Hey there, Shower Enclosure
It’s Jake from the shower enclosure team, and I’ve spent the last 12 years in this business—most of that time listening to homeowners, contractors, and even fellow suppliers mess up the one thing that derails a custom shower project every single time: bad measurements. I’ve seen a client order a frameless glass panel that was 3 inches too short because they didn’t account for grout lines. I’ve had a contractor re-do a entire vanity area because their helper measured to the top of the old tile instead of the finished height. The worst part? These mistakes don’t just cost money—they delay bathroom renovations for weeks, and no one wants that, especially when you’re ready to turn that drab space into something you look forward to using every day.
If you’re here, you’re probably working on a bathroom remodel, or maybe building a new home, and you’re eyeing a custom shower enclosure—something that fits your exact space, not a one-size-fits-all box. Custom is the way to go for getting that sleek, modern look, or maximizing a tiny bathroom nook, or even matching a vintage tile layout. But here’s the deal: custom only works if your measurements are dead-on. I’m not just talking about “hold a tape up and write down a number”—I’m talking about measuring with precision, accounting for every little detail that can throw things off, and avoiding the shortcuts that everyone thinks are fine until they’re holding a glass panel that doesn’t fit.
Let’s start with the basics. First, you need the right tools, and I’m not talking about that flimsy plastic tape measure you keep in your junk drawer. Grab a steel tape measure—at least 25 feet long, with both imperial and metric markings if that’s what you need—because it doesn’t stretch. A level (both a 4-foot spirit level for walls and a small torpedo level for tight spots), a pencil, a notepad (or your phone’s notes app, but write it down twice to avoid typos), and a helper. Trust me, measuring alone is possible, but a second pair of eyes catches mistakes before they become problems.
Now, the most important rule: measure three times, write down all three numbers, and use the average if they’re within 1/8 of an inch of each other. If they’re off by more than that, measure a fourth time. Walls aren’t perfectly straight, floors aren’t perfectly level, and that’s why you can’t just take one measurement and call it a day. I’ve had a wall that looked straight from 3 feet away, but when I measured it from corner to corner, it was a full ½ inch wider on one end—enough to make a custom panel bind or have a gap you can’t seal.
Let’s break this down by space. First, the alcove shower—this is the most common, the kind that’s tucked between three walls, like a big square nook in your bathroom. For an alcove, you need three key measurements: the width between the two side walls where the enclosure will sit, the height from the finished bathroom floor to the top of the shower’s rough opening (or to the ceiling if you’re doing a full-height enclosure), and the depth from the back wall to the front edge of the side walls (this is where the glass or door will sit, so getting this right keeps you from hitting toilet paper holders or vanity edges).
Wait, here’s a pro tip most people miss: when measuring width for an alcove, do it at the top, middle, and bottom of the side walls. Walls can lean in or out over the years, so the distance at the floor might be different from the distance at 6 feet up. I once had a client who measured just at the floor, and when we installed the enclosure, the top of the glass was ¼ inch too wide on one side—we had to trim the glass, which cost extra and delayed the job. Don’t do that.
Next, we have corner showers—this is when two walls meet at a right angle, and the enclosure sits out from the corner. For these, you need to measure the distance from the corner to each side wall at the floor, middle, and top, just like the alcove, but also measure the angle of the corner. Most corners are 90 degrees, but old homes, especially ones with plaster walls, can be off by a few degrees. If the angle is 88 or 92 degrees, a standard corner enclosure won’t fit right, and you’ll get gaps between the glass panels. To check the angle, you can use a framing square—hold it up to the corner, and if there’s a gap between the square and the wall, that’s your angle difference. That’s a critical number to pass along to your enclosure supplier, because we can adjust the panels to match the exact angle of your corner.
Now, for the floor and ceiling. This is where levelness and flatness matter more than anything. For the height of your enclosure, always measure from the finished bathroom floor—not the subfloor, not the old tile, the finished floor. If your new tile is going to be thicker than the old one, you have to account for that. For example, if you’re removing old tile that’s ¼ inch thick and installing new tile that’s ⅜ inch thick, you’ll need to add ⅛ inch to your height measurement so the enclosure sits on the finished floor. Also, check that the floor is level by placing your level in several spots across the shower base area. If the floor slopes more than ¼ inch over 4 feet, that’s a problem you need to mention to your contractor, because your shower base (and thus the enclosure) needs to sit level to drain properly. For the top of the enclosure, measure from the finished floor to the ceiling, or to the bottom of any upper cabinets or shelving that will go above the shower—again, do this at three points, because ceilings can be uneven too.
