Measuring Guides

Accurate measurements are essential for a successful project. You can find our measuring guides for shower bases and shower doors below.

How to Measure for a Shower Base

Step #1

Measuring from stud-to-stud provides the size of the rough opening. Use this measurement to select a shower base.

_{(Illustration shows 60" rough opening from stud-to-stud)}

Step #2

After installing the shower base, install waterproof board.

This will decrease the opening by approximately 1".

_{(Illustration shows 59" approximately from waterproof board to waterproof board)}

Step #3

Installing tile or any other material will further decrease the opening by nearly 1".

Use the finished opening measurement when selecting a shower door.

_{(Illustration shows 58" approximately from finished wall to finished wall)}

_{*Illustration measurements are for example only. Your actual measurements may differ.}

How to Measure for a Shower Door

Important: Accurate finished measurements are essential to finding the perfect shower door!

When ordering a DreamLine shower door, use only finished opening measurements (i.e. finished tile* or installed acrylic backwalls). Never use accent border tile, which may protrude near an area where the door will be installed, to avoid installation interference.

Identify the dimensions of the designated area and the door, referencing the diagrams below to guide you through the measurements required to determine door size.

Shower door dimensions: The door opening dimensions will differ for ceramic or acrylic walls. The door opening dimensions should be calculated as follows: stud-to-stud measurements minus the thickness of each wall (1 to 1 1⁄2 in. for acrylic walls or a minimum of 3⁄4 to 1 in. for ceramic walls).

Please note that the thickness of a ceramic wall may vary depending on the following components: Gypsum board thickness (1⁄2 to 5⁄8 of an inch), cement thickness (1⁄8 of an inch to 1⁄4 of an inch), and ceramic thickness (1⁄8 of an inch to 5⁄16 of an inch).

Download PDF Door Measuring Guide

Alcove Shower Door

Alcove Bathtub Door

Corner Shower Door

Alcove

A | B | C Width from wall to wall
D Height of the wall from the top of the base to the top of the wall

Note: A small door adjustment allows for minor variation in the width measurements.

Corner

A Length along the wall from the finished wall to the end of the threshold.
D Height of the wall from the top of the base to the top of the wall

Note: It is normal for the door to be smaller than the base as the door is positioned in the center of the threshold.

Pro Tips

Use a level to check for plumb walls.
If all 3 width measurements are the same and the level indicates that the walls are plumb, order a door to fit that width.
If the 3 width measurements are the same or the level shows the walls are not plumb, this indicates the walls are out of plumb (not straight), order a door that allows for out of plumb adjustment.

Helpful Resource Links

Measuring Guides

Accurate measurements are essential for a successful project. You can find our measuring guides for shower bases and shower doors below.

How to Measure for a Shower Base

Step #1