Tiling a window sill

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I have a window by my shower and currently the window sill gets very wet when I have a shower. The window sill is slightly bowed, so that the lowest point is along the centre line of it, between the window and the edge of the sill. So inevitably this means that water pools on it, and over time the paint on the sill ends up cracking and the underlying wood starts to show. This is obviously no good, and I've decided to tile the window sill (with mosaic tiles).

But I'm wondering whether tiling will be enough to solve the problem. When I tile the sill this centre line will still be the lowest point, and water will continue to collect there. It won't be so bad that that happens on tiles rather than on wood, but still it would be better if I could prevent it. So should I try to build up this part of the window sill before tiling, so as to create a slope away from the window? And if so, how? I reckon it needs to be raised by about 3mm at most to achieve this.

Grateful for any help.
 
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You might find it easier to use upvc window board or fascia board and bedded it on with gripfill.
 
Yes, a good idea. The only disadvantage would be that I want to avoid raising the level of the sill too much because the tiles will almost take it up to the level of the window by themselves. Perhaps I might just plane down the front of the window sill...
 
The fascia board is about the same thickness of the tile + adhesive.
 
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You might find it easier to use upvc window board or fascia board and bedded it on with gripfill
That's what I did in my bathroom. If you use the bull nosed type, it gives the appearance of a thick sill, but the nosing is actually hollow, and comes down over the front of the tiles. It has the added advantage that it hides the top edges of the tiles on the wall.

This is the stuff but I sourced it locally and paid about £7 for single 4ft length (including end caps). From a timber merchants!
 
heres an idea. Box in your window cill and turn it into an internal window box. Plants thrive in the atmosphere and it makes an intresting feature if done correctly. Ive done it on a couple of occasions and in the right bathroom it looks great. (god i sound like something from changing rooms!)
 
Thermo said:
heres an idea. Box in your window cill and turn it into an internal window box. Plants thrive in the atmosphere and it makes an intresting feature if done correctly. Ive done it on a couple of occasions and in the right bathroom it looks great. (god i sound like something from changing rooms!)
Not very appealing to take a shower alongside a load of mud though is it?
 
mud...you heathen heretic. its finest potting compost, and i said if its done correctly! :D
 
OK, so I went ahead and did it. I decided to plane down the window sill so as to create a slight slope away from the window towards the shower. Then I used ReadyMix Biscem 'ShowerProof" Tile Adhesive to affix the tiles, left it for two days and then grouted with Nicobond waterproof grouting. I put one row of tiles in along the vertical edge of the window sill. The effect looked great. I avoided using the shower for two weeks so that it could all be really dry, and then started using the shower. Everything seemed to be OK. A small amount of water stayed on the tiles after a shower, but most of it drained away. And then, today, the tiles have all started coming off. Particularly, but not only, in the row of vertical tiles. :evil: Everything I used was supposed to be waterproof, so I thought it would work. What should I have done differently (apart from boxing it all in to make a window box)?
 
hmmm, was the tiles adhesive new and not old stock ? Also did you mix the tile adhesive first ? Might be a idea to Unibond the tiles and wood.
 
Coming back to this five years later because the tiles have come off (again). It doesn't take very long to replace the tiles, but it's a bit of a bore not being able to take a shower while everything is drying. masona, in answer to your questions, yes the adhesive was new, and I did mix it.

This time I have Unibonded the tiles to the wood and then inserted grout around them. I was wondering, should I use some sort of sealant over the tiles and grout? Or does not such thing exist?
 
Tiles have come off again after two years, and I have now regrouted. If there's nothing I can put over the tiles to completely insulate them from the water perhaps I'd better try the window box idea next time.
 

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