Bathrooms contribute a significant portion of the value found in a home’s equity. The only space that delivers more is the kitchen.
That’s why a bathroom remodeling project is always worth considering, especially if the existing elements are more than ten years old. You can recoup between 65% to 90% of your investment through increases in home value.
One of the top projects for a modern home is to remodel the standard bathtub area into a walk-in shower. Since it isn’t convenient to stand all the time, designers have started adding benches to use.
This guide will discuss the steps needed to waterproof a wood-framed shower bench after it’s installed in your bathroom.
How to Waterproof a Wood Framed Shower Bench
The rules for waterproofing a wood-framed shower bench are the same as they are for concrete and tile. You need to slope it a 1/4-foot toward the drain in its design, use treated wood, and apply an appropriate waterproofing agent to the surface after sanding with 100-grit paper. Once completed, you can add matching elements.
When building a wood-framed shower bench, you have two options to consider. You can try an inset approach where the wooden frame is exposed to moisture or place tiles on top of the framing to create more water resistance.
If you select the first option, the best woods to use for the shower bench are cedar, redwood, and teak.
Not only will you get a pleasant odor in the bathroom with one of these options, but the unmistakable beauty of the natural colors will also contribute to an outstanding visual aesthetic.
White oak and cypress are additional choices rising in popularity for wet environments in the home.
Darker colors tend to add sophistication to the environment. That’s why Ipe is starting to be seen for shower benches in some home remodels.
It comes from the Trumpet Tree and is remarkably dense, weathering in ways that are reminiscent of teak.
The second option is the easiest since the waterproofing action occurs by placing tile on top of the wood structure.
You can use your moisture membrane over the bench before finishing the installation work to create a usable surface.
Three Options for Waterproofing Wood
When you have exposed wood in the shower that requires protection, they are three ways you can waterproof it to enjoy your bench for years to come.
- Seal the wood with a coat of lacquer, varnish, or polyurethane.
- Use Tung or linseed oil to produce a protective and beautiful hand-rubbed finish.
- Apply a stain and sealant combination product to finish the wood surface.
When selecting the appropriate option for your shower bench, it’s important to remember that some choices are better than others.
Not only do you have to consider the ventilation in the bathroom, but you also have the wood’s grain to consider.
How to Create a Hand-Rubbed Finish
Almost all hand-rubbed oil finishes for wood come from Tung or linseed oil. The first is extracted from the tree of the same name, while the second is from flax seeds.
These oils do an excellent job of protecting and beautifying dark-grained woods. They’ve been used for centuries to improve mahogany and walnut with techniques that have changed very little over the years.
You can blend other ingredients into the oil to hasten the drying time or by pre-blended products.
The best product comes from the Real Milk Paint Company. Their dark Tung oil is 100% pure, delivering a dark matte finish that offers a waterproof protective finish.
It creates a somewhat aged look for the shower bench, but you can also use it for furniture, countertops, flooring, or even concrete. It’s a food-grade item, allowing you to safely apply it in most settings.
It’s ASTM-tested, includes natural resin, and contains zero distillates, additives, heavy metals, or VOCs.
Here are the steps to follow when applying the oil to your wood-framed shower bench.
- Stir the product thoroughly and according to the instructions on the container.
- Apply the oil using a natural bristle paintbrush after sanding and cleaning the wood.
- Let the oil soak into the surface for a few minutes. You can reapply oil to any spots that look dry or splotchy compared to the rest of the frame.
- Wipe off any residual oil, rubbing it well with a clean, dry rag to ensure the product is entirely gone.
- Let the wood dry completed. This process might require 12 hours or more, depending on how much oil is in the mixture.
- Lightly sand the wood after with fine-grit sandpaper.
- Repeat the following steps until you obtain the finish you want for your bathroom.
Please remember that some oils can spontaneously combust. When removing excess oil from the bench, always use a clean, dry cloth.
If you’re using a rag that already contains oil, the friction from rubbing generates enough heat to create ignition.
How to Apply Sealant to a Wood-Frame Bench
When you want the wood’s natural beauty to shine, lacquer, varnish, and polyurethane are excellent options to consider. You can spray or brush the product onto a clean and sanded surface.
The product must dry completely before being lightly sanded and re-coated again. You can repeat that process as many times as necessary to create the results you want for your bathroom.
To get the best results, try to apply your preferred finish in a room-temperature environment.
The sealants should never be briskly stirred or shaken because that activity can cause air bubbles that transfer to your bench.
Some products in this category dry in as little as 15 minutes. Since most of them contain solvents, ventilation is almost always required during the application process.
