What’s the consensus (hah! there is no consensus here) on what product to use as a window sill and/or trim in a wet area, like a shower? Corian (or similar)? Where would one buy a small enouigh piece for a sill? What about thermal expansion problems?
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Replies
Polyethylene. If you don't know a source, check under "plastics" in your local yellow pages (web search ?) to find a dealer near you who'll sell less than a full sheet. I've seen also entire window over a whirlpool trimed in polystyrene (multiple layers laminated together - the edges of casing was 45'ed to show off the colours). The advantage of polystyrene is that it's about skill-level "2" to work with.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
How does paint & caulk stick to it?
Not much sticks to polyethylene - you go for white (a few other colours), forever. You sit it on a bead of butyl (or kid's plastacine in a pinch) to seal under it. And you don't paint the styrene, it comes in a rainbow of colours - a bead of clear GE Aquarium sealer. This was looking for alternatives to Corian, if you want waterproof painted wood, then make the window trim like a picture frame (i.e. all joined) and paint it all-round with 2-part paint before you hang it like they do with indoor pools.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Cultured marble also works and is less expensive than Corian.
Why not continue your tile into the sill area? I've tiled large sills in shower stalls with excellent results. On a sill 1' deep I lift the outside edge (window side) 1/8 -1/4 higher for drainage. 10 years with wet shampoo bottles on 'em with no problems.But if you want a solid piece for a sill, I'd go granite- corian seems to get dirty quite quickly in a shower area- mildew, scratches hold soap scum readily......
Trex is inexpensive, completely unaffected by water, and you can work it with normal woodworking tools. You'd probably want to paint it.
Good point. Sand it smooth, or run it through the planer for a smooth surface, and it should work fine.Do it right, or do it twice.
Try buying a small piece of Corian from a local cabinet shop. At least one small shop here has dozens of scraps in a multitude of colors and sizes.
As you know, it's the perfect material for your application.
Bob
Depending on the dimension of the sill, I've used stone (marble,etc) thresholds and painted the trim,if it's high enough up the wall.
Ken
corian backsplash or sidesplashMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
cultured or real marble.
slate.
trim tec...now called Aztec......if U want white plastic.
tile.
never used corian...but I'm sure it'd work if you can find a piece.
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite