thoughts on converting tub window to glass block?

kwmainer · 08-20-2009, 01:56 PM

Our house was built in the 60's. Both upstairs baths have tiny casement windows right in the tiled tub enclosure. While this creates a great tiled shelf area in the shower... it creates huge mold/mildew issues as well.

The windows are only about 1' wide, by 3' tall. I should mention that the windows actually do open and were originally intended to vent steam to the outside.

Options for remodel? New custom windows? open or not (plans are to install bath ceiling vent/lights). Keep em as casements? What about using glass block for light?

I should also mention that yes, we do have accordians for both windows - that are miami-dade approved (for those that might ask..)

Anyone dealt with this?

dakuda · 08-20-2009, 10:15 PM

WHen I bought this house, it had a window in the shower. I briefly thought about doing glass block. In the end, I removed the window, built in some studs and just covered the whole thing up.

I had basically gutted the bathroom to studs anyway, so it was a fairly easy thing to do at that point. That is my recommendation. You will constantly be dealing with some type of issue until you just cover it up and call it a day.

kwmainer · 08-21-2009, 11:12 AM

Well, yes. That would be the easiest thing to do (cover it up).

BUT, now that I think about it some more....

That side of the house is the one side with views to the river! Why, the owners put their baths on that side is beyond me. The two baths are side by side, making use of a common wall/plumbing in that wall. They are both 5' x 7', with the tub or shower running along the entire 5', outside wall portion of the house. Short of knocking both baths into one, and getting creative with the arrangement of fixtures... I can think of no way to get a window or slider there. grrrr. I could leave the tub/shower on one side, but then I'd have to have one toilet and the sink back to back, along the west wall (there's got to be a door there too). yeah. That will only happen if/when we build the new garage and new addition over the garage and adding 20' something to the top story of the house!

At the moment, I'm thinking of replacing the casements with new casements, for ventilation, and cause it's kinda neat to watch the river, birds, 4' iguanas, while taking a shower. lol. That means a custom (DIY) tile job. <sigh> Which means I gotta learn how to do tile.

Add it to my To-Do-List.... lol.