Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top. The bathroom is shared by 4 kids so it gets a fair bit of
use and abuse, including all the usual soap scum, toothpaste, water
puddles, etc.

For durability, I plan to clear-coat the top (after staining) with
several thin layers of West System Epoxy resin & 207 special coating
hardening.

Since I need to stain the top quite dark to match the existing vanity, I
imagine that the character of the wood is less important than durability
and suitability for the bathroom environment.

My initial thought was to use either cherry or white oak -- and was
leaning towards white oak since it is harder and a little less expensive
though perhaps cherry will be prettier(?). My sense is that cheaper
woods like pine or poplar even if I could get away with them due to the
dark stain color, would be too soft.

I'm willing to get a reasonably priced wood since most of the true
"cost" will be my labor, but since it is a kids bathroom and since the
vanity itself is nothing special, I don't want to go crazy on fancy or
exotic species.

Any thoughts?

blueman writes:

Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top. The bathroom is shared by 4 kids so it gets a fair bit of
use and abuse, including all the usual soap scum, toothpaste, water
puddles, etc.

For durability, I plan to clear-coat the top (after staining) with
several thin layers of West System Epoxy resin & 207 special coating
hardening.

Since I need to stain the top quite dark to match the existing vanity, I
imagine that the character of the wood is less important than durability
and suitability for the bathroom environment.

My initial thought was to use either cherry or white oak -- and was
leaning towards white oak since it is harder and a little less expensive
though perhaps cherry will be prettier(?). My sense is that cheaper
woods like pine or poplar even if I could get away with them due to the
dark stain color, would be too soft.

I'm willing to get a reasonably priced wood since most of the true
"cost" will be my labor, but since it is a kids bathroom and since the
vanity itself is nothing special, I don't want to go crazy on fancy or
exotic species.

Any thoughts?

On the other hand, I am considering applying a half-round 3/4" rope
molding as the profile for the vanity top. The style I am considering
comes only in cherry, oak (presumably red) and poplar.

If I mixed red oak rope profile with white oak top, would that cause
issues with matching the grain & color of the stained material? Or would
red & white oak together be ok given the texture of the rope itself and
the darkness of the stain?

"blueman" wrote:

Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top.
snip

Trying to use wood for a vanity top is like trying to **** up a rope,
IMHO.

Over the long haul, you can't get there from here.

Lew

On Mon, 8 Mar 2010 02:14:54 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:
Over the long haul, you can't get there from here.

Which I'm sure accounts for the current popularity of stone vanities
these days. They don't wear much, they don't stain easily and they
last for many years. Can't ask for much more than that. Only downside
is cost which is mitigated by all the years of use one gets.

blueman wrote:
Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top. The bathroom is shared by 4 kids so it gets a fair bit of
use and abuse, including all the usual soap scum, toothpaste, water
puddles, etc.

For durability, I plan to clear-coat the top (after staining) with
several thin layers of West System Epoxy resin & 207 special coating
hardening.

Since I need to stain the top quite dark to match the existing
vanity, I imagine that the character of the wood is less important
than durability and suitability for the bathroom environment.

My initial thought was to use either cherry or white oak -- and was
leaning towards white oak since it is harder and a little less
expensive though perhaps cherry will be prettier(?). My sense is that
cheaper woods like pine or poplar even if I could get away with them
due to the dark stain color, would be too soft.


Guess what...that super thin layer of cherry or white oak is on top of
(probably) poplar. The choice of face veneer won't amount to a hill of
beans as far as hardness or durability goes.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

"blueman" wrote in message
...
Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top. The bathroom is shared by 4 kids so it gets a fair bit of
use and abuse, including all the usual soap scum, toothpaste, water
puddles, etc.

For durability, I plan to clear-coat the top (after staining) with
several thin layers of West System Epoxy resin & 207 special coating
hardening.

Since I need to stain the top quite dark to match the existing vanity, I
imagine that the character of the wood is less important than durability
and suitability for the bathroom environment.

My initial thought was to use either cherry or white oak -- and was
leaning towards white oak since it is harder and a little less expensive
though perhaps cherry will be prettier(?). My sense is that cheaper
woods like pine or poplar even if I could get away with them due to the
dark stain color, would be too soft.

I'm willing to get a reasonably priced wood since most of the true
"cost" will be my labor, but since it is a kids bathroom and since the
vanity itself is nothing special, I don't want to go crazy on fancy or
exotic species.

Any thoughts?

