Suggestions on tiling please?

[gary70au]

It is almost time for the tiling in my ensuite but i have a bit of a tricky decision to make.

I will show a pic of the area then explain.

http://users.tpg.com.au/adsly6up//ensuite1.JPG

Ok, the black lines show where the tiles will be. The red line shows where the shower screen goes up past the window sill.

The wife would like the trim around the window (architrave?) to be in timber to tie in with the solid timber vanity top we are installing.

I am hesitant to have timber inside the shower screen for obvious reasons. I have been thinking of tiling the window sill between the black lines and having timber for the rest.

Anyone got any suggestions?

How could i do the join on the window sill?

Thanks

Gary

[Burnsy]

Gary, here are a couple of pics from ours showing tiles mitred into the sills to show your wife. I am really happy with how it has come up. I am yet to finish the revelles/beading above tiles to hide the stell framing but they will stop at the tile line. There are more photos at the bottom of page three here if you want a squizzy
http://www.byohouse.com.au/forum4/viewtopic.php?t=380&start=30

[mic-d]

It is almost time for the tiling in my ensuite but i have a bit of a tricky decision to make.

I will show a pic of the area then explain.

http://users.tpg.com.au/adsly6up//ensuite1.JPG

Ok, the black lines show where the tiles will be. The red line shows where the shower screen goes up past the window sill.

The wife would like the trim around the window (architrave?) to be in timber to tie in with the solid timber vanity top we are installing.

I am hesitant to have timber inside the shower screen for obvious reasons. I have been thinking of tiling the window sill between the black lines and having timber for the rest.

Anyone got any suggestions?

How could i do the join on the window sill?

Thanks

Gary

It's a bad, bad, bad idea to have horizontal surfaces in showers that are not waterproofed - especially timber. You will get water down behind the sheeting and the timber will degrade. I would suggest you waterproof the sill and tile it.

Cheers
Michael

[gary70au]

Very nice Burnsy,

The drama i have is, either the wife wins and the whole thing is timber or if i win, the window sill will be half timber and half tiles, as the tiles on the wall don't go the full length of the window. Not sure how do implemenet both tiles and timber.

Gary

[gary70au]

Michael,

I will definately be waterproofing either under tiles or a thin veneer of timber. There is none on there yet as the new window only just arrived.

Gary

[Burnsy]

I don't see a problem with stopping the beading at the tile (half and half as you say) I am with mic-d regarding the timber surface within the shower. Ask you wife if she likes cleaning mouldy sills as that is what she will get in my opinion.

[gary70au]

What should i use at the transition point between the timber and tiles on the horizontal sill? A small piece of angle or should i use a small piece of timber beading (don't know the names of all this stuff). The tiles are quite thick so there will be a drop from the tiles to the timber.

Gary

[Burnsy]

What should i use at the transition point between the timber and tiles on the horizontal sill? A small piece of angle or should i use a small piece of timber beading (don't know the names of all this stuff). The tiles are quite thick so there will be a drop from the tiles to the timber.

Gary
I would not have a transition on the horizontal. I would mitre all the tiles into the sill right around up to full tiling height, same as in my pictures. Then I would use a small wood beading for the transition from tile to timber, if anything was required at all - the tile edge if done correctly can look fine as an edge.

[Master Splinter]

Personally, I'd take the window out and replace it with glass blocks. You could have those inside the shower without too many waterproofing worries - or at least fewer than a normal window.

[gary70au]

Considered the glass blocks but it just wasn't going to work, got new window instead.

[frog's wife]

a timber window in a shower area works a whole lot less than even your glass bricks. I would have made the same suggestion. Either that or tile the whole lot to the window frame. Wont be long before that timber looks like trash. Water, steam, heat.......not suitable for timber window frames. Neither are bathroom cleaning products. The stuff used to remove soap scum and things like bleach wont go down nicely with timber sills either.
Tile is a nice clean look. If the wife wants that nice natural earthy look, go for a earthy coloured tile and then you wont have to worry about finishing between the sill and the tiles either.

[rmartens]

What I think you should do if your wife wants to keep the timber in the shower recess and tile right next to the timber with thick tiles. I see the plaster board firm up against the timber. Cut a groove between the plaster board and the timber. Apply a fuller product like silasek but specially for wet areas so the water does not go behind the plaster board. a paint store will help you on what to use on the timber for a weather sealant remebering this will have to be subject to maintenance from time to time.
You already will waterproof the shower recess I understand. So cutting a deep groove between timber and plasterboard makes a lot of sense elimintating the chance of water going behind the sheets and into the timber behind causing rot and a nice place for ants white ants. And of coarse fungus.

[gary70au]

Thanks for the help. Regardless of what i end up doing i will be sealing between the villaboard and the window reveal. The white covering on the wall is liquid flash, which is also under the shower base and around the bottom of the internal framing under the villaboard. So hopefully i have the waterproofing covered.

Was thinking if i do use timber of finding what species might suit the conditions better and then treat it as if it were fitted to a boat. I realise that extra maintenance will be required :(

Gary