From handing word to approved plan
What do left-hand and right-hand mean on a shower door?
The makers cited here use left and right for the configuration of their own doors and do not define the viewpoint in words. Kohler says its pivot door can open to either the right or left; a second Kohler guide shows the right pivot configuration in its steps.
DreamLine’s Unidoor manual shows the right-hand installation, and MAAX calls its Pivolok door reversible for left or right opening. The Kohler and DreamLine instructions show the configuration in their steps.
The NGA manual tells the measurer to draw the shower as viewed from the outside. This guide names the side from that viewpoint.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Handing | The hinge or opening side, as the maker’s drawing shows it. |
| Right or left pivot | Kohler’s names for its two configurations. |
| Reversible | DreamLine and MAAX: one product, left or right installation. |
| Double-acting | NGA: the hinge lets the door open in and out. |
| Single-acting | NGA: swings one way only, for example out only. |
How do you check a shower door swing on a plan?
Draw the door arc on a plan of the finished bathroom and look for anything inside it. Sterling’s 2800 Series instructions make the same check on site: no obstacles in the door path as it swings open. On a plan:
- State the viewpoint: outside, looking in.
- Mark the hinge or pivot and the handle.
- Draw the arc from closed to fully open.
- Add the toilet, vanity and other fixtures.
- Add the bathroom door and its arc.
- Check the way to the controls and the exit.
The last step follows the NGA’s advice on leaving the bathroom and reaching the controls.
What can block a swinging shower door?
Room fixtures, parts on the door and things in the wall can each limit the swing:
| Item | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Toilet, vanity, other fixtures | NGA: their location may determine the swing. |
| Pocket doors, pipes in the wall | NGA: may hinder the desired configuration. |
| Towel bar on the door | NGA: plan it so the bar end does not hit an adjacent wall. |
| Space above the door (installation) | Kohler asks the installer to verify at least 6 in (152 mm) of clearance above its pivot door (guide 1475817-2). |
| Controls, spray unit, wheelchair transfer | ADA Standards 608.8, where they apply: the enclosure shall not obstruct controls, faucets and shower spray units, or transfer from a wheelchair onto the shower seat. |
With wall-mounted hinges, the NGA says a towel bar will in some cases stop the door opening fully; with glass-to-glass hinges this is rarely an issue unless the bar end is less than 3 inches from the hinge edge of the glass.
How does a pivot door move differently from a wall-hinged door?
A pivot door turns about a point usually set farther from the wall, so the entry is narrower and the back of the door swings into the shower. The NGA manual compares the two:
| Point | Wall-mount hinge | Pivot hinge |
|---|---|---|
| Rotation | Most open 90° out and 90° in | A full 360°, or until it meets an object |
| Pivot point | Usually nearer the wall | Usually farther from the wall |
| Entry width | Wider, by comparison | Reduced |
| Back of the door | Less swing into the shower | Swings farther into the shower |
| Door weight | Carried along the wall | Focused on the bottom of the door |
The NGA says width and weight limits for operable doors are typically set by the hardware maker. Rockwell Security’s hinge catalog prints a 90 degree opening and self centering within 15 degrees of the closing position for most of its hinge models. For its Classic Shower Hinge Square Corner Full Backplate it prints 28 in and 80 lbs against two hinges, read here as door width and weight limits.
Should a shower door open in or out?
The NGA says most single-acting doors should open outward only, and to check local building codes. Four points:
The NGA’s reason
A person collapsing against an inswing-only door could prevent access by emergency personnel.
Double-acting hinges
The NGA says most shower hinges are double-acting: the door can open in and out.
Seals as stops
The NGA notes that seals can make a swing door single-acting, out only.
Local examples
Washoe County, Nevada, in a handout written for the 2012 IRC, says shower doors must open outward with a clear door opening of at least 22 inches. Grand Haven Charter Township, Michigan, in a handout citing the 2015 Michigan Residential Code, says hinged shower doors must open outward.
- The locally adopted code
- Single or double-acting hinge
- The seal or stop that limits the swing
- The required clear door opening
Which side should the hinge or pivot go on?
Choose the side that keeps the exit and the controls clear, then check the wall and the product’s instructions. Three things to check:
Circulation
The NGA advises a hinge side that lets the user leave without going around the door.
Shower head side
Two instructions, each for its own product. Sterling recommends that “the swing side” of its 2800 Series door be on the side opposite the shower head; the instructions do not define that term. Kohler recommends the pivoting panel of its pivot door on the same side as the showerhead.
What the wall can carry
The NGA says a frameless door hinged from a wall is only as sound as its substrate. DreamLine requires Unidoor hinges to be fixed into studs or preinstalled 2×6 wood reinforcement.
Take the hinge or pivot side from the instructions for the selected model, not from another product.
Can the handing be changed after the order?
The sources support a change only where the maker calls the product reversible. Otherwise, a change that needs different holes or notches means new glass: the NGA says all cutting and notching should be done before tempering. For a single door between two walls, a swap also moves the hinge to the other wall.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Kohler pivot door (1409304-2) | Can be installed opening to either the right or left. |
| DreamLine Unidoor | Reversible; for left-hand, start on the opposite wall and reverse the parts. |
| MAAX Pivolok | Reversible for left or right opening. |
| NGA manual | Never attempt to cut or drill tempered glass. |
| Kohler pivot door (1409304-2) | Walls must be within 3/8 in (10 mm) of plumb. |
| DreamLine single Unidoor | No adjustment for out-of-plumb or out-of-level conditions. |
How should a buyer approve handing and swing?
These steps, this guide’s own procurement guidance, lead to one approved drawing.
- Measure the finished opening. Widths, floor or shower base condition and wall plumb.
- Write the viewpoint. “Viewed from the bathroom, looking into the shower.”
- Mark every part. Fixed panel, door, hinge or pivot, handle, opening arrow.
- Draw both arcs. Shower door and bathroom door, with fixtures and any open drawer.
- Use the selected hardware. Pivot position and swing limits from that model’s data.
- Label the panels. Same panel IDs on drawing, hardware list and cartons.
- Sign one revision. A change after drilling is a new glass review.
What a photo can and cannot show
Ask for the marked plan and a short video of the door moving. Give every mirrored room its own labelled drawing.
What should you send and ask before a quotation?
Send the room plan and ask how the offered door moves in it.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| From which side is handing named? | Kohler and DreamLine show a configuration; neither defines the viewing side. |
| Hinged or pivoted, and where? | A pivot offset usually narrows the entry. |
| Does it open out, in or both ways? | Local codes may require outward. |
| What stops the door, and where? | The arc must end before a fixture. |
| Is the product reversible on site? | Only where its maker says so. |
| What must the hinge wall provide? | Substrate and plumb limits. |
Include with your request
- Finished-opening measurements
- Room plan with fixtures
- Preferred hinge side and viewpoint
- Project location and adopted code
- Room types and quantities
WNS Global confirms any offered enclosure, hardware, handing and commercial terms separately in writing. This guide does not state that WNS Global products are reversible, use any hinge named above or meet any code or standard.
