Shower Door Hinge Types: Wall Mount, Glass-to-Glass & Pivot
Frameless shower door hinges come in three types: wall mount hinges that screw to the wall, glass-to-glass hinges that hold the door to a fixed glass panel at 180°, 135° or 90°, and pivot hinges that hold the door at its top and bottom corners. Look at what your hinges hold on to and you know which type you have.
What are the three types of shower door hinges?
- Wall mount. A back plate screws to the wall (or a jamb), and the hinge clamps onto the door glass. This is the most common hinge on a frameless door. Example: Geneva 037.
- Glass to glass. The hinge clamps onto both the door and a fixed glass panel, so the door hangs from the glass instead of the wall. Example: Geneva 180.
- Pivot. Two hinges sit at the very top and bottom corners of the door, and the door swings on a pin between them. CRL notes pivots carry most of the weight at the bottom and can be set in from the wall, which leaves room for a towel bar or other things on the wall. Example: Prima 01.
Which glass-to-glass angle do I have: 180°, 135° or 90°?
Look down at the door and the panel it hangs from.
| Angle | What it looks like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 180° | The door and the panel are in a straight line | Vienna 180 |
| 135° | A neo-angle shower: the door hangs off an angled panel | Geneva 045 |
| 90° | The door hangs off a return panel at a right angle | Vienna 092 |
What are the back plate styles on a wall mount hinge?
The back plate is the part that screws to the wall. CRL makes four shapes:
- Full back: a plate as tall as the hinge, centered on it.
- H back: a plate shaped like an H around the hinge pin.
- Offset back: a plate that sticks out to one side of the hinge.
- Short back: a small plate, shorter than the hinge.
Full backAs tall as the hinge
H backH shape around the pin
Offset backSticks out to one side
Short backShorter than the hingeWhen you replace a hinge, match the plate style already on your wall so the new plate sits where the old one did.
What do the numbers in a hinge model mean?
In CRL's Geneva, Pinnacle, Vienna and Cologne hinges, the model number tells you the type. The series name tells you the size.
| Model | Type |
|---|---|
| 037 | Standard wall mount |
| 044 | Wall mount, offset back plate |
| 074 | Wall mount, short back plate |
| 180 | Glass to glass, 180° |
| 045 | Glass to glass, 135° |
| 092 | Glass to glass, 90° |
| 537, 544, 580 | 5° pre-set versions of the 037, 044 and 180 |
| 337, 344, 380, 345 | Adjustable versions |
| 780 | Glass to glass 180° with positive close |
A 5° pre-set hinge is set at the factory to close the door 5° tighter into the shower. Standard Geneva hinges are self-centering and come with a reversible pivot pin: one side is marked 90°, the other 85°.
Which pivot hinge do I have?
Pivot hinges are named for what they fasten to: the floor or curb and a header or ceiling, a bracket on the wall, a glass transom above the door, or a fixed side panel with a U-clamp. Prima and Cardiff pivots fit 5/16" to 3/8" glass and hold a door up to 100 lb and 31" wide. For 1/2" glass, Senior Prima and Senior Cardiff hold up to 145 lb and 36" wide.
Are my hinges square or beveled?
Look at the outside edges of the hinge body. Square hinges have flat sides and crisp corners. Beveled hinges have the edges angled off all the way around. Many hinges come both ways in the same size, so this is how you tell them apart. See square vs. beveled hinges and clamps.
How much weight can a shower door hinge hold?
It depends on the series. CRL's ratings for a pair of hinges:
| Series | Glass | 2 hinges | 3 hinges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Geneva | 1/4" to 5/16" | 62 lb, 28" wide | 92 lb |
| Geneva, Pinnacle | 5/16" to 1/2" | 80 lb, 28" wide | 120 lb |
| Vienna, Cologne | 3/8" to 1/2" | 110 lb, 36" wide | 140 lb |
| Victoria, Plymouth | 3/8" to 1/2" | 140 lb, 39" wide | Use two only |
| Trento | 3/8" to 1/2" | 150 lb, 40" wide | 190 lb |
These are for the standard wall mount models; offset and some other versions are rated lower, so check the product page.
How do I tell exactly which hinge I have?
- Look at what the hinge holds on to. The wall, a glass panel, or the top and bottom of the door.
- Check the back plate. On a wall mount hinge: full, H, offset or short.
- Check the edges. Square or beveled.
- Measure your glass. Most frameless doors are 3/8" or 1/2". Here's how to measure it.
- Measure the hinge or the cut-out. The height and width of the plate on the glass, or the notch in the glass if the hinge is off. Hinges that share a cut-out drop into the same glass.
Replacing a broken or worn hinge? Read how to replace a shower door hinge.
Products in this guide
Most commonShower Door Hinge – Geneva 037 Wall Mount, Full Back Plate
Most commonShower Door Hinge – Vienna 037 Wall Mount, Full Back Plate
Most commonShower Door Hinge – Pinnacle 037 Wall Mount, H Back Plate
Most commonShower Door Hinge – Cologne 037 Wall Mount, H Back Plate
Glass to Glass Shower Door Hinge 180° – Geneva 180
Pivot Shower Door Hinge – Prima 01 Top or Bottom Mount
Common questions
What are the different types of shower door hinges?
Three: wall mount hinges that screw to the wall, glass-to-glass hinges that hold the door to a fixed glass panel (180°, 135° or 90°), and pivot hinges at the top and bottom corners of the door.
What is the difference between a wall mount and a glass-to-glass hinge?
A wall mount hinge has a back plate that screws to the wall. A glass-to-glass hinge clamps onto both the door and a fixed glass panel, so no part of it touches the wall.
What does 037, 044 or 180 mean on a shower door hinge?
On CRL Geneva, Pinnacle, Vienna and Cologne hinges, 037 is a standard wall mount, 044 has an offset back plate, 074 a short back plate, 180 is glass to glass at 180°, 045 at 135° and 092 at 90°.
What is a 5 degree pre-set hinge?
A hinge set at the factory to close the door 5° tighter into the shower than a standard hinge.
How do I know which hinge I need?
Match how the door hangs, the back plate style, the edge style, your glass thickness, and the size of the hinge or the cut-out in the glass. The Hinge Finder walks you through it.