Question for the construction/remodeling types

[phylodog]

I have a shower in my master bath and the tile walls are literally caving in. I'm relatively sure the builder used drywall rather than green or cement board. Next to the shower is a bathtub (regular size). My wife and I would like to remove the tub and turn that area into a large shower and once that is completed, remove the old shower, caps the pipes and turn that into a closet. The only issue I have is that there is a window above the current bathtub which would receive plenty of water if we turn that area into a shower.

Are there windows out there designed for this purpose? We don't want to give up the window because it's the only source of natural light in the room. I thought about trying to replace the window with glass blocks but I don't know if that is a good option for what is basically a shower wall?

Any educated input appreciated.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Are you thinking of using a one-piece pre-fab shower stall unit?

I did that in the upstairs bath and it rocks for low care and mildew abatement; however, I lost the window. However, to me, the window is a hassle, maybe the next re-model.

Which is more important to you (by which I mean her), light or low maintenance? If you want a window and can live with the hassle of installation and water, then have you looked at those glass blocks with the vents in them?

Oh, you do have a fan in the bath too? Water is the enemy.

 

[phylodog]

I am planning to do a tile shower. We're trying to increase the value of the house in hopes of maybe being able to sell it someday (trying hard to say that with a straight face). The bathroom does have a fan but it isn't located above the current shower or above where the new shower would go. I could install one easy enough since it's on an exterior wall though.

I haven't seen the glass blocks with vents on them. Got a link by chance?

Thanks for the help.

 

[42769vette]

how high is the window? the reason im asking is a guy wouldn't really care but a woman is not going to like standing by a window showering. you can buy a stick on film that looks like stained glass, but i dont know you it would handle the water hitting it.

we built a shower out of tile at my fathers house. its about 4'x4', i love it because we put the shower head up at about 7 feet. being 6'2 its nice to have the water naturally hit the top of your head instid of your chest. i defintally think you will like the big shower.

if you would decide to build your own shower out of tile i would suggest building shelves into it.

i know not much help on your window/water issue

 

[42769vette]

also your glass door is going to be expensive. i think dads was 500 bucks. somthing to consider with the fan is if you do 3 full tile walls you will want a light inside the shower but that can be part of your fan

 

[phylodog]

also your glass door is going to be expensive. i think dads was 500 bucks. somthing to consider with the fan is if you do 3 full tile walls you will want a light inside the shower but that can be part of your fan

Not terribly worried about someone looking into the window. I figured that if we were to use a plain window I would have the glass etched or frosted anyway. They'd have to get into the back yard over the privacy fence also.

I know I'm looking at a hefty expense with the glass door but it'll be worth the investment in the long run. Shelving is definitely in the plans. The nice thing is that I have time since the other shower is still functional although I have thick plastic taped up to prevent additional water from getting into the wall. I'm planning on running a couple of can lights above the new shower, just have to pull the wiring over from the old shower light.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Here's the kind that tilts out like a regular window but it's glass block. My cousin made them in Colorado.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

also your glass door is going to be expensive. i think dads was 500 bucks.

Yes, I went with a curtain and rod. It is a lovely $14 shower curtain depicting a bamboo grove from BB&B.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Shelving is definitely in the plans.

The advantage of the pre-fab one piece is that it had shelving built in. The niches are really cool and girlfriends can store the "shampoo museum" in them.

I built utility shelves on the wall of the bath for storing vitamins, electric toothbruth, etc. I can post pics of them if you need inspiration.

 

[phylodog]

Thanks Kirk. I don't think that would work unless I closed up the current hole for the window since it's considerably larger. Here is a pic of what we've got. Notice the lovely black plastic duct taped to the walls in the shower, lol.

The plan is to continue the short wall between the tub and shower up to the ceiling and have the shower head and hot/cold knobs on that wall. As you can see the window is pretty large and runs pretty low to the ground. I don't know if we will be able to keep it the same size with a shower built in there.

