Hello, new to the forum. Looks like there is a lot of good advice on this board so I thought I'd try to get some help.

We've got a full size window in the shower. I guess thinking that it's weird is a matter of preference but it's also not a suitable unit for a shower stall. The frame is wood, I'm reasonably certain the glass isn't tempered, and there's an inch gap behind the molding at the top so it doesn't seem to have been installed that well anyway. I want to replace it with a smaller window of the same width but smaller height. Keep the same header, bring up a footer, install the window and close up the walls. I'm not under the impression that this is the simplest thing in the world to do but it's not unreasonable.

The curve ball is that I just noticed that the vinyl siding might have been put over wood shingles. (the house is a recent purchase) So the 23"x~16" gap under the window is going to be surrounded by wall that's not just paneling with wrap and siding over it but shingles too. I haven't gotten a chance to pull off siding to see if there's paneling or even wrap over the shingles but somehow I think there isn't. What would be the proper way to handle this? Do I need to space out the new section of wall to match the shingles? Extra material on top? Or just leave a big gap between the wall and the vinyl siding?

I would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks in advance.

 

Welcome to the forums! Have you decided on the type of window you want to install? Vinyl or otherwise? Vinyl would eliminate 90% of your water problems. As far as the opening goes, you will need to bring your siding up under the window, but adding siding is not that difficult a job. Could you post a couple of pictures (not closeups) of the inside and outside of this window. We may have more or better advice to help get you started once we see it. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...your-post.html

 

If your new window has a nail flange, you are faced with the choice of where the nailing flange will be mounted. Will it be on the original sheathing? Or will it be built out to be even with the plane of the shingle siding? Hard to answer that one. If you don't want the window to appear sunken in, you would likely remove the shingle siding and replace it with something equal in thickness... 3/4" plywood for example. Then put a wrb over that, then install the window, then put new j-channel around it and replace the siding to make the old opening disappear.

Pics will help.

 

Thanks for the quick replies. I haven't had much a chance to deal with this, it's been a rough week (fevers, carpenter ant swarms, leaking basement...)

The window that's there now and most of the windows in the house are series 400 andersen windows. Based on visible glass dimensions, it should be a TW2432 so unit dimensions of 2' 5+5/8" x 3' 4+7/8". I was considering replacing it with a vinyl interior series 100 andersen sliding window. These come in width of 2' 5.5" so the fit shouldn't be too bad. I believe they have a nail flange. Are there better option? It's a smaller single window, I'll spend extra if it means it'll stand up to the moisture better and keep the heat in.

What are you hoping to see in the pictures? The window hasn't been removed yet. All I can show is what the window looks like in relation to the existing siding and the interior wall. I'll try to get that soon.

 

Yep, that's oddly what we want to see. What your infrastructure looks like now. We may have some insight and shortcuts for you.

 

Why have any window in a shower?
What's the first thing anyone does when walking into the bathroom?
They turn on the light.
Loose the window and no more wall or window trim rot and painting.
No more heating and cooling loss.

 

Finally got the exterior and interior window pictures. Had to use my crappiest camera, still missing parts for the better ones.



Re removing the window entirely: considered it but decided we do want a window. Agree about simplifying maintenance and keeping the heat in but it's nice to have even a bit of natural light and actually be able to use it for ventilation. The small window is a compromise.

 

While I'm also not a fan of windows in showers at all, if you are dead set on the idea, an Anderson 100 would probably work fine provided you get the right size. Probably as small of a height as they will make. They are a pretty cheap (low quality) window compared to the 400's but it would work just fine in a shower. Problem is you will need interior trim around the window.

Since a smaller window will mean tiling that whole wall and probably the whole bathroom, you should plan to replace your drywall on those walls with cement board and do tile returns around the window so that it's impervious to water.

 

What brand of window would you suggest? I didn't want to use a 400 series because they are wood interior which is the problem now. We'll probably re-tile and replace the backing like you're saying. I don't have much confidence in what's there now.

 

Like I said, it would probably work fine.