Wood floors and ceilings for stylish bathrooms

Did you know that you can do amazing things with wood, even in the bathroom? The way it feels, sounds and even reflects light is wonderful. It also offers color and depth, and can soften the look of hard ceramic finishes.

Forget about the conventional wisdom that the tile is the go-to for bathroom surfaces. Just because it’s so popular and we see it everywhere, from the bathroom at work to the subway, to everybody’s house, doesn’t mean we have to use tile in our house. And tile and grout aren’t as impervious as you might think and are not required for looks, durability or cleanliness in wet areas like kitchens and baths.

While wood is a durable choice for bathroom floors, it’s also fantastic on the ceiling. It adds a sense of natural warmth in a space. Wood is also easy to seal and clean with basic household detergents, and it’s much less slippery than glazed tile. Using wood in the bathroom enables a mix of materials to create depth and warmth across different materials and styles. Other reasons to use wood floors in the bathroom, besides looks, are ease and continuity. It’s easier to run flooring that exists in the other rooms of the house through to the bathroom. And it creates a flow, a feeling of continuity, that you will find calming.

You will certainly wonder about the potential moisture problems. But think creatively. Wood is used on decks and docks, where it is constantly shifting between wet and dry (and getting snowed on). So why not use it the shower floor or another bathroom area?

When you’re remodeling a bathroom, there are many materials you can use for the walls that’ll help battle ever-present moisture. Water-resistant drywall (often called green board) and cement board are popular, but they’re not necessary or any more durable than natural softwood planks like eastern white pine.

Bare wood will stain, but coating it with a water-based urethane will help keep all that natural wood grain vibrant. And having different-colored wood cabinets and storage is a nice touch, with clean, horizontal lines drywall can’t touch.

Using a fan in the bathroom is recommended, but adding a second barrier between the steam rising from the shower and what’s behind the ceiling might be smart here: sealing the wood surface with boiled linseed oil and/or urethane, as well as sheeting the ceiling joists with 15-pound tar paper (the black paper you see under roof shingles) before installing the wood. Tar paper is water resistant and will keep moisture that does make it through the ceiling (not much, if any) inside the room. The moisture will evaporate back into the room and dry with the rest of the air, especially if you’re using planks instead of a tongue and groove material.

See here ideas for wooden bathroom floors and ceilings and come visit Koligas’ shop (139 Liosion str., Athens, (+30) 210 82 17 184, info@koligas.gr) for more integrated solutions for indoor and outdoor wood floors!