If you feel you have to stain the top so dark that it will obscure the
character of the wood anyway, there's no reason to give up the durability of
materials better suited to your needs. As another poster said, that soft
wood you're trying to avoid is underneath the "show" veneer anyway.

regarding your 2nd question, if you are planning on using a dark stain, you
won't be able to tell the difference between the white oak on the flat
surfaces and the red oak rope. Combination of many factors: dark stain,
flat v curved surfaces, light reflection and shadows, etc... ie, don't
worry about this part.

hth & gl with your project,

jc

Hey Joe,

It's understandable that what you're trying to create is a nice looking
vanity with an all over coordinated look.
After reading the other replies, I felt that I should reply simply because
it makes me nuts when people tell me I CAN'T or SHOULDN'T do something
because it isn't the accepted method or the "norm". I'm old, stubborn,
female and Irish. I'd do it out of spite just to prove I could. Not that
this particular way of thinking has not come back to bite me on the butt
many times :¬D

First I have to admit that I don't have nearly as much knowledge about woods
as many of the old timers in here do. That being said I have seen some
striking wooden countertops.
An example would be bar tops.
It seems that they are generally a thick plank with a poured finish that
wears incredibly well. Something like the epoxy finish that you are
considering. I think if you have the wood well sealed and the rim of the
sink well sealed without water puddling on it, you should be just fine.
People told me not to put hardwood in my last kitchen. i did, and it was
wonderful! We used several coats of poly to seal it and never had any issues
even when we had spills.

Have you considered an accent wood rather than trying to match the vanity
entirely?
Perhaps you could find something with some true personality that will
compliment the existing cabinet.

Google "wood bar top"
You may find some good ideas and suggestions for finishes and materials
there.

Best of luck to you, hope you get the results you're looking for.

Other options for materials to consider a
Granite tile. Beautiful end result, easy to do and inexpensive.
Almost any natural stone tile like slate (great color selection) or
travertine. Again, easy, inexpensive (in tile) and very durable.
Because a vanity top is so small, you wouldn't need a lot of materials and
putting a base for a tile top on a vanity is remarkably simple.

For one of our bathrooms we found some reclaimed black slate. It was in
assorted sizes and thicknesses and we got a LOT more than we needed for a
very cheap price.
All we had to do was clean it up a bit and it made an amazing floor and
vanity top.

Would love to see you post up some pics of your project no matter how you
decide to go with it.

K.

Sorry, I replied to "Joe" on the previous post, got my headers scrambled.

K.

"dadiOH" writes:
blueman wrote:
Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top. The bathroom is shared by 4 kids so it gets a fair bit of
use and abuse, including all the usual soap scum, toothpaste, water
puddles, etc.

For durability, I plan to clear-coat the top (after staining) with
several thin layers of West System Epoxy resin & 207 special coating
hardening.

Since I need to stain the top quite dark to match the existing
vanity, I imagine that the character of the wood is less important
than durability and suitability for the bathroom environment.

My initial thought was to use either cherry or white oak -- and was
leaning towards white oak since it is harder and a little less
expensive though perhaps cherry will be prettier(?). My sense is that
cheaper woods like pine or poplar even if I could get away with them
due to the dark stain color, would be too soft.


Guess what...that super thin layer of cherry or white oak is on top of
(probably) poplar. The choice of face veneer won't amount to a hill of
beans as far as hardness or durability goes.

I am making the top myself so it will be solid wood glued-up...

"Kate" writes:

Hey Joe,

It's understandable that what you're trying to create is a nice looking
vanity with an all over coordinated look.
After reading the other replies, I felt that I should reply simply because
it makes me nuts when people tell me I CAN'T or SHOULDN'T do something
because it isn't the accepted method or the "norm". I'm old, stubborn,
female and Irish. I'd do it out of spite just to prove I could. Not that
this particular way of thinking has not come back to bite me on the butt
many times :¬D

First I have to admit that I don't have nearly as much knowledge about woods
as many of the old timers in here do. That being said I have seen some
striking wooden countertops.
An example would be bar tops.
It seems that they are generally a thick plank with a poured finish that
wears incredibly well. Something like the epoxy finish that you are
considering. I think if you have the wood well sealed and the rim of the
sink well sealed without water puddling on it, you should be just fine.
People told me not to put hardwood in my last kitchen. i did, and it was
wonderful! We used several coats of poly to seal it and never had any issues
even when we had spills.

Have you considered an accent wood rather than trying to match the vanity
entirely?
Perhaps you could find something with some true personality that will
compliment the existing cabinet.

Google "wood bar top"
You may find some good ideas and suggestions for finishes and materials
there.

Best of luck to you, hope you get the results you're looking for.

Other options for materials to consider a
Granite tile. Beautiful end result, easy to do and inexpensive.
Almost any natural stone tile like slate (great color selection) or
travertine. Again, easy, inexpensive (in tile) and very durable.
Because a vanity top is so small, you wouldn't need a lot of materials and
putting a base for a tile top on a vanity is remarkably simple.

