When you're planning a bathroom, the shower screen is one of those decisions that seems minor but has an outsized effect on how the finished room looks and feels. It's a large, prominent piece of the bathroom, and your choice influences how open, bright and modern the space reads, as well as how easy it is to clean and how much it costs. There are three main types, plus one trend worth knowing about. Here's how they compare in 2026.
Framed screens
A framed screen has the glass fully surrounded by a metal frame, usually aluminium. Because the frame provides the structural support, thinner glass (typically 4–6mm) can be used.
Pros: it's the most budget-friendly option, it's robust, and, a real advantage in older Brisbane homes, the frame can conceal walls that aren't perfectly straight or plumb. Many character and post-war homes have shifted over the decades, and a framed screen is forgiving of that. Cons: there's more visible hardware to keep clean, and the overall look is heavier and less open. The frames can also be a spot where grime and mould collect if not maintained.
Semi-frameless screens
A semi-frameless screen is the hybrid: minimal framing on some edges only, with thicker glass (around 8–10mm). It's often the sweet spot for cost and looks.
Pros: more open and modern than fully framed, noticeably more affordable than fully frameless, and still forgiving of walls that aren't dead-straight, so you get much of the frameless look without needing perfect conditions. Cons: it costs a bit more than framed, and there's still some visible hardware, so it's not quite the seamless look of true frameless.
Frameless screens
A frameless screen uses thick toughened glass (10–12mm) held in place by discreet clamps and hinges, with no surrounding frame. This is the defining look of modern bathrooms in 2026.
Pros: maximum openness and light, which makes even a small bathroom feel larger; it lets your tile work be the star rather than competing with metal framing; and with the least hardware, it's the easiest to keep clean. Cons: it's the most expensive option, and, importantly, it needs well-prepared, square, plumb walls and proper professional installation to fit correctly. In an older home with out-of-true walls, a true frameless screen can be difficult or costly to fit well.
The trend to know about: fluted glass
One option has surged in popularity and is worth a special mention: fluted (or reeded) glass, with its vertical ridged texture. It gives you privacy without blocking light, adds a designer, custom feel, and instantly elevates an otherwise plain bathroom. It pairs beautifully with the warm, textural direction of current interiors and is available in framed, semi-frameless and frameless configurations, so you can have the texture at almost any budget. The trade-off is slightly reduced visibility (which is often the point) and a little more care needed in cleaning the ridges.
A few practical tips
- Always use toughened safety glass. This is non-negotiable for any shower enclosure, it's a safety requirement, and quality screens will be certified.
- Don't skimp on the hardware finish. Cheap platings corrode quickly in a humid bathroom and look tired within a couple of years. Matte black, brushed nickel and brushed brass are the popular, durable finishes in 2026, choose quality here.
- Frameless needs accurate walls. If your bathroom is older or the walls aren't perfectly straight, semi-frameless is often the smarter and better-value choice, you get most of the look without the fitting headaches.
- Think about door swing and clearance. In a small bathroom, a sliding, walk-in or fixed-panel configuration can save valuable space that a swinging door would eat up.
The bottom line
The right screen comes down to three things: your budget, the size and condition of your bathroom, and the look you're after. In a brand-new build or a bathroom stripped back to square, plumb walls, frameless gives the cleanest result. In an older Brisbane home on a tighter budget, semi-frameless often delivers the best balance of looks, cost and practicality. And fluted glass is a lovely way to add character at almost any price point.
We help clients weigh exactly these trade-offs on every bathroom we build. See our bathroom services, or get in touch to talk through your space.
