Sterling caulk-free shower kits - waterproof, but what about steam?

[Capt. Skinny]

I recently came across the Sterling caulk-free modular alcove shower lines. I'll accept that the seams are waterproof, but without any sort of gasket or sealant I'm worried that water vapor could still make its way through the seam to the backside of the shower.

Does anyone have experience with these Sterling products to weigh in?

My preference would have been a one-piece 60" x 30" alcove shower to avoid caulked panel seams altogether (which often seem to attract mold when tenants don't stay on top of cleaning), but there aren't many one-piece, tub-less options in that size.

 

[John Gayewski]

I think the idea is that air flow can keep any vapor dry. So your not trapping moisture, rather the small amount of vapor is free to dry up by way of evaporation.

Some of the systems outline in the instructions that the seemed should not be caulked. Some say they can be caulked, so my thinking would be you could either seal it and rely on your caulk being and staying perfect over years, or you can let 'er breath.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Capt. Skinny]

I think the idea is that air flow can keep any vapor dry. So your not trapping moisture, rather the small amount of vapor is free to dry up by way of evaporation.

Some of the systems outline in the instructions that the seemed should not be caulked. Some say they can be caulked, so my thinking would be you could either seal it and rely on your caulk being and staying perfect over years, or you can let 'er breath.

Thanks for weighing in. I definitely wouldn't caulk if the instructions say otherwise.

But about moisture being OK behind the shower walls and drying up: I'm not sure I'd want any moisture in the enclosed, unfinished wall cavity behind the shower walls. Airflow (in and out) would be minimal and not vented to the outside, so any vapor-laden air that finds its way in--which is already evaporated (i.e. changed from a liquid into a vapor, creating damp, humid air)--could easily be absorbed into the unfinished building materials in the wall cavity directly, or condense back into a liquid (like fog on a bathroom mirror after a hot shower) and become absorbed into the building materials that way--providing fertile ground for mold either way.

I'm happy to be corrected about the dangers bathroom-level water vapor getting into an unfinished wall cavity, but I'm mostly curious about how well the Sterling caulk-less joints can keep it out.

 

[John Gayewski]

If damp air can get in what kind of air do you think is getting in the other 23 hours of the day, when your not using the shower?

There are plenty of building systems designed to breath rather than seal.