My boss told me to use a 1/8 inch spacer for a 10 foot shower door install last month, and the whole thing rattled like crazy.

He said it was 'standard practice' and wouldn't listen when I mentioned the weight. Sure enough, the homeowner called two days later saying it sounded like a train going by every time they touched it. Had to go back, pull the whole unit, and reset it with 1/4 inch. Lost a whole afternoon. What's the biggest spacer you'd use on a door that size?

3 comments

3 Comments

sanchez.kevin1mo ago

Spacers are just one part of it. The real issue is often the hinge mounting. On a door that big, if the screws aren't hitting solid wood or backing in the wall, no spacer size will stop the rattle. You can check that before you even hang the door.

kim8191mo ago

Kevin's right about checking the hinge mounting first. I had a heavy door that rattled no matter what until I pulled a hinge screw and found it was just in drywall. Longer screws into the studs made all the difference. A spacer might help the door sit right, but if the frame itself is loose in the wall, you're just covering up the real problem. It's worth taking five minutes to check the screw bite before doing anything else.

betty_butler731mo ago

My buddy had that same rattle on a big door, turned out the wall was flexing behind the tile. He ended up using a half inch spacer and longer screws into a stud.