Adjusting a shower cubicle door – how to do it right?

Installing shower enclosure doors is a very demanding job. To do it correctly, you need a lot of precision. It’s the same with adjusting shower doors — you need to approach the task the right way. Otherwise, the results will likely disappoint. So how do you do it right? How do you adjust sagging shower enclosure doors, replace a roller, or deal with squeaking? Find out!

Installing and adjusting shower enclosure doors — key considerations

Every manufacturer supplies instructions with the enclosure and doors, which you should follow to install the shower enclosure correctly. You must adhere to the instructions strictly, especially when it comes to something so crucial for proper operation as keeping all installed components plumb and level.

Finishing the installation work is the final test of the entire installation. Out-of-level, skewed shower enclosure doors, or poor alignment between individual parts — all of this points to an improperly assembled frame or poorly tightened fixings. If you don’t sort out and adjust all the minor irregularities, other components:

• rollers
• bearings
• tracks
• and even the doors

will gradually be damaged. At some point they’ll no longer be repairable, and the only way to remedy the faults will be to replace the damaged parts. Keep this in mind to avoid extra costs.

Adjusting the shower enclosure — rollers popping out

The proper operation of the rollers is key to the functionality of shower doors. If you use too much force when opening them, a roller wheel can be yanked out of the track (both top and bottom). This is one of the more common door faults.

Fortunately, adjusting the shower enclosure rollers in this case is very easy. When a roller comes off the track, the door goes out of line. Just lift the door panel gently upwards and reseat the roller in the track, and in future try to open the doors a bit more gently.

Adjusting shower enclosure doors — other pointers

When the doors in your shower enclosure are properly adjusted, they close without any hassle. The rollers glide freely in the tracks, water doesn’t escape outside the enclosure due to a gap between the doors, and the tracks don’t cause the rollers to jam. The doors also shouldn’t squeak when opening or closing.

Correct installation is crucial for everything to work flawlessly. Remember, though, that any moving part or mechanism can develop faults and go out of adjustment even if the enclosure was installed perfectly and you’re using it correctly. Indications that further adjustments are needed include:

• problems opening/closing the doors (the doors become stiff)
• the shower enclosure doors don’t close fully
• doors striking or catching on the shower tray anywhere
• rollers popping out of the tracks
• gaps between the shower enclosure door panels
• doors not closing at the bottom or at the top (out of level)

It’s best to start adjusting the doors by checking the condition of the rollers and cleaning them thoroughly. To loosen or tighten the rollers you’ll need a screwdriver or an Allen key (depending on the roller model). Replacing the rollers in a shower enclosure is necessary when the guides, tracks, or the rollers themselves are worn to the point that adjustment is no longer possible.

How do you replace rollers in a shower enclosure? Each roller set comes with instructions that illustrate the whole process in detail. Bear in mind, though, that both perfect door adjustment and correct roller operation can be demanding. If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get it sorted, call in a professional.

An experienced professional will spot all irregularities in how the shower doors operate, recommend appropriate repairs or replacements, adjust the rollers, eliminate faults, and do it very quickly. And you won’t be spending long, fruitless hours on adjustments!