Bathroom remodel - can the shower area have a window...?

11 years ago

Our upstairs bath only has a tub...no shower. We want to add a shower (or get rid of the tub) but there is a window there, which faces the street. Is it possible to have a shower there -- how do you treat the window so it is "waterproof"? Ideas re: privacy?

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PRO

Petron Design, Inc.

11 years ago

We do this all the time. Make sure the tile or marble is installed into the reveal of the window , and install a waterproof shutter such as the Hunter Douglas Palm Beach shutter. This is definitely the
best looking solution. It gives the flexability of controlling the light and privacy and is a very up-
graded appearance !

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Comments (12)

orangecamera
11 years ago
Are you on the ground floor? Do you have neighbors with a direct line if sight through that window?
PRO
Maison Pompeii Antiques and Interiors
11 years ago
The winodw needs to be devoid of all wood. Can you replace with a solid piece of tempered translucent(privacy) glass and then frame everything with tile or granite etc. If the window does not have to open, you can also leave the window in place, and put another piece of solid glass infront and then seal all around with tile etc. No wood in the space where water could touch. Also can replace with glass blocks( not my first choice but easy and simple).
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marisanborn
11 years ago
Mine certainly does, just put over the window a smaller
Shower curtain with a rod. It's works fine!
PRO
Dytecture
11 years ago
Great advice from lpmenache, one option for privacy is to install frosted films over current window. depending on the size of the window or the window may need to be re-sized so it is higher up above the floor.

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PRO
Maison Pompeii Antiques and Interiors
11 years ago
the obvious easy answer is the extra shower curtain on the window side. Be sure that you put it up high enough so water wont get behind it. Bravo Jewelleyes
orangecamera
11 years ago
I realize now that the OP does state it's an upstairs bathroom.

At night, have someone stand in the tub as if taking a shower, and go outside to the street, and see what's visible. If you can see the person in the tub, a privacy film may not be enough. Especially at night, with lights on in the bathroom, it will be like putting on a peep show for the neighborhood. Anything that will allow light into your room will also let light out and show shadows. There may be some sort of one-way material available.

Years ago I had a window in my shower. The sill was marble and the rest of the shower, including window "frame" was tile. It worked very well. Make sure the sill is angled so water will drip into the tub, not pool by the wall.
decoenthusiaste
11 years ago
Frosted glass block that only reveals head and shoulders to the street traffic might work.
Ramona
11 years ago
I'm surprised that modern building has taken over so much that you haven't seen windows in showers before. Used to be that this was standard. Just waterproof the window casings somehow. I wouldn't worry about privacy as long as the window is shoulder height or higher. If not, then I'd try any number of the suggestions above. Don't permanently close the window. The air circulation is preserving the entire bathroom from mold and getting outside air is a plus everyone should value.
PRO
By Any Design Ltd.
11 years ago
We build many showers here in Vancouver with windows in them. Of course a wood window should be avoided and care needs to be taken to tie the waterproofing into the window. Typical minimum code building practices should be avoided and one of the many topical waterproofing systems should be incorporated.

Check out this Idea Book of mine show casing windows in showers.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/778363/thumbs/Showers-with-Windows---Designing-with-Natural-Light

My favourite waterproofing product for this is a product called Kerdi Fix. http://www.schluter.co.uk/produkt.aspx?doc=2120.xml&pg=funktion

This product has worked well for me tying my waterproofing systems into the various window builds.

JW
PRO
Linda
11 years ago
We revamped an older bathroom and left the small window in place. We removed the wood window sill and casing and replaced with ceramic tile. We left in place the aluminum mini blind which sheds most of the water. It's a small window and faces into the backyard so the privacy issues are minimal.

I'm in an area with lots of older homes and almost all of them have a window in the main bathroom.
PRO
Classic Clawfoot Tubs
11 years ago
If the wood is not exposed to moisture, you will probably be fine but it's sometimes difficult to keep splashing water out of an area, even with a curtain.

Updated my bathroom about 6 years ago and had a vinyl window that was in the shower area. I pulled off the wood trim on the shower side because the paint was cracking on it from the expansion and contraction of moisture and temperature (I presume) and replaced it with synthetic trim.

I don't think this dense styrene based trim will not be adversely affected by the water (at least I see no signs of it yet) so maybe you can look into that if you didn't want to use traditional tile or stone.

Bathroom remodel - can the shower area have a window...?

Petron Design, Inc.

Comments (12)

orangecamera

Maison Pompeii Antiques and Interiors

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