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Before starting any installation, assess the situation
fully. Verify that all curbs are level and that all walls
are plumb. Proper familiarity with the bath enclosure opening
allows the installer to address out of plumb and out of
level conditions prior to beginning an installation.
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The effect of out of level door openings can be minimized
with shims under the door threshold. The clear J-channel
setting blocks for mirrors are made in varying thickness
and can be used to address radical or minor out of level
conditions.
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Hinging or striking a door to walls only slightly more
than 1/2" out of plumb can be addressed in a similar manner,
if needed. The same holds true for panels placed against
a severe out of plumb wall, although manipulating the heights
of the setting blocks in the threshold is the traditional
manner used to address this problem. That is, flipping the
setting block closest to the wall in question makes the
top of the panel glass lean toward that wall. A severe
condition may impose the need for out-of-square glass panels.
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The normal reveal at the bottom of all crystalline
doors is 7/16" from the top of the threshold. Knowing
this can help you install the door with an even reveal.
Though wood or a dense plastic material is recommended,
placing a temporary support that is 7/16" thick across the
door threshold will act as a support for the bottom, strike-side
corner of the door. In effect, when you hang the door, this
will keep the reveal even and allow the installer to move
the door laterally for adjustment. This is also a good tip
when one person is attempting to install a rather large
door.
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During door installation, it is possible to hang a door
plumb, yet have the hinge jamb bowed either in or out of
plumb. This can cause tension on the mating of the hinge
pieces, and has been known to cause the door to squeak.
To deter this from occurring, after initially placing the
hinge jamb over the corresponding vertical member, attach
the door by inserting only the top and bottom screws in
the hinge jamb. Then cycle the door from the open and closed
positions several times to induce the hinge jamb to straighten.
Once you feel that the hinge jamb is straight, then proceed
to install the two remaining hinge screws.
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When installing units with return panels on buttresses,
it is advisable to begin at the rear wall. Installation
of the buttress panels is generally the most critical facet
of a typical bath enclosure installation. Positioning the
rear wall jamb correctly will greatly increase the probability
of a smooth and trouble-free installation.
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When inserting the glazing vinyl, use a good glass
cleaner for lubrication and place the horizontal bead first,
as this will preclude the glass from moving laterally. When
inserting the vertical glazing vinyl on the first side,
use the cork pads on the custom flat glass panels as shims
between the glass and the metal on the opposite side. This
will create enough resistance for the vinyl to compress
and stay in place until the opposite side is glazed.
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When cutting headers for return panels, it is important
to understand that cutting the header short and forcing
it against the rear wall will make the entire front of the
enclosure lean toward that wall and out of plumb.
Similarly, headers that are too long force the front of
the enclosure to lean toward the outside of the shower.
Checking corner posts for plumb, in both directions, will
verify the degree to which the headers were properly cut.
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To reduce the gaps at the header joints it is important
to start with good miter cuts that meet at the proper angle.
Then try fastening the screws at a slight angle through
the corner bracket and into the header. Start this process
with the two screws that are farthest from the miter then
fasten the two interior screws. It is important to
use all four screws provided. This should help to keep the
corner tight; without unsightly gaps.