For one of our bathrooms we found some reclaimed black slate. It was in
assorted sizes and thicknesses and we got a LOT more than we needed for a
very cheap price.
All we had to do was clean it up a bit and it made an amazing floor and
vanity top.

Would love to see you post up some pics of your project no matter how you
decide to go with it.

K.

Thanks for the words of encouragement.
My wife wants it to look like the old one did. Since the vanity is solid
and only the top is pitted and beaten-up, my plan was to just glue up a
couple of 5/4 boards of solid hardwood for the top.

The old top lasted a good 20-30 years despite the fact that it was a
thin veneer on some type of chipboard and despite having just a lacquer
finish.

The epoxy clearcoat from West that I plan on using has been used for
decades in boats so I assume that this upgrade to solid wood and a
multi-coat epoxy surface plus a little more TLC of the top should get me
at least another 20-30 years which is plenty for me...

"blueman" wrote in message
...
Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top. The bathroom is shared by 4 kids so it gets a fair bit of
use and abuse, including all the usual soap scum, toothpaste, water
puddles, etc.

For durability, I plan to clear-coat the top (after staining) with
several thin layers of West System Epoxy resin & 207 special coating
hardening.

Since I need to stain the top quite dark to match the existing vanity, I
imagine that the character of the wood is less important than durability
and suitability for the bathroom environment.

My initial thought was to use either cherry or white oak -- and was
leaning towards white oak since it is harder and a little less expensive
though perhaps cherry will be prettier(?). My sense is that cheaper
woods like pine or poplar even if I could get away with them due to the
dark stain color, would be too soft.

I'm willing to get a reasonably priced wood since most of the true
"cost" will be my labor, but since it is a kids bathroom and since the
vanity itself is nothing special, I don't want to go crazy on fancy or
exotic species.

Any thoughts?

Hard Maple is really durable, but it doesn't soak up much stain. Poplar is
too soft, but have you checked out Birch, some grades look good and are
better than the softer woods. Beyond that are some of the tropical woods,
hard to work with, hard to destroy.

"blueman" wrote
Thanks for the words of encouragement.
My wife wants it to look like the old one did. Since the vanity is solid
and only the top is pitted and beaten-up, my plan was to just glue up a
couple of 5/4 boards of solid hardwood for the top.

The old top lasted a good 20-30 years despite the fact that it was a
thin veneer on some type of chipboard and despite having just a lacquer
finish.

The epoxy clearcoat from West that I plan on using has been used for
decades in boats so I assume that this upgrade to solid wood and a
multi-coat epoxy surface plus a little more TLC of the top should get me
at least another 20-30 years which is plenty for me...

---

Well, if momma ain't happy, ain't NObody happy!
You'll get it!

Hey, Cypress maybe?

K.

blueman wrote:
"Kate" writes:

Hey Joe,

It's understandable that what you're trying to create is a nice
looking vanity with an all over coordinated look.
After reading the other replies, I felt that I should reply simply
because it makes me nuts when people tell me I CAN'T or SHOULDN'T do
something because it isn't the accepted method or the "norm". I'm
old, stubborn, female and Irish. I'd do it out of spite just to
prove I could. Not that this particular way of thinking has not come
back to bite me on the butt many times :¬D

First I have to admit that I don't have nearly as much knowledge
about woods as many of the old timers in here do. That being said I
have seen some striking wooden countertops.
An example would be bar tops.
It seems that they are generally a thick plank with a poured finish
that wears incredibly well. Something like the epoxy finish that you
are considering. I think if you have the wood well sealed and the
rim of the sink well sealed without water puddling on it, you should
be just fine. People told me not to put hardwood in my last kitchen.
i did, and it was wonderful! We used several coats of poly to seal
it and never had any issues even when we had spills.

Have you considered an accent wood rather than trying to match the
vanity entirely?
Perhaps you could find something with some true personality that will
compliment the existing cabinet.

Google "wood bar top"
You may find some good ideas and suggestions for finishes and
materials there.

Best of luck to you, hope you get the results you're looking for.

Other options for materials to consider a
Granite tile. Beautiful end result, easy to do and inexpensive.
Almost any natural stone tile like slate (great color selection) or
travertine. Again, easy, inexpensive (in tile) and very durable.
Because a vanity top is so small, you wouldn't need a lot of
materials and putting a base for a tile top on a vanity is
remarkably simple.

For one of our bathrooms we found some reclaimed black slate. It was
in assorted sizes and thicknesses and we got a LOT more than we
needed for a very cheap price.
All we had to do was clean it up a bit and it made an amazing floor
and vanity top.

