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Shower Door Install & Re-Seal: Measure, Hang, Caulk Outside

Updated 2026-10-31 · Sources verified 2026-07-20

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Measure like the instruction sheets do: wall to wall 'at the top, middle and bottom' and 'use the smallest measurement as the finished opening' (DreamLine). Permit in Orange County: no permit needed. Exempt finish work under FBC 105.2 and Orange County's published list — but exempt work must still comply with the Florida Building Code. The full rule and its official source are below, with the code requirements and mistakes that trip up Orlando homeowners.

Key facts before you start

Measure like the instruction sheets do: wall to wall 'at the top, middle and bottom' and 'use the smallest measurement as the finished opening' (DreamLine). Every door has a plumb limit: Sterling and Delta frames tolerate walls 'less than 3/8 in out of plumb', DreamLine's Visions gives '1 in of adjustment per wall profile', and a frameless hinge panel 'should not be adjusted more than 1/4 in for out-of-plumb'. A door swap also needs 'a minimum of 1 in of flat level threshold space' and a finished, level curb. Sizes are ranges, not exact: Delta's 60 in tub door fits '50-1/8 in minimum to 59-3/8 in maximum'.
Which way and which side: 'the door MUST ALWAYS open outward' (Basco) and 'Install the pivot jamb of the door on the side opposite the showerhead' (Sterling), the same rule Basco gives 'for maximum water proofing'. Tracks cut to size; glass does not: 'the track assembly kits can be cut to size, but tempered glass, however, cannot' (Delta). Buy the glass for the opening you have.
Removing the old door: slice the silicone along both wall jambs and the bottom track with a utility knife, back out the jamb screws, lift the panels out of the header, then work the jambs and track free; scrape the old silicone off the tile and curb and clean until the surfaces are 'clean, dry ... free of dust, dirt, and grease' (Sterling). The old anchor holes rarely line up with the new jambs: fill them with silicone, or set the new jamb to cover them, and never try to reuse a loose plastic anchor.
Track first. Cut the bottom track 1/4 in short of the wall-to-wall measurement and file the ends (Sterling); 'Center the threshold on the ledge with the leg to the outside' and, on a frame with drains, 'The weep slots in the curb must be to the inside' (Basco) so water runs back into the shower. 'Do not cut the TOP TRACK the same length as the BOTTOM TRACK' (Delta); the header is cut to the width measured at the top of the installed jambs, '1/16 in less' (Coastal). Tape the track in place while you set the jambs.
Drilling tile without cracking it: 'use a center punch to nick the surface of the glaze. Tap the center punch lightly with a hammer to avoid cracking the tile', then 'Use a tile or masonry bit' (Sterling); Coastal calls for a 3/16 in glass/tile bit, 1 in deep, with the plastic anchors tapped flush; Basco: 'If blocking is available for installation, DO NOT use wall inserts. Screw directly into the wooden blocking' and 'Use caution to not pierce plumbing or electric lines'. Put 'a small amount of silicone in each screw hole' (Basco) before the screws go in. Plumb each jamb with a level and tape it before you mark the holes.
Hanging a bypass door: lift the outside panel 'up and into the Header', lower it onto the roller track, and check it 'is parallel to the Wall Jamb. If it is not, remove the Door Panel and adjust the rollers either up or down' (Coastal). Sterling's rule for the adjustment: 'To adjust the door panel higher, move the rollers lower.' The bumpers are a safety part: 'The edge of each door panel must touch the bumpers before coming in contact with the wall jambs', because direct glass-to-metal contact 'will result in breakage of the glass and bodily harm'. Center the bottom guide on the track (Coastal) and keep the inside panel inside.
Seal the outside, not the inside of the track. Coastal: 'Run a bead of clear mildew resistant caulking down the full length of each Wall Jamb outside where the Jambs meet the Walls. Now run a bead outside where the Sill meets the curb.' Sterling: silicone where 'the bottom track meets the bath/shower threshold on the outside of the door' and where the jambs meet the wall inside and outside; the inside edge of the track stays open so trapped water drains back. 'Sealing areas other than those shown in the installation instructions may cause leaking' (Sterling). Then wait: 'Allow 24 hours for the silicone to cure before using the shower' (DreamLine).
Glass rules: Florida Building Code Residential R308.4.5 makes 'enclosures ... adjacent to ... bathtubs, showers' with glass below 60 in a hazardous location that must be safety glazing, and R308.1 requires each pane to carry 'a manufacturer's designation ... visible in the final installation', so a door without the etched tempered mark is the wrong glass. 'Tempered glass cannot be cut, drilled or knocked by hard object' (Kohler); 'Do not touch the edge of the tempered glass panel with tools' (Sterling); 'Never set the glass down directly onto a tile floor. Leave corner protectors in place' and use 'an assistant or a professional grade glass suction cup' (DreamLine). Two people, long sleeves.
A door that leaks or drags after years usually needs a re-seal, not a replacement: cut out the old silicone, clean, re-caulk the outside joints as above, replace the drip sweep ('run a small bead of silicone between the drip vinyl and the glass', Basco) and re-set the rollers. For the glass: squeegee after use because 'Hard water can etch the surface of the glass over time if left to dry', and no abrasive pads or scouring powder on glass or metal (DreamLine, Sterling); Delta's do-not-use list includes 'Lye (common in drain cleaner)' and acetone. Orlando water is hard; a protective coating only helps if the glass is clean when applied.
Permit: Orange County's no-permit list is finish work (flooring, paint, same-location cabinets and countertops) and names no shower door either way; a door swap touches no supply or drain pipe and no wall framing, so it sits with that finish work. Re-tiling the enclosure or moving the valve is a different job (see the tile and faucet guides). The manufacturers' own line applies: 'Follow all local plumbing and building codes.'

