Help in selecting a window for a tiled INTERIOR shower wall.

[susanna]

We are building our dream bathroom on a tight budget and have planned a 24" x 42" non-opening tempered glass "window" in the interior wall between the shower and the rest of the bathroom. The window will be framed in on all sides. Our builder just informed us we need to purchase the window and that he needs it in 3 weeks. We are going to talk to our "big box" hardware stores here re: whether we can get one from a manufacturer of glass shower stalls, so that the framing will match. But we were concered about getting it in time.

Can a tempered glass piece without a frame be tiled into the wall? If so, what would be some things to consider?

If that is not feasible, I saw a short post on the forum about using vinyl framed windows and then tiling to the window. Can I assume that means covering the vinyl with tile all the way to the glass? Also, since this window is in an interior wall, could you tile to the glass on the inside of the shower wall and the outer shower wall as well?

Any help will be most appreciated.

Thanks!

[johnfrwhipple]

Could you not just use a piece of fixed glass and skip the window?

We work with glass panels and tile everyday. If this is an interior window you should be able to insert a piece of tempered glass into your shower. JW

[susanna]

Thank you John! That is exactly what I was hoping to hear. I was hoping that we could just insert a simple tempered glass panel (I guess I should not have used the term window). Any special considerations? Besides being sure the sill drains slightly towards the shower interior? Would the glass require any special trim tile to hold it in place?

[johnfrwhipple]

We use a lot of white laminate glass in our shower construction and tie the glass into the showers waterproofing with a product called Kerdi Fix. A little Kerdi Fix and a little Kerdi Band and you can make the wall assembly water tight.

Make sure that there is room for expansion. The tile should cover your Kerdi Band And Kerdi fix. I would aim for a 3/4" - 1" band.

Kerdi fix can yellow if left exposed to natural light. Where the tile meets the glass I would use silicone.

It is very hard to line tile up on both sides of a glass pane. Set one side of tile and then the next.

JW