Here’s a closer look at lacquer, varnish, and polyurethane to help you decide which sealant is the best option for your wood-frame shower bench today.
| Lacquer | This option is a mixture of synthetic and natural resin in alcohol. It can develop a yellow tinge as it ages, but it also brings out warm and rich tones for darker woods. Once applied and dry, you receive a scratch-resistant surface that also protects a shower bench in its high-moisture environment. |
| Varnish | With this product, you’re using a combination of drying oil, solvent, and resin. You receive a hard shell over the wood-frame shower bench that resists damage without any yellowing. A marine-quality product is necessary for the bathroom. You’ll need to clean your brushes with mineral spirits or turpentine after completing your work for the day. |
| Polyurethane | These sealants contain poly and acrylic resins and various solvents to let you choose your preferred finishing effect. That means you can have your shower bench deliver a soft sheen or a high-gloss finish. It’s the best choice for light-toned woods, while oil-based versions provide the most durability. |
These products are typically brushed onto the wood surface. Some products need sponge brushes to create a more consistent result.
Try to work in small amounts to avoid runs or drips while applying your preferred product. It’ll take more time to finish the job, but your results will be quite satisfying!
How to Use a Stain-Sealant Combination
When you don’t have much time to waterproof your wood-framed shower bench, a high-quality stain-sealant combination could be the best product for the job.
Stain-sealant combos are designed to add color and waterproofing in a single step. You can choose from several different pigments while adding oil, water, or alkyd binders that deliver the results you want.
The result depends on the pigmentation levels found in the product. You can select something opaque, transparent, or in-between those two extremes.
Although you’ll save time when using this product during the initial installation, it’ll take more upkeep work to maintain the surface. With the moisture found in the bathroom environment, it could be an annual event.
If you don’t want build-up to appear on the surface of the wood-frame shower bench, you’ll want to use a stain-sealant combo using oil or water as its foundation. Alkyd versions leave a light surface coating that sometimes withstands the moisture better.
The wood must be perfectly dry and clean when using an alkyd product in this category, or it will peel.
Applying this product is a lot like painting a wall. You can use almost any brush, focusing on long, smooth strokes to ensure you receive a consistent surface.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that you can work in a safe environment.
Why Have a Shower Bench Installed?
Built-in shower benches are seats that get framed right into the floor or wall in the bathroom. The product is then waterproofed. It’s often tiled on top of that, but you can use a wood frame and a waterproofing agent to create a beautiful result.
Shower benches provide several potential benefits that add comfort and convenience to the bathroom.
- It offers a place where extra storage is possible for foot scrubs, exfoliators, and toiletries without placing undue pressure on the plumbing or walls with extra shelving.
- You receive a footrest area for shaving or a place to sit when tackling that 5 o’clock shadow.
- It offers a place to sit for individuals with mobility concerns or injuries to manage.
- You have a comfortable place to enjoy steaming.
Narrow shower benches are an excellent choice for those who want some extra space for their toiletries or a place to put a foot while shaving.
Placing one in the corner ensures that you have more room to use while having a place for everything you need.
Some prefabricated options are available that let you quickly install them because they come with a waterproof surface already.
You just need to tile it with the rest of the shower area when you’re ready to finish the bathroom installation or renovation. The only disadvantage here is that you have limits on the available sizes.
You can also use the shower bench for sitting the entire time. Some people prefer to take a “shower bath,” lying in the tub while the hot needles remove muscle strain and joint pain.
Sitting upright in the shower provides some additional options. While the water drowns out the background noise, you can stay in control of your comfort levels. It’s a place to have some quiet time, slow down, and forget about the rest of the world.
Showers already give people a happiness boost, whether you’re standing or sitting. It’s one of the few places where you can be alone and expect privacy, although parents of small children might not have that final luxury.
The sitting process creates a “default mode” that lets the mind wander. When people can spend some time in free association with their thoughts, it creates positive outcomes that are similar to what meditation offers. It’s potentially one of the reasons why some tend to sing while they’re getting clean.
Are There Any Drawbacks to Sitting in the Shower?
The primary drawback of sitting in a shower involves water use. People who sit in the shower tend to take longer, which means they’re using more energy. When skin gets wet, it can also crack or peel, which could lead to other health issues developing. Shower benches can solve these concerns.
When you’re exposed to too much hot water, your skin can become dry and flaky even though you’re exposed to so much moisture.
That’s why the recommendation is to cap shower sitting times to five minutes.
If you take longer in the shower, the hot and moist environment encourages mold to grow. You don’t want to sit for a prolonged time on that stuff because it can lead to ringworm and other conditions.
That’s why a shower bench is helpful. If you don’t have time to remodel, even a basic shower chair can help you enjoy the benefits of sitting.
I sit in the shower all the time. It’s where I structure my day, meditate, and have some creative time.
When you know how to waterproof a wood-frame shower bench, you’ll have a comfortable place for those activities.