It’s so tempting, isn’t it? Bargains. DIY. Pinterest. Holiday sales. Home and garden TV promos. Why wouldn’t you just order your dream frameless shower from some too-good-to-be-true website?

As I spent spring break with my kids at a historic B&B that had recently been bought by a holding company and “refreshed”… I got my answer. The very beautiful shower leaked everywhere and the door would not stay shut. It looked nice… but wow, was it a mess!

So, I went down the internet rabbithole and wow, did I find a treasure trove of big-box frameless shower regret. Here’s a fraction of the “Wayfair Regret” I found on the internet:

You want to go with someone who thinks of you in the shower*

I asked Lori at Menlo – what’s a homeowner to do? Frameless glass showers offer so much: open up small spaces, light distribution options, clean aesthetics, and more. Lori sent me to DT Glass, an Oregon company with manufacturing on-site, experts, proprietary training on installs, and warranties that last longer than most people even own their homes!

Read the details of my tour and interview. While that funny quote came from Shannon McKinney, co-owner of DT Glass, you really want to seriously question whether it’s worth it to install that shower twice! 😉

The Part No One Tells You: Who Actually Makes the Glass

DT Glass makes the glass they install. That’s not standard.

Most companies measure your space, send it somewhere else, wait, and then install whatever comes back. DT Glass used to do that too—and kept getting mistakes, delays, and rework—so they built their own shop and stopped relying on anyone else.

Now everything happens in one place:

• Cut
• Edge
• Drill
• Temper
• Coat

No handoffs. No guessing. No “we’ll have to reorder that.”

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You Only Get One Shot at This

Glass has a point where it becomes untouchable—literally.

Every hole, notch, and edge has to be right before tempering. Once it goes through that furnace, you’re done. You don’t adjust it. You don’t fix it. You start over.

So yeah, the fabrication part matters a lot more than people think.

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Let’s Talk About Gaps (Because This Is Where Things Go Sideways)

All frameless showers have gaps. That’s not the problem.

The problem is how big they are—and where they end up.

DT Glass cuts the glass to fit around hinges and hardware so everything stays tight. Not perfect, not sealed shut—but controlled. Clean. Intentional.

That gets you:

• Less water escaping
• Less buildup in corners
• A shower that actually looks finished

The alternative is straight panels with bigger clips and bigger gaps. That’s where you start getting water where it shouldn’t be and grime where you don’t want to clean it.

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Also: Your Walls Are Not Straight

This part is unavoidable. Every wall is a little off. Your house is not all 90 degree corners.

DT Glass measures the space and cuts the glass to match it. Not “close enough.” Actually matched. That’s how you avoid that widening gap that makes you question your life choices every morning.

Pre-made systems can’t do that. They’re built to fit a range, which means the extra space shows up somewhere, usually in a way you can’t ignore like water on the floor.

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They Don’t Just Trust the Hardware Either

If a hinge says it can hold something, that doesn’t mean it should.

DT Glass tests hardware themselves. If it sags or doesn’t perform the way they expect, they don’t use it. Doesn’t matter what the paperwork says.

They also train installers in-house—on their own setups—so everything is done the same way every time. No improvising on your job.

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The Coating (So You’re Not Fighting Your Shower Forever)

They coat the glass before it leaves the shop.

It fills in the tiny pores in the glass and seals the surface so water beads up instead of sticking. So whatever’s in your water sits on top instead of working its way in.

You still have to clean it. But you’re not scrubbing something that’s permanently holding onto buildup.

It also comes with a lifetime guarantee that it won’t wear off.

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Options, Options, Options!

This part is more flexible than people expect.

You can do:

• Door and panel setups
• Corner glass
• Neo-angle layouts
• Sliding systems
• Taller panels when you need more support

Glass can be standard clear (slightly green), low iron (clearer), or something with privacy like frosted or rain.

Hardware comes in different finishes, but they don’t all match across brands—and some, like unlacquered brass, are meant to change over time whether you like that idea or not.

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Let’s be honest. The last place you want to be surprised is in the shower!

When one company handles fabrication and installation, everything lines up. Cheaper isn’t always, well, less expensive. Going with a professional you get:

• Glass that actually fits your space
• Gaps that are tight and intentional
• Hardware that’s been tested
• Installers who aren’t figuring it out as they go
• A coating that’s already applied and guaranteed