Alright, straight talk. I’ve remodeled more bathrooms than I can count, and I’ve wrestled with more clingy shower curtains than any adult should. They attack your legs, they billow like haunted capes, they collect soap scum like it’s a hobby. On the flip side, a bathtub door (glass) looks clean, keeps water where it’s supposed to be, and nudges the whole room toward “ahh, spa.” But doors aren’t perfect either. They cost more. They need measuring. You might have to drill tile. So… which one’s right for your makeover?

Let’s dig in—casual, messy, real. I’ll pull from job sites and products I’ve specced lately, plus one embarrassing moment with a flooded bathmat and a very unimpressed cat.

What actually changes day to day

Water on the floor. Curtains are… fine, until they’re not. One angry elbow and water sneaks out the ends. Tub doors? The better ones seal tight and use tempered glass with a water-repelling coating, so spray slides down the panel instead of misting your floor. Some models call it a hydrophobic shield (ANZZI uses “TSUNAMI GUARD”). I’ve seen it IRL—less spotting, fewer streaks, easier wipe-downs.

Light and space. Clear glass visually doubles a small bath. Curtains chop the room in half. If you’ve got a window at the tub, a glass door keeps the daylight flowing. Matte black, brushed nickel, chrome, even brushed gold hardware exist, so matching your faucet finish isn’t a headache. (Yes, brushed gold is a thing on some sliding tub doors.) 

Cleaning. Doors: squeegee, done. Coatings help repel water and reduce fogging, so your weekly clean doesn’t feel like a gym workout. Curtains: the liner gets slimy, the hem gets grungy, and now you’re washing plastic in your laundry room like a raccoon doing crimes. 

Quick cheat sheet (from a contractor who hates callbacks)

• Fast, cheap, renter-friendly: curtain.
• Water-tight, modern, adds polish: glass tub door.
• You’ve got kids who splash like seals? Door wins.
• You want a bold pattern moment for $25? Curtain wins.
• You care about resale photos? Door. Always door.

Real sizes and styles you’ll actually find (not fantasy-land)

Most alcove tubs play nice with hinged or sliding frameless doors in common footprints. Recent sets I’ve specced:

• 48″ x 58″ frameless hinged (clean, minimal, swing-out vibe—think Pacific/Herald families). They’re offered in Matte Black, Chrome, and Brushed Nickel.
• 31.5″ x 56″ frameless hinged (narrower openings—Grand/Vensea type sizes). Good for older houses with tighter tubs.
• 28″ x 56″ frameless pivot (compact, budget friendly—Myth sizing). Nice when you just want a lighter panel that still blocks splash.
• 60″ x 62″ frameless sliding (full-width tub enclosures—Don/Raymore class). These usually include premium goodies: tempered Deco-Glass, stainless RHINO ALLOY hardware, water-repellent TSUNAMI GUARD, reversible install, and a full parts kit (guide rail, stoppers, rollers, waterproof seals).

Notice the finishes on that last one: Brushed Gold, Matte Black, Polished Chrome, Brushed Nickel—handy if you’re chasing a specific palette.

The money bit (because budgets are real)

Cloth curtain + liner + rod: cheap, quick, easy to change with seasons. Great for renters or “we’re staging the house by Friday” panic. A quality glass door usually lands in the couple hundred-to-few hundred range depending on width, hardware, and finish (I’ve seen current tub-door listings in the low-$200s up into the $500s for the fancier stuff). That covers a lot of normal remodel budgets without drift into “why is my bathtub door more than my phone” territory.

If you’re playing the long game—less floor damage, fewer leaks, less mildew drama—doors often pay you back in fewer “ugh, fix it again” moments.

Safety and comfort: not boring, just important

Tempered glass is standard on good doors (some sliding sets even step up to 3/8-inch tempered panels—beefy, planted feel). If you’ve ever heard a flimsy panel chatter on a track, you’ll know why that matters. Also, look for reversible installs so you’re not locked into left/right decisions until install day. The nicer kits ship with everything (rollers, bracket, seals) and call out the coating that repels water so you can see your tile instead of fog.

