Shower Enclosure U-Channels, Headers and Thresholds

A frameless shower holds its glass with two strips of aluminum: the shower door U channel that grips the fixed panel, and the threshold that keeps water on the right side of the curb. Get either one wrong and you're resetting glass or chasing a leak. 

DK Hardware is an authorized CRL seller and stocks CRL, FHC and Brixwell channels, thresholds, vinyls, seals and headers for 1/4 through 1/2-inch glass, in full stock lengths or pre-cut. Match the glass thickness first, then the finish, and everything below ships in one order.

Which Glass Shower Door U Channel Fits Your Glass?

Channel size follows glass thickness. Pick the row for your glass, then choose the profile height.

Brixwell cuts the deep profiles to 36, 48 and 72 inches for short runs, and the 5/16-inch channel also comes in 5, 10, 25 and 50-piece packs for shops buying by the case.

On a fixed panel, the deep and regular profiles work as a pair:

1. Run the 3/4-inch deep channel at the top or on the wall.
2. Run the 3/8-inch regular channel at the bottom.
3. Lift the glass up into the deep channel, then drop it into the regular one so it seats without forcing.

Shop deep U-channel for 3/8 and 1/2-inch glass, regular U-channel for 3/8 and 1/2-inch glass or U-channel for 5/16-inch glass.

Frameless Shower Door With U Channel or Clamps?

Both hold a fixed panel. The difference is how much glass shows and how forgiving the install is.

A frameless shower door with U channel on the fixed panel is the easier install on older bathrooms with wavy tile. Prefer the clipped look? See glass clamps in matching finishes.

Wet Glaze or Dry Glaze: Getting the Shower Door U Channel Seal Right

There are two ways to lock glass in the channel, and the right one depends on whether you ever expect to pull the panel out.

• Wet glaze. Bed the glass in silicone inside a standard channel. CRL specifies its 33SMRC mildew-resistant clear silicone. It's permanent and watertight.
• Dry glaze. The CRL DUC38 and DUC516 channels hold the glass with vinyl strips instead of silicone, so the panel comes out clean for a remodel.

The shower door U channel seal on a dry-glaze channel is that pair of vinyl strips. When one tears, replace both:

Vinyls, dry-glaze channels and SDCEC12 brass end caps are in dry-glaze U-channel, end caps and vinyl.

Which Shower Door Threshold Fits Your Curb?

A shower door threshold is the strip of aluminum or clear plastic siliconed to the top of the curb. It gives the door a straight edge to close against and turns water back toward the drain. Pick by height first: a lower profile is easier on bare feet, while a taller one holds back more water.

Both CRL profiles mount on flat or out-sloping curbs with 33SMRC silicone, in finishes including brushed nickel and matte black. A glass shower door threshold finish should match the hinges, so order them together.

The shower door threshold strip only works with the door seal that sits on it. Shop every shower door threshold profile in stock.

Stopping Leaks at the Bottom of the Door

Water under the door usually means the sweep, not the threshold. The fix is a shower door threshold seal on the bottom edge of the glass:

• Bottom wipes with a drip rail for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2-inch glass push water back inside
• H-jamb and Y-jamb seals close the gap on the hinge and strike sides
• One-piece bottom rails combine the rail and the wipe in a single strip

Most come in 95-inch lengths in clear, black or white, in shower door wipes and seals.

Headers, Brackets and Other Glass Shower Enclosure Parts

Beyond the channel and threshold, a frameless enclosure needs the glass shower enclosure parts that tie panels to walls and to each other:

• Wall-mount top fittings like the CRL S14CH for header and support bar connections
• Standard wall brackets such as the CRL S3BN
• Support bar brackets like the CRL S910BN for 3/8 to 1/2-inch glass
• Brass end caps that finish off a deep U-channel run

Find them in shower headers, tracks and accessories. Hinges and hinge rebuild kits are in shower door hinges and replacement parts. Need shower enclosure frame parts for a specific CRL series? The full CR Laurence catalog is available through DK Hardware.

Shower Enclosure Parts for Glass Shops and Remodelers

• Measure, then order. Add a few inches over the run so you can square both ends. Full 95 and 144-inch lengths cost less per foot. Pre-cut lengths save a cut on site.
• Buy by the pack. Brixwell thresholds, vinyls and channels come in 5, 10, 25 and 50-piece packs.
• Volume pricing. Quote a full job or a quarter's van stock through volume pricing.
• Net 30 and tax exempt. DK Net Terms covers both. The lowest price guarantee covers every listing.
• One part for one shower? No account needed. Call 877-509-8040 with the glass thickness and finish and we'll match it.

Shower Enclosure Questions, Answered

Should There Be a Gap at the Bottom of a Glass Shower Door?

Yes. A swing door needs a small gap so it clears the threshold. A bottom wipe with a drip rail closes that gap and turns water back inside.

How Do I Stop Water From Coming Under My Glass Shower Door?

Replace the bottom sweep first, then check that a threshold runs the full width of the curb. If water escapes at the hinge side, add an H-jamb or Y-jamb seal.

What Is the Difference Between a Shower Curb and a Shower Threshold?

The curb is the tiled or stone dam at the opening. The threshold is the aluminum or plastic strip siliconed on top of it to guide the door and shed water.

Can I Replace Just the Vinyl in a Dry-Glaze U-Channel?

Yes. Order the rigid and flexible vinyl for your glass size, such as RV4DUC and FV4DUC for 3/8-inch glass, and swap both strips without removing the channel.

What Thickness Glass Does a U-Channel Take?

DK stocks channels for 1/4, 5/16, 3/8 and 1/2-inch glass. Most frameless showers use 3/8 or 1/2-inch tempered glass with a deep channel at the top and a regular channel at the bottom.

Order the Channel, Threshold and Seals Together

Bring three numbers to the order: glass thickness, run length and finish. Pick the U-channel from the glass table, the threshold that suits your curb and the seals that match both. One finish and one order means one delivery and a shower that goes in right the first time. Questions on a profile? Call 877-509-8040 and we'll check it before you buy.