The permit answer

No permit needed. Exempt finish work under FBC 105.2 and Orange County's published list — but exempt work must still comply with the Florida Building Code.
Source: https://codes.iccsafe.org/s/FLBC2023P1/chapter-1-scope-and-administration/FLBC2023P1-Ch01-SubCh02-Sec105.2

Orange County and the City of Orlando run separate permit offices with separate portals — and your mailing address alone doesn't tell you which one covers your home. Check which permit office covers your address →

Manufacturer instructions

The manufacturers' own instructions this guide is built from. Follow the manual for your exact model; they open on the manufacturer's site.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for a shower door install & re-seal repair in Orange County, FL?

No permit needed. Exempt finish work under FBC 105.2 and Orange County's published list — but exempt work must still comply with the Florida Building Code.

Are there specific building-code requirements for a shower door install & re-seal repair?

Glass rules: Florida Building Code Residential R308.4.5 makes 'enclosures ... adjacent to ...

Looking for a different repair?

Sources

https://resources.kohler.com/plumbing/sterling/pdf/1113654_2.pdf
https://resources.kohler.com/plumbing/sterling/pdf/1458696-2.pdf
https://techcomm.kohler.com/techcomm/pdf/1638176-2.pdf
https://techcomm.kohler.com/techcomm/pdf/99172T-C-SHP.pdf
https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.bascoshowerdoor.com/documents/Instruction%20Sheets/QCI5298-Installation-Guide-COPA-900-Rev.1.pdf
https://pdf.lowes.com/productdocuments/0419574c-4972-427b-bd9e-fd5d6fb1a222/04912413.pdf
https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/57/57d615bc-5e01-4a11-bf83-dac15b3ac3dc.pdf
https://pdf.lowes.com/productdocuments/35ed9408-aaba-4b35-aa4e-ab1f3c51cd03/11328233.pdf
https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/05/05722df7-b29f-4502-b866-9358cb5a8549.pdf
https://pdf.lowes.com/productdocuments/83f12743-6619-4b33-93cf-bdbd0b46bad3/69435612.pdf
https://pdf.lowes.com/productdocuments/342fc2d4-6e5d-4e0d-9440-fad7f9f945b8/62971809.pdf
https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/ab/abaff6fc-2888-40c5-9ab5-02216a53c6cf.pdf
https://up.codes/viewer/florida/fl-residential-code-2023/chapter/3/building-planning#R308.4
https://engageorange.ocfl.net/fast-track-permitting-services/faqs

This guide is general informational content, not professional or legal advice. Codes and county rules change — confirm permit requirements with your local building department, and use a licensed professional for electrical, gas, structural, or main-line plumbing work.