Glossary
Shower Door Seal Terms, Explained
The words you'll see on seal packaging and product pages, in plain English.
- Bottom sweep (wipe)
- A seal on the bottom edge of a shower door with a soft fin that closes the gap to the curb so water can't run out underneath. More →
- Drip rail
- A rigid lip on a bottom seal that catches water running down the glass and drops it back into the shower. Most frameless bottom seals combine a drip rail and a sweep. More →
- H-jamb
- A clear seal shaped like the letter H that pressure fits onto the edge of a fixed glass panel where a door closes in a straight line (180°). More →
- Y-jamb
- A straight-line seal with a soft angled leg that the door closes against, for a quieter, softer close than a rigid H-jamb. More →
- 'H' wipe
- A seal with soft legs that fits on the edge of a door and seals the gap to a wall or to the panel on the hinge side. More →
- Strike jamb (strike seal)
- The seal on the panel edge that the latch side of the door closes against. More →
- Door jamb seal
- A seal on the hinge side of the door, between the door and the panel or wall it hangs from. More →
- Neo-angle shower
- A shower with angled glass panels that meet the door at 135°, usually fitted into a corner. It needs 135° seals. More →
- Bulb seal
- A seal with a round, soft bulb that compresses when the door closes. Clip-on versions fit one glass thickness; tape-on versions are chosen by gap. More →
- Fin seal
- A seal with a thin, flexible fin that bends against the glass or wall to block water. More →
- Magnetic seal
- A pair of seals with magnets that pull a glass door closed against a glass panel and hold it shut. More →
- Durometer
- A measure of how hard or soft a material is. A dual-durometer seal combines a rigid clip with a soft sealing lip. More →
- Pressure fit
- How clip-on seals install: they push onto the edge of the glass and grip it, with no glue or tape. Each is made for one glass thickness. More →
- VHB tape
- Very-high-bond, double-sided, clear tape that mounts tape-on seals to the glass edge or wall. More →
- Glass thickness
- How thick the shower glass is: usually 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" or 1/2". Clip-on seals must match it exactly. More →
- Gap
- The space between the door and the curb, wall or panel that a seal closes. Product pages list the suggested gap. More →
- Acetic-cure silicone
- Silicone that releases acetic acid (a vinegar smell) as it cures. It can turn brass green. More →
- Neutral-cure silicone
- Silicone that cures without releasing acid, so it is safe on metals like brass. More →
- Frameless shower door
- A glass door held only by hinges and clamps, with no metal frame around the glass. Usually 3/8" or 1/2" glass. More →
- Hard water
- Water with a lot of dissolved minerals. It leaves white spots on glass and stiffens seals over time. More →
- Water-repellent glass coating
- A clear protective coating applied to clean shower glass so water beads up and runs off instead of drying in place, which means fewer hard water spots. TopCoat in the IDEAL Bath Kit is one. More →
- Etching
- Damage to the glass surface itself from minerals left on it for a long time. It looks like a frosted haze that no cleaner removes; sealing the glass helps keep it from getting worse. More →