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How to Waterproof Wood for Bathroom

Wood is one of the most loved and oldest building materials. Wood brings a sense of comfort and luxury when used in bathrooms. The wood used to design the floor, sinks, and the dresser is prone to moisture from the wet conditions of the bathroom. This may cause rotting, swelling and warping of the wood.

How to Waterproof Wood for Bathroom

Therefore, bathroom wood must be treated with waterproof material to prevent this. This article will discuss different methods of making wood waterproof and how to use them.

How to Waterproof Wood for Bathroom?


Way to waterproof wood with sealants for bathroom

Using sealants is one of the best methods of waterproofing softwood with spongy and absorbing properties. Sealants include varnish, lacquers, and polyurethane. To apply these products follow the following steps:

  • Choose a good brush, roller or sprayer
  • Make a natural varnish sealer by thinning the varnish with turpentine or lacquer with lacquer thinners in equal parts
  • Sand the bathroom wood your wish to apply the sealant on, clean it with a damp towel properly and wait to dry.
  • Apply the sealer with a clean brush evenly, making sure that all surfaces are evenly covered.
  • Leave the surfaces for about two hours for the thinner to dry.

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Make Waterproof Bathroom Wood With Oils


Wood oils have the advantage of bringing out a pleasant contrastive sheen of the wood besides protection. Oil may be applied to bare wood or wood stains. Water and oil do not mix; hence oils provide waterproofing properties to wood. Here is how to apply oils to your bathroom wood for waterproofness:

Choose the best oil

Walnut, Tung and linseed oil are commonly used as wood oils. The choice depends on the budget of the user. These oils can be bought from repair shops in raw and processed forms. Processed forms of oils are infused with metal drying agents improving drying properties.

Purchase the oil

A rough estimate of the area of the bathroom surfaces you want to treat with oil should be made to know the amount of oil to be purchased. To stay on the safer side, buying more oil than needed is advisable to avoid shortages before completion of the project.

Furthermore, oils remain good for a long time.

Make a mixture

Oils may be mixed with turpentine and vinegar. To make durable waterproofing oil you should mix 2:2:1 part of oil, turpentine, and vinegar respectively. Blend the mixture for the complete mixing of the three ingredients.

Prepare the wood

Scrap the wood with sandpaper or oil to make the surfaces even. The scraps should be wiped with a dry cloth and make sure all the surfaces are dry before applying the oils.

Wear the correct protective clothing

Your hands must be well covered when dealing with turpentine and spirits. You may consider using thick rubber gloves.

Apply the base coat and let dry

With the help of a dry folded rag apply the oil on the wood surface to achieve an even layer. The application of more oils prevents rapid scrubbing. The process should be ended when all the oil is spread out and no puddles are left. The oils should dry within 30 minutes. A dry clean cloth should be used to remove excess oils. Leave the wood for a day to enable complete fixation of the oil and curing of the wood.

Apply two more coats to the wood

Multiple coats produce better waterproofing properties compared to one. No preparation of the wood is needed for the application of the subsequent layers. The same procedure should be followed until you achieve a smooth oil coating. The process should take at least a week for good results.

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Waterproofing Wood With Polyester Resin and Acetone


Polyester resins are low viscosity liquids with superior water resistance properties. Mixing polyester resin with a catalyst such as acetone causes deep soaking into the wood fiber eliminating cracking and separating. These steps indicate how you will apply resin and acetone on bathroom wood.

  • Mix 6 parts acetone with one part of polyester resin. Adds catalysts as indicated by the manufacturer. Acetone dilution ensures the use of excessive use of catalysts is not compromised.
  • Prepare the wood by sanding, cleaning, and drying.
  • Apply the mixture as your first coat with a cloth and leave it to dry
  • Apply two other coats reducing acetone dilution each time until there is no change of coloration on the surface indicating complete soak up. Leave the wood surfaces to dry before use.

Wood makes the finest bathroom furniture and flooring. To improve on durability, protection of bathroom wood from moisture must be done. Choose and follow any of the above methods according to the funds set aside for this important project.

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