Would love to see you post up some pics of your project no matter
how you decide to go with it.

K.

Thanks for the words of encouragement.
My wife wants it to look like the old one did. Since the vanity is
solid and only the top is pitted and beaten-up, my plan was to just
glue up a couple of 5/4 boards of solid hardwood for the top.

The old top lasted a good 20-30 years despite the fact that it was a
thin veneer on some type of chipboard and despite having just a
lacquer finish.

The epoxy clearcoat from West that I plan on using has been used for
decades in boats so I assume that this upgrade to solid wood and a
multi-coat epoxy surface plus a little more TLC of the top should get
me at least another 20-30 years which is plenty for me...

if you're going to go very dark, you could make it out of purpleheart. it
turns very dark with a yellowish finish on it. i scored a lot of it a couple
years ago when a hardwood store had some 6/4 premade decking boards they
wanted to unload. $1bf. i just have to trim off the rounded edges before i
glue it up.

if it were me, with 4 kids, i'd use tile or stone until they were gone. you
can get ropework edge tiles.

regards,
charlie
cave creek, az

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:26:09 -0500, blueman wrote:

Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top. The bathroom is shared by 4 kids so it gets a fair bit of
use and abuse, including all the usual soap scum, toothpaste, water
puddles, etc.

For durability, I plan to clear-coat the top (after staining) with
several thin layers of West System Epoxy resin & 207 special coating
hardening.

Since I need to stain the top quite dark to match the existing vanity, I
imagine that the character of the wood is less important than durability
and suitability for the bathroom environment.

My initial thought was to use either cherry or white oak -- and was
leaning towards white oak since it is harder and a little less expensive
though perhaps cherry will be prettier(?).

I'm willing to get a reasonably priced wood since most of the true
"cost" will be my labor, but since it is a kids bathroom and since the
vanity itself is nothing special, I don't want to go crazy on fancy or
exotic species.

Any thoughts?

I'm thinking for a best match you want more than matching color.

What kind of wood are you trying to match? Open pore, like Oak, or
more closed, like Maple?

How is the existing grain? Straight, or not so much?

Cherry might be too soft. It does darken over time. You can get closer
to the final effect by exposing it to sunlight.

What about Walnut? It starts out dark, so darkening the color won't
obscure the grain so much.

Anyway, I'd suggest you get a collection of woods that might work, and
a collection of stains that you can use to find the best match, and
make up samples. Something like Transtint dyes will let you mix and
match more easily than trying to find the right color off the shelf.

Stain your samples and put some type of film finish on any sample that
seems like it might be the one. You could use something like blonde
dewaxed shellac that will dry fast as you are going through various
samples.

And by the way, you can color shellac with dye (as in Transtint) as
one way to apply your stain; and again, you can build layers quickly
since it dries so fast. Handy for testing. Your epoxy coating should
stick to that just fine, I'd think.

You can also put on some shellac to the bare wood, then apply color in
whatever form suits you as a "toner", then apply more shellac over
that. Someone else said it is hard to get maple to take enough stain
to be dark; this is one way to get it as dark as you need it.

The thing about dye; it can fade, especially if exposed to sunlight.

Another option is pigment stain that is oil based. You can add artist
colors to adjust the color match.

I don't suppose you have checked on high pressure
laminate "premade" counter tops at Lowes or Home Depot ?

There are many variations with standard sizes.

blueman wrote:
Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top.

blueman wrote:
Looking for suggestion for a durable stain grade wood for bathroom
vanity top. The bathroom is shared by 4 kids so it gets a fair bit of
use and abuse, including all the usual soap scum, toothpaste, water
puddles, etc.

For durability, I plan to clear-coat the top (after staining) with
several thin layers of West System Epoxy resin & 207 special coating
hardening.

Since I need to stain the top quite dark to match the existing vanity, I
imagine that the character of the wood is less important than durability
and suitability for the bathroom environment.

My initial thought was to use either cherry or white oak -- and was
leaning towards white oak since it is harder and a little less expensive
though perhaps cherry will be prettier(?). My sense is that cheaper
woods like pine or poplar even if I could get away with them due to the
dark stain color, would be too soft.

I'm willing to get a reasonably priced wood since most of the true
"cost" will be my labor, but since it is a kids bathroom and since the
vanity itself is nothing special, I don't want to go crazy on fancy or
exotic species.

Any thoughts?

Lots of valid comments here. Assuming you can seal the top to make it
impervious to moisture, I'd check on *soft* maple.

Here in Western PA, it's actually cheaper than poplar, the grains are
similar and it's significantly harder.

We used a bunch for trim in our basement and it took the dark stain very
well.

~Mark.