Damp Forming To Shower Rooms

[HuwRoberts]

Good Morning,

Firstly I work in Architecture so have quite a broad knowledge of construction, but I have a major issue in the new property I have moved into.

I have a walk in shower room where two of the walls are toughened glass fixed back to moisture resistant plasterboard (d&d), the floor is fully tiled with a mastic seal between the tile and glass.There is now a major issue with damp forming behind the toughened glass and although changing the mastic (type) and glazing three times the problem is still arising.

Does anyone have any answers to why this keeps reoccuring or have any experience with these materials or different seals that can be used?

Thankyou in advance for your comments.

P.S. The walls are internal studwork and do not form part of any external cavity walls.

 

[mointainwalker]

Firstly I am surprised that for a new-build, engineered ( presumably) design that the seal is mastic. I am no expert on this but would have thought that when specifying the glass, a moulded rubber-seal would have been part of the package.

Who specified this ?

You mention the mastic seal on the floor. Is it the same where the glass meets the ceiling and also along the front edges of the glass ?

Having difficulty imagining the glass/pb set-up. Is this obscure glass so that the dot and dab is not visible ? If it is, how are you seeing the condensation ?

When I was recently checking out some things to do with showers, I had a check with a dew-point calculator and to my great surprise it showed that in a steamy shower-room ( 98% RH) @ 22 C, the dew-point (condensation occurs) is only at 21 C.

If that is correct - and I am just assuming it is - then unless you can engineer a air-tight seal, this problem is not going away.

 

[HuwRoberts]

Firstly I am surprised that for a new-build, engineered ( presumably) design that the seal is mastic. I am no expert on this but would have thought that when specifying the glass, a moulded rubber-seal would have been part of the package.

Who specified this ?

You mention the mastic seal on the floor. Is it the same where the glass meets the ceiling and also along the front edges of the glass ?

Having difficulty imagining the glass/pb set-up. Is this obscure glass so that the dot and dab is not visible ? If it is, how are you seeing the condensation ?

When I was recently checking out some things to do with showers, I had a check with a dew-point calculator and to my great surprise it showed
that in a steamy shower-room ( 98% RH) @ 22 C, the dew-point (condensation occurs) is only at 21 C.

If that is correct - and I am just assuming it is - then unless you can engineer a air-tight seal, this problem is not going away.

Thanks for the reply, its a bit difficuilt to explain thoroughly, I think I shall take some pictures tonight and post for a better idea.

Thanks again

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I have a walk in shower room where two of the walls are toughened glass fixed back to moisture resistant plasterboard (d&d), the floor is fully tiled with a mastic seal between the tile and glass.There is now a major issue with damp forming behind the toughened glass and although changing the mastic (type) and glazing three times the problem is still arising.

I don't really understand the set-up here tbh but I can envisage there will always being problems when glass is fixed to a wall in a bathroom. Its a design No-No in my opinion. Better off stripping the glass and then tiling.

 

[noseall]

As Freddy has stated, there are many ways in which moisture will find its way to the back of the glass.

Sealing the abutments may be futile.

All this will be compounded by the fact that, not only are you talking about a room with high levels of humidity, but are also using materials (glass) that provoke condensation.