Now, things that are easy to forget but make or break your custom enclosure. First, protrusions: shower valves, water supply lines, niche shelves, tile accents, even the edge of a vanity or toilet seat. If your shower valve sticks out ½ inch from the wall, and you don’t measure that, your glass panel will have to go around it, leaving a gap that’s impossible to seal. I once had a client skip measuring a niche that was built into the back wall—when the glass was installed, the niche was in the middle of a door panel, so we had to cut a hole in the glass, which was not cheap. Take a photo of the shower area too—photos help us visualize the space, especially if there are weird angles or protrusions you might not have jotted down in your notes.
Another big one: clearance for the door. If your enclosure has a swing door, you need to make sure the door has enough space to open all the way without hitting a toilet, vanity, or other fixture. Measure the distance from the front edge of the shower to the nearest obstruction, then subtract the width of the door. Most swing doors need at least 22 inches of clearance to open fully. If you have less space, you might need a pivot door or a sliding door, but you have to factor that into your measurements. Sliding doors, by the way, need a little extra space at the top and bottom for the rollers that slide along the track, so make sure you leave ½ to ¾ inch clearance on both sides of the track when measuring width.
Wait, what about curbless showers? These are super popular now, for accessibility and modern style, but measuring them is a little different. For a curbless shower, you still need to measure the width and depth, but you also have to account for the slope of the floor (since it slopes to the drain) and the fact that the enclosure will sit flush with the bathroom floor. The height of the enclosure will be a few inches taller than the finished floor, so measure from the lowest point of the shower floor to the top of the enclosure, not the highest point. And make sure you tell your supplier it’s curbless, because the panels will be shorter at the bottom to sit flush.
Now, common mistakes I see all the time, and how to avoid them. Number one: relying on the walls as perfectly straight. I mentioned this earlier, but it bears repeating. Even new drywall walls can have a ¼ inch bow over 6 feet, which is enough to make a glass panel bind. So always measure at the top, middle, and bottom, and use the smallest measurement if you’re worried about the wall bowing in. Number two: forgetting grout lines. When you tile the shower walls, the grout lines are about ⅛ inch thick. So if your wall is 60 inches wide, and you have two walls, the finished gap between the two walls where the enclosure sits will be 60 inches minus ⅛ inch for each grout line, so you need to subtract ¼ inch total. That’s a tiny number, but if you don’t account for it, your enclosure will be ¼ inch too wide, and you’ll have to adjust. Number three: not accounting for the enclosure’s frame or track. If you’re getting a framed shower enclosure, the frame itself takes up about ½ inch of space, so you need to measure the gap between the walls as ½ inch wider than the frame you want. Frameless enclosures don’t have a frame, but they do have a little space between the glass and the wall for caulk, so leave about ⅛ inch gap. Number four: rushing. I know you’re excited to get your new shower, but measuring in a hurry leads to mistakes. Take your time, double-check every measurement, and if you’re unsure, call someone who knows what they’re doing—don’t guess.
Once you have all your measurements, write them down clearly, label which number is which (width, height, depth, corner angle, etc.), and send them to your enclosure supplier. I always recommend including photos too—close-ups of the walls, the corner, any protrusions, and the space around the shower. A good supplier will help you review your measurements to make sure you didn’t miss anything, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. At the end of the day, we want your custom enclosure to fit perfectly, just as much as you do, because a happy customer is a customer who comes back (and refers friends) and that’s how we stay in this business.
Now, if you’re ready to get started on your custom shower enclosure, don’t wait another day. A correctly measured enclosure is the first step to a bathroom that works for you, looks amazing, and lasts for years. Reach out to us today to discuss your project, ask any questions you have about measurements, and let’s turn your bathroom vision into reality.
Bathroom Sink References
- National Kitchen & Bath Association. (2022). Custom Shower Enclosure Measurement Guidelines. NKBA Professional Resource Library.
- Glass Association of North America. (2021). Measuring for Custom Glass Shower Products. GANA Technical Bulletin 18.
- Tile Council of North America. (2023). Grout Line and Tile Dimension Adjustments for Fixture Installation. TCNA Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation.
Hangzhou FJSTONE Industry Ltd.
As one of the most professional shower enclosure manufacturers and suppliers in China, we offer a wide range of products with superior quality. If you’re going to buy high-end shower enclosure made in China, welcome to get pricelist from our factory. All customized products are with high quality and competitive price.
Address: Qunyi Industrial Zone, Guali Town, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province
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