8mm, 10mm or 12mm? What Thickness Shower Screen Glass Do You Need?

Shop around and you'll see frameless screens in 6mm, 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. Here's what each thickness means, and why we sell 10mm.

What the standards say

Glass in Australian shower screens has to comply with AS 1288 (Glass in buildings) and AS/NZS 2208 (safety glazing). The NSW Government says that for partly framed and frameless screens, the minimum thickness of toughened glass is 6mm, and the Australian Glass and Window Association says frameless doors and returns must be Grade A toughened (or toughened laminated) glass.

So 6mm is legal. That doesn't make it the right choice for every screen.

Why thickness matters for frameless

A framed screen has aluminium around the glass holding it straight. A frameless panel holds itself up. Thicker glass is stiffer, so it flexes less when you lean on it, when a door swings, or when a child grabs it on the way out of the shower.

That last one is a real worry for parents. "The kids hold the panel when they get out and I worry it may not be strong enough," one Whirlpool member wrote.

6mm and 8mm

• Lighter and cheaper.
• Common in semi-frameless screens, where a frame or channel supports part of the glass.
• In fully frameless panels, thinner glass flexes more, especially on wider panels and doors. The Australian Glass and Window Association publishes safe-width guidance because of this.

10mm

• The common choice for fully frameless screens in Sydney. Many local suppliers and installers specify it.
• Stiff enough for standard 2000mm panels and doors without feeling flimsy.
• About 25kg per square metre, so still manageable for two people. See how heavy 10mm glass is.

Every panel we sell is 10mm Grade A toughened safety glass.

12mm

• Stiffer and heavier (about 30kg per square metre).
• Suits very wide fixed panels and luxury builds.
• Needs heavier-rated hinges and brackets, and it's more to lift.
• For a standard 2000mm-high shower screen, most homeowners won't notice a difference in daily use.

Does thicker mean safer?

All toughened safety glass meeting AS/NZS 2208 breaks into small, blunt pieces, whatever its thickness. Thickness is mainly about stiffness and feel, not whether the glass is "safety glass". What matters far more for breakage is careful handling and installation. See can a shower screen explode?

The green edge

Look at the edge of standard clear glass and you'll see a green tint. It comes from iron in the glass, and it deepens as glass gets thicker. Low-iron glass has much less of it. Viridian's data shows 10mm clear glass lets through 85% of visible light, against 90% for its low-iron equivalent. On a shower screen, it's a looks choice, not a safety one.