Using wood for shower panel?

magnusson55 · Post by **magnusson55** » Tue Jul 05, 2022 8:51 pm

Hi,

I am going with scandinavian design and I have a shower bath with half of bath enclosed (Think of a C shape), and on these walls, I'd like to do something different (rather than pvc shower panel).

Am I able to waterproof wood such that I am able to use them as a shower panel? Note, I can use tile backer behind them to make the actual area fully waterproof - but I want to know if it's possible to make wood waterproof.

I was thinking of something like this:
williamgarvey.( co dot uk )/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/William-Garvey-Shower-Tray-1-b.jpg
from website:
williamgarvey.( co dot uk )/baths-basins-and-showers/showers/

And the wood would be decorative - like cladding:
diy.( com )/departments/planed-spruce-tongue-groove-cladding-l-3m-w-119mm-t-14-5mm/1013949_BQ.prd

Thanks a lot.

Razor · Post by **Razor** » Tue Jul 05, 2022 8:55 pm

You could use tricoya and rout grooves into it but the cost and work would be astronomical...

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Tue Jul 05, 2022 9:20 pm

the simple answer is wood expands and contracts so what starts waterproof will eventually go black
you could off course use wood cladding fronted by clear polycarbonate -----would it look ok probably not :dunno:

you can get wood effect cladding but again -----would it look ok probably not :dunno:

aeromech3 · Post by **aeromech3** » Wed Jul 06, 2022 9:08 am

Agree with the above cautions however I am guessing Douglas Fir or Redwood as these were used in cooling towers.

magnusson55 · Post by **magnusson55** » Wed Jul 06, 2022 9:06 pm

Thanks.

1. What if I varnish wood. I thought then it becomes fully waterproof? There is very little water on them as it's not a power shower. I am aware a poster said about wood expanding, but if it's got many layers of clear varnish, would this suffice?
In addition, what about saunas - they're often wood right?

2. What about wood cladding, but then cut glass in front?

Thanks.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Jul 06, 2022 9:23 pm

Yes, sauna's are mostly timber, BUT they don't have any where near as much water as a shower does.

I would also suggest that cladding covered in glass will be worse, as air can get in and the moisture in it will at some time condense. If it was a "done thing" then you would see it being done in lots of places, but it isn't.

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Wed Jul 06, 2022 9:38 pm

varnish does make it waterproof but any expansion or contraction means at the edge off the plank where both planks are expanding and contracting the wood slide in and out the groove by say 1-2mm and the varnish cant keep up with that amount off movement and the alternative off varnishing every plank fully before assembly means you have to coat sparingly enough not to block the groove but enough to cover all the wood

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Thu Jul 07, 2022 6:16 am

This might sound good to you but it will quickly look like sh*t and devalue the house. Anyone looking will think they will have rip it out. Unique designs are best avoided.

DWD

aeromech3 · Post by **aeromech3** » Thu Jul 07, 2022 7:36 am

Umm, Clinker and Carvel boats are still made, we had a clinker canoe in my teens, it seemed fast but it was heavy out of water