Where can I find a 36" outer diameter tube?
December 30, 2014 8:35 AM Subscribe
I have a 36 inch diameter round window in my shower. I would like to find a 36" outer diameter tube in some material (pvc? wood?) to line this window. It will be painted. I'd want a piece about 6 1/2" deep so I can trim it down to fit with a slight lip. Looking for ideas for sourcing this, as I don't need feet and feet of it, and would like to keep costs down. Help!
a 36" outer diameter tube
Hmm, for a window I'd expect it to be the inside diameter that would be critical. Why do you care about the O.D.?
My inclination would be to fabricate a faceted blank from PVC trim boards and then cut it round, but that would entail a fair bit of fancy machining and probably not satisfy the goal of keeping costs down.
Assuming I correctly understand your intent, the term you'll want to Google is "round window extension jamb."
posted by jon1270 at 9:13 AM on December 30, 2014
Hmm, for a window I'd expect it to be the inside diameter that would be critical. Why do you care about the O.D.?
My inclination would be to fabricate a faceted blank from PVC trim boards and then cut it round, but that would entail a fair bit of fancy machining and probably not satisfy the goal of keeping costs down.
Assuming I correctly understand your intent, the term you'll want to Google is "round window extension jamb."
posted by jon1270 at 9:13 AM on December 30, 2014
They make bending plywood.
Is this going to get wet in the shower? If it is you may want to do something with tile.
posted by H21 at 9:16 AM on December 30, 2014 [3 favorites]
Is this going to get wet in the shower? If it is you may want to do something with tile.
posted by H21 at 9:16 AM on December 30, 2014 [3 favorites]
jon1270, as I understand it, the window hole exists and is 36" ID. OP is looking to put a tube of 36"OD that fits inside this existing hole. Presumably this tube has something else inside it that will improve the situation in some way, which is part of the mystery.
I think you'd be best suited by a flat piece of material 6.5"x9.5ft (the circumference), that is flexible enough to bend into a circle. If you go to Home Depot and look in the trim boards section, you'll find planks of white PVC "fake wood" moulding, everythig from narrow pieces to wide 6" or 8" boards. The 10-foot lengths are pretty standard; although you can't just set the board down on the floor and flex it into a circle, you can use a heat gun (hair dryer on high) to warm it and bend into the shape you want.
posted by aimedwander at 10:08 AM on December 30, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think you'd be best suited by a flat piece of material 6.5"x9.5ft (the circumference), that is flexible enough to bend into a circle. If you go to Home Depot and look in the trim boards section, you'll find planks of white PVC "fake wood" moulding, everythig from narrow pieces to wide 6" or 8" boards. The 10-foot lengths are pretty standard; although you can't just set the board down on the floor and flex it into a circle, you can use a heat gun (hair dryer on high) to warm it and bend into the shape you want.
posted by aimedwander at 10:08 AM on December 30, 2014 [2 favorites]
Perhaps I'm not understanding. [It's usually the case].
Um, diameter is the measure across the circle, circumference is pi x diameter. In your question you said, "I would like to find a 36" outer diameter tube in some material (pvc? wood?) to line this window."
For a circumference of 36" you would need a diameter of 11.459ish inches. For a diameter of 36" you would need something with 113" in circumference.
So a PVC pipe would have to be about twelve inches [in diamater] assuming the smaller window. It would also have to be flashed and canted and caulked perfectely.
You can do this but it's not going to be like the Nautulus in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Treat it like a roof where water is shed from above, use flashing, as opposed to a a watertight submarine if you are feeling brave. And then two years later call your insurance agent because of water damage.
I was a remodeler for ten years and no way would I try this on any other than a tree house.
They have professionals for this.
posted by vapidave at 11:06 AM on December 30, 2014
Um, diameter is the measure across the circle, circumference is pi x diameter. In your question you said, "I would like to find a 36" outer diameter tube in some material (pvc? wood?) to line this window."
For a circumference of 36" you would need a diameter of 11.459ish inches. For a diameter of 36" you would need something with 113" in circumference.
So a PVC pipe would have to be about twelve inches [in diamater] assuming the smaller window. It would also have to be flashed and canted and caulked perfectely.
You can do this but it's not going to be like the Nautulus in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Treat it like a roof where water is shed from above, use flashing, as opposed to a a watertight submarine if you are feeling brave. And then two years later call your insurance agent because of water damage.
I was a remodeler for ten years and no way would I try this on any other than a tree house.
They have professionals for this.
posted by vapidave at 11:06 AM on December 30, 2014
OP said 36-inch diameter window, vapidave.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:19 AM on December 30, 2014
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:19 AM on December 30, 2014
I'm not quite understanding the question. Could you perhaps post a picture of this window? Is it trimmed out- what's there now? Is it just stuck in there waiting to be trimmed out? Is this tube you want going to become some sort of sill? Will it be flush with the wall or sticking out into the shower?
posted by mareli at 11:57 AM on December 30, 2014
posted by mareli at 11:57 AM on December 30, 2014
I too am having trouble figuring this out, but it looks like they do sell sewer pipes with 36" diameter.
Since it's a shower, my mind goes immediately to waterproofing. If 1/4" concrete backerboard was flexible enough, and if you had a solid enough and circular enough setup to screw it to (maybe that's why you want the pipe?), you could then either use a paint-on plastic kind of waterproofing or a waterproof fabric like Shluter Ditra (making sure you picked the waterproofing carefully and followed all the directions), then tile over it.
posted by slidell at 12:26 PM on December 30, 2014
Since it's a shower, my mind goes immediately to waterproofing. If 1/4" concrete backerboard was flexible enough, and if you had a solid enough and circular enough setup to screw it to (maybe that's why you want the pipe?), you could then either use a paint-on plastic kind of waterproofing or a waterproof fabric like Shluter Ditra (making sure you picked the waterproofing carefully and followed all the directions), then tile over it.
posted by slidell at 12:26 PM on December 30, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks for the tips so far. Some clarifying details - it is a 36" inner diameter round window (which is why I'm looking for a 36" outer diameter ring) in a shower that will get some moisture but not direct water. I am wanting a seamless circle, which is why I haven't tiled and haven't lined with a sheet of anything wrapped around. I should be able to fully waterproof underneath this; this would just be acting as a sill/trim piece likely overhanging/jutting out from the wall 1/8 to 1/4", that I will be making a vibrant color.
posted by striker at 2:05 PM on December 30, 2014
posted by striker at 2:05 PM on December 30, 2014
Have you considered really small tiles in an accent color?
posted by mareli at 2:16 PM on December 30, 2014
posted by mareli at 2:16 PM on December 30, 2014
An autobody shop that does plastic welding would be able to create an appropriate sized seamless hoop and paint it to the colour you desire.
posted by Mitheral at 2:56 PM on December 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Mitheral at 2:56 PM on December 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:54 AM on December 30, 2014 [2 favorites]