What is the best approach for tiling around a shallow vinyl shower window using kerdi board – tiling into the window jam or using a PVC vinyl trim piece?
I’m looking for some advice on how to tile around my vinyl shower window. I’ll be using kerdi board as a backer, but for now, just imagine I’m using sheetrock scraps. Normally, you would tile into the sill up to the window jam, but mine is pretty shallow. I have two options in mind – in the first picture, I would tile into the window jam, making the tiled part 1 1/4″ wide. Do you think that’s too narrow? In the second picture, I would use a 1×2 PVC vinyl trim piece around the window to create a gap between the window and kerdi board. This way, I wouldn’t have to tile towards the jam. I would use kerdi fix and caulk all seams. I don’t have much tiling experience, so I’m open to any advice or suggestions you might have. Let me know what you think of these options, or if you have a better idea, and the pros and cons of each. Thanks!
I recommend using a vinyl return and tiling up to it, making sure the return extends about 1/2 to 3/4 inch past the tile. Remember to secure the corners of your return with pins.
Once you’ve installed the kerdi board, apply the kerdi band with thinset, leaving just under half an inch to fix it to the window frame. This will cover the seam between the board and the window. Make sure to tape off the window to avoid getting kerdi fix everywhere. Next, use a solid surface piece for the base and add 1.5-inch tile pieces to the inside and top jambs.
This is the most clear photo I have of the kerdi band demonstration. I hope it helps to understand.
No content
Let me show you what our tiler accomplished. He used Kerdi liner over the drywall.
He then carefully placed the tiles by the window. I sealed the area between the tiles and the window frame.
We chose PVC for ours and it’s been working great! First, we laid down the tile and then added the trim. I made sure the tile was placed correctly using a laser level. This ensured that we accounted for the thickness of the mortar. We secured it in place with liquid nails, then caulked the inside and around the tile.