On Thu, 04 Sep 2003 23:22:23 -0400, Sammy
wrote:


What sort of wood would you recommend for the project? I was thinking
cedar or maybe redwood. Is there anything I should particularly watch
out for when using wood in a damp environment like a bathroom? If I can
find the wood milled tongue and groove, do you think that would work
well? I'm worried about swelling and contracting of the wood as it goes
through wet and drying cycles. What sort of sealant would you recommend?

I have seen this done with cedar. It looked very good. It
worked fairly well.

I would not stain it as dark as you are planning. Cedar will
be dark enough as it is.

Use spar varnish to seal it. Use lots of it. Caulk well.
Add another coat of spar varnish every 5 years or so. (To do this,
you have to wash the surface very thoroughly. It will have soap film
on it. It's hard to get off. Then sand only enough to get a dull
surface. You don't need to take all the old stuff off.)

You should not run into much problem, but you must be
constantly vigilant for anyplace the varnish lets in water. Also make
sure bathroom has good ventilation.

Good luck.


Peter