Curtains do have one safety win: you can yank them out of the way instantly. That’s handy for bathing toddlers or for assisted transfers. But they’re also trip-prone when wet if the hem drags on the floor. Tradeoffs.

“But my bathroom is tiny.” Cool—doors still work.

This is where I use narrower hinged panels or compact pivots. A 31.5″ x 56″ or 28″ x 56″ panel keeps splash contained but doesn’t overwhelm a narrow alcove. If you’ve got a standard 60″ tub, a 60″ x 62″ sliding door spans the full opening and both panels move—easy access either side, nice for awkward shampoo-nook layouts and low shower heads.

Finishes? You can keep the room quiet (Chrome/Nickel) or go graphic (Matte Black). Want warm luxe? There are Brushed Gold options on the sliding sets that look killer with cream tile and oak vanities.

Cleaning reality (from someone who’s scrubbed both)

Doors with water-repellent coatings are a rinse-and-squeegee situation. Two minutes. Coating chemistry makes water bead and slide off; it also helps fight fogging. Curtains… eh. They start cute. Then the liner gets those lovely freckles (you know the ones). You can wash or replace, but it’s a chore loop. If you hate chores, you’ll end up tolerating ick. Ask me how I know.

A tiny install pep talk

• Measure tile-to-tile. Twice.
• Check walls for plumb; shim the header/rail until your level is boring.
• Decide hinged vs sliding based on elbow room and nearby fixtures (toilet, vanity).
• For sliding sets, confirm the walk-through opening in the specs so you’re not doing sideways crab walks every morning.
• Make sure the box lists the parts kit (rails, rollers, seals) and calls out reversible install if you need that flexibility. The premium 60″ x 62″ kits spell it out and even include warranty language and manuals.

If drilling tile scares you—totally fair—hire it out. Half-day job for a pro, usually.

Story time (aka the flood)

Years ago, my first condo. Budget was a joke, so I kept the curtain. Weekend guests come over. I’d just repainted the vanity, felt very HGTV. Someone showers, curtain doesn’t quite tuck, water sneaks past the liner, and my bathmat… it floats. Truly majestic. Cat walks in, looks at me like, “You did this.” That Monday I ordered a frameless tub door with a simple towel-bar handle and hydrophobic glass. Did it fix my life? No. Did it stop Lake Batmat from forming? Immediately. And suddenly the room looked like I actually finished the remodel, not paused halfway.

When a curtain still wins (yep, I said it)

• You’re renting.
• You love changing patterns every season.
• Your tub opening is super odd and custom glass would nuke the budget.
• You need full, instant access to the tub—like bathing a Great Dane or two toddlers who think they’re dolphins.

When a door is the move

• You want a brighter, bigger-feeling bath without moving a wall.
• You’re done with puddles and peeling baseboard paint.
• You’re updating finishes and want a cohesive look—black faucet, black door hardware, done.
• You care about listing photos for a sale next year. Glass absolutely photographs better.
• You want what I call “set-and-forget” cleaning: squeegee and bounce.

And because someone will ask—does the glass door add resale value? It adds appeal. Which shows better. Which helps. I can’t promise numbers… but buyers rarely say, “Ugh, why is this bathroom so clean and airy?” Just saying.

A few real product tells I look for

• Tempered Deco-Glass (bonus points for 3/8-inch on sliders),
• RHINO ALLOY stainless hardware (it’s the difference between smooth glide and shopping-cart squeak),
• TSUNAMI GUARD or similar hydrophobic coating,
• Reversible left/right install,
• A complete parts kit and clear manuals/warranty.

All of that? You’ll see it called out on the full-width sliding sets I mentioned (the 60″ x 62″ class). It’s not fluff; it’s how you keep a door feeling new five years in.

Honestly, pick the thing you’ll actually maintain. If a curtain means you’ll swap a $12 liner twice a year and keep it fresh—do that. If a glass door means you’ll squeegee for ten seconds and feel smug about your adulting—do that. My vote for most makeovers, though? The door. Fewer puddles. More light. Looks finished. Smells better. And your cat won’t judge you when the bathmat stops trying to learn how to swim…