Ideas on rotted window in shower

I have just purchased a house with a window in the shower which is really in bad shape from the moisture over the last 50 years. I am removing and replacing all the tile in the area and trying to decide what to do about the window, cover it from the inside and tile over it, but any ideas on the outside if I do that? Or replace it which I really don't want to do! I bought it as a rental and plan on owning it for a good while and don't want to have any problems with it again, but also don't want it done poorly either. Ideas?

Hiyas,

I'm not an expert, just a homeowner who lived in an 1886 victorian with windows in three bathrooms...all of which were rotting when I moved in.

I didn't want to remove the windows since they were the only source of light in the bathrooms, so I replaced ALL the rotting wood...and whooeee, there was a lot of wood surrounding the windows that had rotted out!

Once the wood was replaced, I put in new windows. I waffled on whether to go with newer framing that wasn't wood, or to replace with more "period appropriate" windows. Chose the older wood sash types, BUT, I primed ALL of the wood with an oil based Killz type product prior to installation, then used a good oil based gloss paint on the window sills and sash. After that it was just a matter of repainting once a year and recaulking at the same time so that moisture couldn't seep in around the edges and get to the framing again.

I lived there for 10 years and never had a problem.

Nearly everyone I talked to told me I was playing with fire and that the windows would rot again....guess I was either lucky or dumb, cuz it worked for me....and it was a LOT cheaper than bricking up the outside of the windows with something that could never match the original siding on the house.

SB

Personally, I'd either put in glass block, or a vinal or fiberglass window. Depending on how high the window is and its orientation to the showerhead, the more likely it is to get wet, the more I'd lean towards glass block. But, code requires either an operable window (now who's going to use that in the winter?) or a ventilation fan in a bathroom, so that may limit your choice. You have a chance of sealing any of those three, with wood, it becomes much harder.

any tips on the glass blocks, it is a brick house with old wooden windows and storm windows.

Check out www.johnbridge.com. You should be able to find some pictures and threads, as this comes up periodically there. There are numerous choices from clear, to colored, to patterned block in various sizes. PPG has a frame system (if I remember correctly).

I don't know if PPG has preframed glass block window kits, but I do know that Pittsburgh-Corning sells them. Can it be that PPG merged with Corning? I hope not! But if they did, then I sure hope they still have their awesome corporate headquarters building in Pittsburgh. =)

You can take a look here Pittsburgh Corning Windows.

I've been practically living on their website for the last 2 weeks since I think I want to install a glass block walk-in shower, and I love their designs.

SB

You could replace the shutters on the house then build some "closed" ones over the bathroom window, remove it, frame and insulate/ tile over inside.

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=60225

This is the advice I got over at John Bridge. May be helpful to you.

We haven't gotten any farther than the pic shown in the bathroom, otherwise I'd know more. But I think I will do it as they said: With CBU around the window, and waterproofing it to the tub wall CBU and even to the vinyl w/ a liquid waterproofing membrane like Redgard or the one mentioned in the thread. Then I'll either tile right up to the vinyl, or use PVC for casing and sill.

Would've had it done by now, but got sidetracked w/ work, my business, and other projects that had to get done beforehand. (Decided to raise 7 foot bathroom ceiling to 9 feet, added another beam underneath bathroom, etc.)

For appearence reasons and cost I think I will just replace the old window with a vinyl one and tile around it, I am not ever going to live in the house but I don't want it to look cheap either. My concern is for the look of the exterior, if I just cover it up from the inside, I know the inside will look good when the tile guy is done.

Had the same problem in a house a few months back. Installed a new vinyl window and used 1x4x 3/4 PVC trim to trim it out. Tiled up to it and ran a bead of good silicon around the trim.