot knock it in far enough.  I will not comment on best way of fixing to hollow walls. 
Cheers

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## Riley

> I need to attach a frameless shower screen in a bathroom. Instructions call for 8 holes to be drilled into tiles. I don't want to break tiles so are there any alternatives to drilling and using plugs eg silicon ?

  Yes there are,
We often use a bright anodized channel 18x18x2mm (for 10mm) fixed to the wall in which we silicon in shower panels. A panel installed in this way will easily hold a 500-600mm 10mm door.You see no bolts or clamps and can locate your fixings at tile joints.Never had a door drop yet in 10 years.
You MUST use a quality silicon like V60.

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## wonderplumb

Mate, get yourself a small automatic centre punch, from bunnies or supercrap for around $5, mark out your holes and use the punch to score it, otherwise on some tiles the drill bit can wander across the tile.
The punch wont crack a tile it will leave a little divvit about 2mm in diameter in the glaze.
If your super worried, you can start the hole or even drill through the tile half way with the drill on normal function instead of the hammer function, then go for broke!

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## zacnelson

Riley, sorry to bother you, but do you have a pic you could show of this channel?  I'm having trouble imagining it...

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## Riley

> Riley, sorry to bother you, but do you have a pic you could show of this channel?  I'm having trouble imagining it...

  No bother happy I can help. 
Have a look here :  http://www.crlaurence.com.au/Product...9.html?Origin= 
Same sort of idea we often use CRL as all their products are high quality and there is a good depth of knowledge to draw from on technical matters. Other suppliers channels may vary in dimension slightly . 
Brett

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## Riley

I will add,Most screens you see have these wall brackets (Or similar) :  http://www.crlaurence.com.au/Product...1::9401::10662 
As in all building work there are pluses and minuses to all approaches: 
Wall brackets: 
Pluses: 
a) It is a positive fixing and there is no chance of pane moving.
b) The carpenter can complete the whole job in a day with out going back as you are not relying on the silicon to set. 
Minuses:
a) Cost, you have more holes in glass and the cost of the clamp and more polishing of glass.
b) Waterproofing ...a minor point but you are drilling holes in it
c) Risk of tile breakage
d) Holes on glass is just one more thing that can go wrong , if you do use clamps and the tiling is done ...order your clamp position and subsequent hole to align with a tile joint. 
Channel: 
Pluses:
a) Neater ,If you install channel prior to tiling with an 18mm section after the wall tiles go on you will see only 6-8mm of channel. No clamps and no silicon sealing between tile and glass to go black.
b) Glass measuring and ordering is simplified and more forgiving
c) Done correctly just as strong
d) Less risk of tile breakage
e) Less compromising of water proofing 
Minuses
a) Requires prior planning of screen design and co-ordination of trades
b) Can be done in one trip but better in two
c) You cant use Bunning's off the shelf silicon and you must ensure total encapsulation of glass 
Hope this helps 
Brett

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## silentC

I suppose it depends on the look you're after too.

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## Tiger

Thanks guys, drilled 4 holes and none cracked. I had tried to drill through some of the tiles (not attached) to see if my drill bit was up to it and they kept cracking, obviously they are more sturdy once they've been glued and grouted, however it did take around 10 or so mins to drill each one, only sped up once I really leaned into them and yes it was a brand new Ramset masonry bit. I recently bought the GMC rotary hammer drill which by the way is selling for $49 now at Bunnies but it only comes with 3 big bits :Doh: . Would have tried that if I had the right bits.

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## comradespacedog

I have a few questions on this same topic, so hope it's ok to revive this thread. 
I am installing a frameless fixed shower screen above a bath. The panel is 900 wide x 1500 high and 10mm thick. It comes without holes, and while they offer the option of brackets that have plastic topped screws to pinch the glass, I think an aluminium channel sounds like a better option. 
Where can I find good quality silicone for this job, as previously mentioned in the thread? 
What would anyone with experience recommend for the join between the top of the bath and the bottom of the glass. There is a 20mm-ish round lip at the edge of the bath that I figure the glass should go up against. 
Should there be another aluminium channel there, screwed into the bath? Or would silicone alone hold it well enough? Should I leave a small gap under the glass for the silicone to fill? 
How strong is this sort of set up? I would like to avoid using one of those brace things as they are ugly! 
The bath is steel & enamel and the wall is tile over solid masonry.

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## zacnelson

You shouldn't need an al angle between the top of the bath and the bottom of the screen.  You could leave a gap between them to fill with silicon, although perhaps if they are perfectly square and level with each other you might like to rest the glass directly on the bath, that will make the installation process easier because the weight will be taken by the bath.  You would still run silicon along the join though.

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## arms

water is a beautiful element ,,the one thing you can count on is once directed against an object it will naturally flow vertically

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## Riley

> I have a few questions on this same topic, so hope it's ok to revive this thread. 
> I am installing a frameless fixed shower screen above a bath. The panel is 900 wide x 1500 high and 10mm thick. It comes without holes, and while they offer the option of brackets that have plastic topped screws to pinch the glass, I think an aluminium channel sounds like a better option.

  The channel will be a better solution on the wall.   

> Where can I find good quality silicone for this job, as previously mentioned in the thread?

  Sydney based sorry   

> What would anyone with experience recommend for the join between the top of the bath and the bottom of the glass. There is a 20mm-ish round lip at the edge of the bath that I figure the glass should go up against.

  Silicon it on top  of bath.   

> Should there be another aluminium channel there, screwed into the bath? Or would silicone alone hold it well enough? Should I leave a small gap under the glass for the silicone to fill?

  No channel , 3-6mm say 4-5mm ideal gap between glass and tub. Use Rhodorsil V60 or equivalent.   

> How strong is this sort of set up? I would like to avoid using one of those brace things as they are ugly! 
> The bath is steel & enamel and the wall is tile over solid masonry.

  Chanel on wall silicon to bath... fine , we do it all the time.

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## comradespacedog

Thanks for the input and advice everyone, I'm feeling much more confident now. I'll see if the glass place has the v60 otherwise there's a place online that sells it.

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## comradespacedog

For anyone finding this thread later on.
Retail suppliers of rhodorsil v60 silicone in Melbourne: 
ATPC: Moorabbin (03) 9532 0609
DBF Tools: Hoppers Crossing (03) 8742 2200
Wayne Richardson:  Campbellfield (03) 9357 0100

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## TJAY

Anyone know of a cheap supplier of DIY bath screens? We're doing the big renovation in a year or two, but until then I'd love to ditch the shower curtain, but without spending a fortune.

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