Thank you for your quick responses..
Trusting any mfr that doesn't respond to product inquiries isn't on the top of my list. Since they don't respond, and their online documentation on their DTV II products are seriously lacking, I'm trying to reach out to those that may have already worked with this specific product for a steam shower.
Yes, I'm familiar Johnbridge.com and with steam shower requirements of waterproofing. This will be a Kerdi waterproofed steam shower -- I'm comfortable with the large amount of skill, experience, and help available on the John Bridge forums to get me through that aspect of the build. That's an excellent reference and I'm over there often
Maybe I need to describe this better... most showerhead products have a chrome pipe come out of the wall and a showerhead is attached. Waterproofing that fixture is the equivalent to kerdi-fixing around the pipe and caulking between the tile and the chrome pipe.
Kohler watertiles are a different animal -- they are inset and are installed within a housing within the wall space.
Installation guide:
http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/1043851_2.pdf
From what I see there is a plaster guard, a leak guard, and an escutcheon. All of these appear like they will prevent water from getting back into the wallspace with normal shower type uses.
So it gave me a comfy feeling that maybe it would also be vapor proof, but then reading the homeowners guide:
http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/1043851_5.pdf
"IMPORTANT: Do not spray pressurized water directly into the
sprayface. Water damage may occur behind the finished wall."
WHAT? I mean.. forget steam... They are saying that when my wife is using the handshower to clean, the watertiles can't take direct spray for cleaning or risk leaking into the wall??? I'm guessing they are not vapor proof, since they have leak risks when cleaning...
BUT...
Every commercial that Kohler has out for the DTV II system (that can include steam) shows it with their watertiles....
Anyone?