Fixed shower screen

[Herecomethedaffodils]

We're starting a bathroom refurb soon and will potentially be having a fixed shower screen at one end of the shower tray. However I'm very anxious about the fact that the seal at the bottom will become discoloured and will drive me nuts. I've always had a shower screen over a bath before which meant I could remove and replace the seal easily. Those of you who have fixed screens, please enlighten me. I've tried googling this (first world) problem and there's no mention of fixed screens. Would I have to "unfix" the entire screen every time I want to replace the seal which I know will inevitably deteriorate however much I blast it with bleach. Also, what are your thoughts on a tinted screen instead of clear glass? Yes or no?

Does nobody else have a fixed shower screen? Anyone??

Get a screen with a black seal rather than white? Fix it hard so it's held by grout rather than seal? Glass brick wall instead of a sheet of glass? Lots of possibilities.

You're on a losing battle expecting any silicone seal around a bath, sink or shower from discolouring. Design in allowance for replacement rather than worry about it.

I have a fixed shower screen - custom made as we made everything larger to accommodate DH (big bloke, long limbs). The silicone clear grout holding it in has discoloured to a greenie tinge - bugs the hell out of me.

PP is right - change your design. Next bathroom I have, space willing, I'll be getting a builder to design a wet space and tiled partition wall to avoid the need for glass and trays.

Really interesting thank you. Our original design was a partition wall that would be fully tiled shower-side and that would mean no grotty seal. But then the plumber threw me a curve ball when he suggested we might want a fixed shower screen instead. It would make the shower space much lighter if there was a screen but I think I'd rather a darker clean space than a light grubby looking space. We'd have ceiling lights inside the shower area so not as if it would be actually dark!!

With light tiles and a ceiling light or two a partition needn't be dark! It's a lot better to clean than glass, which always ends up looking cloudy unless you have the softest of soft water.

What a tiled partition means is extra hours of fitter time, and extra square footage of tiling and grouting... perhaps he's just trying to avoid that!

TheHighestSardine thanks for your comments. I'm just so keen to consider all options as we only moved here 5 months ago and it's our forever home. I would prefer a shower screen if it could stay forever looking brand new and clean but I know that the reality of that is slim. Hence wanting to know if there were options for dark coloured seals, relay the seals, tinted glasses etc etc. But I think my head is in the clouds with that one!! You're right that the partition will take longer but to be fair it was the plumbers design in the first place. I think he just wanted to put all the realistic options on the table which I do appreciate. Having always had a shower over a bath I just want to get this right!!! 😊

• replace the seals. Not relay!!