An important step which is often skipped is to do a "Dry Test Fit of the fixed panels. What you want to accomplish is to determine what thickness setting blocks should be used to make the fixed panels stand correctly. The vertical edges should be plumb, the top edges should match up, and most importantly the door space ( W ) is correct. The unit was designed for an 1/8" space between the glass edge and the bottom of the U-channel. The installation kit has several different thickness setting block so that you can adjust their thickness to make the door stand correctly. There is a tube of super-glue in the installation kit. Start by gluing the 1/8" setting blocks into the bottom U-channels. The setting blocks can be cut in half if needed. Nothing goes into the vertical U-channels. Adjust the U-channel thickness untill you have the correct combination to make the panels stand correctly. The door space must equal the "W" dimension.

First make sure your tile surface and the U channel are clean and dry. Don't just sprints on some windex and wipe it off. This surface will still have moisture, and the strength of the silicone will be greatly compromised. We like using Sparkle. It will take off most anything on the surface without scratching. Wipe the surface clean. Put a small bead of silicone on the back side of the U channel to add structural strength to the installation and a small amount of silicone on the top of each anchor to seal the screw hole. Place the U channel in position and install the screws. Wipe off any silicone which might squish out from under the U channel. Inspect each screw to make sure it is flush with the bottom of the U channel.

Note: If your shower will have a header system please read "Installation of Fixed Panel" before you apply silicone to anything.

There are several thickness setting blocks in the U channel installation kit. Your door was manufactured to have the 1/8" used under the glass. The other thickness block are provided to give you the ability to shim the panel if you find that it is not standing straight when you install the glass. Normally you only need two blocks under each panel. The blocks can be cut in half if necessary.

Tip: Some installers will use a little super glue to position the setting blocks so that they don't move during the installation process. If you need to remove a fixed panel for some reason the setting blocks tend to stick to the bottom of the glass, and can get easily lost.

There are two types of U channel installations. There is the Wet Set, which is when you put silicone inside the U channel and then the glass is set into the silicone. On a Dry Set panel you don't have silicone inside the channel. The glass is held in position by the silicone which is applied to seal the panel. A wet set install is required for strength if you plan to hinge the door off of the panel. Some installers will wet set everything, others will only do it when needed.

If installing a shower with a header please read

The primary reason for doing a wet-set installation is to end up with a secure panel which is capable of supporting the weight of a door. As in any gluing operation you need to have all surfaces CLEAN & DRY . Before you get out the silicone you need to verify that you have the correct setting blocks, and that the glass stands correctly in the channel. The glass and U channel have been sized so that there should be a 1/8" space between the glass and the bottom of the U channel. This allows for the unexpected high tile and other surprises. The goal in setting the panel next to the door is to have the correct door "W" value at the bottom, and edge of the glass nearest the door needs to be plumb. If the panels isn't standing plumb you need to remove it and change the setting blocks under the panel. When it all looks good remove the glass, make sure the setting blocks stay in the channel. You may want to use some super glue to make sure they don't slide around when you put the silicone in the channel. To do the next step you want to have a roll of paper towels, a trash can, masking tape and Windex close at hand. The trick here is to put in the correct amount of silicone in the channel. The channel is too tight on the glass to put extra silicone in the channel and expect the excess to ooze out. To much and you can make a mess, to little and and you don't get the strength you need. You only need to put a bead of silicone in the bottom of the U channel large enough so that it makes good contact with the glass.