Whirlpool tub and shower surround…
I need to make a WOOD surround and decking for one… Never used wood for that before. Well, fer the walls and deck!
I will use White Oak, Ash, or Hickory.. Not sure yet… I’d like to use Redwood but to expensive around here. Besides I get mad when I see a old picture of a 1000 year old tree cut down.
My question is what finish would you use? I guess the decking is what I wonder about most.
Replies
Will -
My suggestion for finish .... Ceramic tile. In other words, I personally consider an exposed wood surround for a shower a big mistake. Five years (or less) from now you'll be ripping it out and replacing rotted framing from the leaks that will be virtually impossible to eliminate with wood. A shower requires a waterproof membrane at least 6" above the flood level of the drain and should be tested for a min. of 24 hours - that is plug the drain and fill the shower recess to the top of the drain (min) leaving it for 24 hours. No leakage? .... good. Installing a proper shower pan and sealing to the drain body isn't hard but requires some knowlege of how to make it watertight.
I doubt if there are any 1000 year old trees left now anyway.
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
I hear you but that what she wants.. I learned long ago NEVER argue with a woman. I have three daughters and two female grandbabies...
I have seen some that old wood ones and still look good.. I had to ask...
I forgot to say THANKS...
Edited 2/13/2005 1:09 pm ET by Will George
What about some marine stuff, it should be as waterproof as possable but might not be safe indoors?
KDM
Will,Argue with her on this one. Dennis is absolutely correct.She probably saw some fool "designer's" idea of a "cute" treatment with wood in a bathroom. Sure it looked appealing in the catalog picture. But it's just the wrong material to use for that application.If she demanded that you seal the drain basket with something other than plumber's putty or silicone caulk would you do it?Rich
Don't ever learn anything new. Rather than give you satisfaction that you know more than you did, it will only confirm you know less than you thought by opening horizons to things of which you had never dreamt and which you now must explore.
OK, Will, I understand your delima. (grin)If wood it has to be, my choice would be ipe. Or ironwood as they call it at my local building supply place. Probably as expensive as clear heart redwood but lots harder, perhaps more stable and one helluva lot stronger.Begin by designing the entire substrate as a waterproof membrane. Then contrive some means of installing the wood, whatever you select, so as not to compromise the membrane. If you can at this point, provide drainage in the floor by sloping it with a drypack (mud) substrate.If you have it in your budget and can locate a licensed applicator, install a Kemperall polyurea membrane over all horizontal surfaces and up the walls a min. of 6" above the highest anticipated flood level of any appliance or drain. For horizontal surfaces fabricate loose removable duckboards. They can thus be taken out in the yard and pressure washed as needed. Secure all the vertical surfaces with whatever type of fasteners suit the design and aesthetic of the installation but make sure none of them penetrate the membrane below that magic 6". Housekeeping would be a pain but I'd be prone to allowing a space between the vertical pieces as well such that the drastic changes in moisture content are thus disquised. Use stainless steel fastners/screws/nails whatever for anyting that's exposed. I personally wouldn't trust an adhesive installation.The shower enclosure presents the biggest challenge if I'm understanding the intent correctly. Here you must deal with a large amount of water ... not just moisture ... in a deluge situation. Again, the first line of defense would be to create a viable water proof enclosure, and my preference would again be the Kemperal product, then devise a method of installing the wood finish material without damaging its integrity. Even ceramic tile will wick moisture/water through miniscule cracks in the grout joints. The real protection of the framing and structure comes from what's under it. Same would have to be true for your wood shower.I didn't mean to imply it couldn't be done .... just that to do it and do it in a way that won't cause major heartaches in the not too distant future isn't gonna be that easy. There are more expert opinions on types of wood to be used in an environment subject to soap scum and all the other nasties that occur in a shower but I'd suspect the densest, hardest material would be the best choice. That's why I suggested ipe. I don't think I'd put any finish on it, either. It woule be, in my view, easier to maintain the bare wood than a finish.But then ..... I wouldn't do it in the first place (grin)...........
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
Will -I never thought to ask .... is this an exterior hot tub/spa and shower installation? If so, then I'm going off the deep end here. I originally interpreted your question as refering to something that was going to be installed indoors as an ordinary bathroom or shower. If it's outdoors like on a deck, then please accept my apologies for the rant............
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
Yes it is indoors. Thank you for the input..
I have some LONG thinking to do now....
Someone asked a similar question a couple months ago in Breaktime. Might check that out. Answers that made sense included marine grade plywood finished with marine varnish, epoxied wood veneer, and I think someone mentioned teak (though I think that would be expensive--on the opther hand, epoxy isn't cheap).
My local tile store has ceramic tile that looks like wood planks!! Looks ok from my house!
A couple of hot tub installations I have seen recently have TREX as the decking for the surround. It is long lived and naturally skid resistant. If treated lumber is used for the support system, it should last almost forever.
One thing you do not want to do is to have a smooth (vanish like) surface near the tub. Varnish and wet feet will almost alway result in slipping.
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