Wood floors in the bathroom?

13 years ago

I'm considering wood flooring for our master bath. I'm not concerned with water standing, but I am concerned about humidity.

Our ceilings are 12' and we have a ceiling fan. My understading is that if you run the exhaust fan during and after the shower, that I should be fine. I've also read that if you seal the individual planks before installation, then do a final seal after they have been installed, sanded, and stained there would be no issues.

I also wondered if using a strong sealant like they use on the wood decking of boats would work?

Thank you for your insights and suggestions.

Featured Answer

PRO

Brickwood Builders, Inc.

13 years ago

We have put wood floors into bathrooms a couple of times. Have not had any issues, but would not recommend it unless it is 1) adult only space and 2) the owners are meticulous about keeping things up. An overflow on a toilet can ruin other types of flooring if it gets to the subfloor, that's not unique to wood. If there are plumbing leaks in walls or under fixtures, the flooring will be ruined no matter what it is as it will be going under the surface flooring and affecting the structure. I would do it again with the right clients, but not without some discussion about it. It is a common practice here in powder rooms.

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Comments (7)

Kearney
13 years ago
there is ceramic tile that looks just like hardwood & would be great in the bathroom because you could do a heated floor, too.
PRO
AFC inc
13 years ago
Wood Floors in master bathroom generally is not good idea.
Sooner or later it will be ruined by water or humidity.
Sealer can be temporary solutions only.
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onthefence
13 years ago
I love hardwood and for a few years we had hardwood in our master bath. We ended up taking it out though and I probably would never do it in a master again.

We had a leak inside a wall that leaked slowly enough it did a good bit of damage - including damage to the floor. Additionally, certain areas just seemed to wear more heavily than the rest of the room. Truthfully, it needed to have some spot refinishing done even after about 5 years. As you indicated, I think it was the humidity.
PRO
Shanghai Linfeng Parquet CO.,LTD
13 years ago
We do no think installating wood flooring in your master bath is a good idea,even though you use the best sealer before and after installation,it can only last a short time.If over months,the wood floor will be split or crack,swelling as the much humidity and water.Our company specialize in producing wooden flooring over 10 years,have much experience for installation and maintenance.

How about tiles ? the surface could be made similar as wood grain,it better rough surface not smooth,non-slipping.
diyjames
13 years ago
You may think you don't care about standing water, but the truth is you will care when you see the floor ruined with time. What you are considering is rarely seen and for good reason. It would also be a poor selling point in the future. There are wood style tiles and laminates which look food.
feeny
13 years ago
Three comments:
1 We lived for ten years in a house with wood floors in the main bathroom (100 year old wide plank pine). They had been coated with MANY coats of polyurethane (or possibly something even stronger) by the architects who lived in the house before us. We had no trouble with them over the ten years we lived there.
2. I was always nervous, however, that somehow we would spoil those beautiful old bathroom floors, and I have to admit I would not put new wood floors into a bathroom today.
3. I have read posts by at least two or three professionals on Houzz who do very high end building projects say that they often put wood floors in bathrooms. I do not, however, know what specific products they use to make the floors waterproof (or waterproof enough for a bathroom). I'm hoping one of them will weigh in here.