 

[jclark]

What's on the outside of the home? Vinyl siding or Brick veneer?

 

[phylodog]

It's cedar siding (or maybe the cement equivalent). It's delaminating in a few places so I think it's the cedar.

 

[truckie011]

To answer your question directly. You can leave that window in place. But there are a couple of things that you should do. First use a quality caulk around the entire window, and the joints were two pieces meet. Then prime the window with a good primer like Klinz (or another brand) that has a mildew blocker. Then paint with a high gloss paint. This will protect the window frame from developing mold or mildew. For privacy you can use a simple stick-on film, or use a window frosting kit. One last thing is you should install a vent fan to pull out moister if you don't already have one.
I hope this answers your question.

 

[Rookie]

Which floor is this on? If it's the second, look into sun tunnels. Personally, I would change the window to a shorter, but higher window if I couldn't use sun tunnels. Look at the Kerdi shower system for tiling...

 

[Rookie]

How about flipping the bathroom? Move the window over and putting the sink where the window is now?

 

[Dirtebiker]

It really depends on what siding you have on that side of the house. If it's something that can be patched in, then consider a smaller window made completely of vinyl or glass block works great sealed in with silicone.

 

[Clif45]

New vinyl replacement window with obscured top and bottom glass, good caulk around it, and a watchful eye for water resting near the grout/window seam. Most tile guys will put the bottom at a slight bevel so the water will naturally run down instead of puddling at the window.

Or like other have said glass block with tile up to it, or frame in a new window and patch in the cedar and make it a little taller.

 

[Rookie]

Kerdi Shower, Schluter Kerdi Systems - Mold-free and Watertight | Tile Your World

I used this when I built my 5x6 shower. If I were to do it again, I would use the floor pan and use hardi backer on the walls instead of the membrane. It was a huge pita to put that stuff on the walls and it's overkill. Use the epoxy grout with a good ceramic tile and it will be maintenance free. Slate, granite, or any natural stone will have to be sealed every year. It's easy to do so don't let that scare you. If you decide to use natural stone let me know. I've got a wet grinder to bull nose the edges.

There is a guy in Indiana that sells the Kerdi cheaper than anyone else. I would have to dig up his info if you are interested.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Kerdi Shower, Schluter Kerdi Systems - Mold-free and Watertight | Tile Your World

I used this when I built my 5x6 shower. If I were to do it again, I would use the floor pan and use hardi backer on the walls instead of the membrane. It was a huge pita to put that stuff on the walls and it's overkill. Use the epoxy grout with a good ceramic tile and it will be maintenance free. Slate, granite, or any natural stone will have to be sealed every year. It's easy to do so don't let that scare you. If you decide to use natural stone let me know. I've got a wet grinder to bull nose the edges.

There is a guy in Indiana that sells the Kerdi cheaper than anyone else. I would have to dig up his info if you are interested.

This^^^ I was just going to recommend Kerdi systems. While I've never used them myself, I've heard tons of great stuff about them from the pros in the tile business. I will be using Kerdi systems in my shower reno when I get to it. Please PM his info to me too.

Sorry, I can't really help much with the window problem. I'm sure there is something out there if you want an actual window. I know my in-laws have a large "glass block" window in their master shower. This isn't so much a "window" though. It is those glass blocks stacked/sealed in place. You can use them right up to the edges of the tile and as long as it all gets sealed up there shouldn't be any problems. Of course you won't be able to open it etc, but it will still pass light through. You also have a lot of variability in what you can do and how big/small you want it.

Their window is similar to this. You may want to check into doing something similar.

 

[phylodog]

This bathroom is on the first floor so I'm pretty well stuck with the layout the way it is, the pipes run through the slab.

I appreciate the info and recommendations guys. I really like the glass block idea, I don't know what my wife thinks of it though. We never open that window so I don't think it being sealed up would be an issue, I'll definitely add another vent fan however.