Dare I put a wood window in a shower wet wall

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Chefwong

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Tub/Shower setup.
Brick Exterior
Current Window is a Owen Corning Fiberglass Window
The RO for the Window is just a smigen past where you would normally stand under the showerhead.
The window does not see direct water but it will be moist from overspray/shower heat..

I'm in the midst of planning the remodel of this.
Not a fan of vinyl but I will if I have to.
The windows in the majority of the house is either Kolbe or Marvin Ultimates.

I'm inclined to stick with a clad/wood window and just keep the paint in good condition rigorously for the interior facing portion of this window.
Am I asking for trouble here - the combo of wet/moist overspray that will be on the surface of the window and it still being a painted surface/wood window ?
 

Terry

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I'm a big fan of vinyl windows for the tub/shower area, with non-porous wrapping.
Code requires tempered glass, which can be ordered.
 

Cacher_Chick

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I have trouble grasping how having a window in a shower is ever a good thing. Personally, I would do away with it altogether.

Fiberglass windows are great. I'm curious how you will expect to benefit by switching to a lesser product?
 

Jadnashua

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I'll second fiberglass windows...they expand and contract at almost exactly the same rate as the glass they contain, are much stiffer, and often, have a larger glass area verses a vinal equivalent. This puts less stress on the glass, and maintains the seal for longer than in an average vinal or wooden window.

Any window in a wet area is a tough install. Windows are designed to shed water to the outside, not on the inside, so the slopes of the cladding is all wrong for use in a shower. Pooling can be an issue. personally, if I was going to have a (non-operable) window in a shower, I'd go with a glass block one. The key to any is good attention to details and proper slope with waterproofing.
 

Chefwong

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Casement style window that is frosted on the outside.

Marvin and Kolbe products are not a lesser product than the fiberglass window.
When Owens was making Fiberglass windows, they were the top $ product during that time.
However, like vinyl, over time they get brittle, etc.
The clad/wood windows IMO are holding like a rock. There is upkeep on paint/stain for the interior but this is more the very nature of having a *finished interior* side of the window. The exterior clad get's no treatment. Every spring, after a long winter, I just take my commerical grade steam cleaner, blow out all the nooks and crannies and a good pressure wash on the exterior.

I've yet to investigate how well paint will be *on wood* vs fiberglass in this area.

It's just from experiance, that the fiberglass windows do get brittle...
 

Jadnashua

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There's a good reason why none of the tile installation approved methods will let you tile to solid wood framing, it's just not stable in varying humidity and temperature situations...it requires at least plywood, and personally, I prefer even more rigid substrates. Movement is deadly to tile. Even if not being tiled, the joint between the wood and the tile is problematic when one side can move a lot. Sealing to something that can move is problematic...vinal expands and contracts a lot with temperature changes...fiberglass is much more stable. Then, you have the glass to frame movement where wood and vinal move much more than fiberglass to glass. I like to minimize my potential problem areas. No window is really designed to both shed water outside and inside, so the inside is always a compromise (glass block is an exception).
 

Chefwong

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Our dear Terry actually gave me that Avatar. One day I logged in and viola it was there ;-)

Eeeks. Some god posts and I totally remember in my previous house, the header for a window rough in saw constant humidity - similar to a bathroom and paint that was on plywood wrinkled and cracked due to the movement in the face of the graining of the plywood.

Oh well, back to the drawing board and time to investigate more window brands.
 

Chefwong

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I have not gone window shopping lately, but there is a significant difference when you *open/close* aforementioned windows versus others. So maybe I am somewhat biased based on my past purchase selection if not still the quality feel of how the clad/wood windows are as opposed to my previous fiberglass windows..

John, tile is yet to be determined. I am all over the map on this. While I would love large format marble, etc....methinks as a bathroom that is multi-use purpose (kids bathroom) as well, I may just stray for porcelain. If I do porcelain, it will be 1/3 mosiac and 2/3 large format, floor to wall.

The exterior of the house is brick. The partial ~slab~ it will see will be the exterior facing side where it is touching the brick / slab stone sill RO.
Per you previous post, you basically *wrap* the stud in a membrane...and then apply backboard.

I'm going to have to reread you post on sill slopes and reveal. As long as the backerboard is the same against the entire frame of the window, than the reveal after tile should be the same no...
 

Chefwong

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Got it. This is strictly in planning stages right now, but a wild guess would be around 4" Depth on the inside sill.
To get the pitch, would you just cut the width x 1" deep and put that on the edge of the bottom RO. Then hydroban, and ~tile~ maintaining a downward pitch.
And when I say tile, it my understanding that alot of pro tilesetters like to use some sort of stone on the bottom, similar to the bottom of a niche versus tile.

Thoughts on material - whether it be same tile or a whole stone that would not have a grout/joint on the *bottom* of the ~box~.
I only mention this as when I did a inquiry on the bathroom renov. a year back, I do recall 2 contractors advising this.
 

Chefwong

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lap joint - hmm, thinking like a carpenter ;-)
In this, would you lay the stone on the sill, see where the tile would butt up (pencil) and then grind a reveal under the stone sill....

To make the back of the stone look nice where it meets the window it needs to be back cut as well a few degrees.
A picture describes a million words. Got any ?
Are you saying put a reveal into the frame --- if the material allows, to slide and *lock* the stone ontop as well...

To make the back of the stone look nice where it meets the window it needs to be back cut as well a few degrees.
 

Chefwong

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Back to homework. While not familiar with the Noble/Schul Sealants---for the window.......I'm inclined to look at tried and true performers. I have to see what the equivalent of a interior grade application would be comparative to NP1/NP1, Vulkem 116, Solar Seal. I've used all these with great sucess....and I suppose interior is fine as long as I'm okay with the dissipation aroma.
 

Chefwong

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All those exterior grade stuff is good stuff. They just stink as they outgas.
My plan is all liquid but I was planning to use membrane on area like the window and niche.

I suppose one should stick with their manuf. recommended sealant when not know how the chemical composition of the latter *tried and true proven* sealants would behave with their membrane material....from a systems approach..
 

Chefwong

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Thread Bump. Project back on track for this year.

JW,. Let me see your *flashing* / expansion gap treatment between tub edge and mating wall...
I'd be curious what techniques to employ
 

Chefwong

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Thanks JW. Pics speak a milliion words. Your pics were *more or less* what I have in mind, re: sheet membrane as the flashing.

I'm going to *google kerdi fix* cause I can think of 10 zillion other great urethane sealants I can buy and use that are proven performers for me.
VOC....aside.
 

Chefwong

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Is that a triple deck staggered niche u built there ?

Most urethanes skin over quickly. Kerdi Fix is not a easy find at the supply houses around here, and if I was to get my hands on it, I would be very suspect on it's production date. Tons of good/great Urethanes like Vulkem, Sonneeborn, SS, etc. I've used them when sealing perimeter holes, if not sealing on the inside, the sides of a window during rough framing. Kerdi Fix is just hard to get, probably will be outdated on the stuff if I do get it, and well, as you know, in the tile world if not anything using construction materials, it's good practice to check batch code dates
 
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