Anything that coats the wood will eventually be infiltrated and begin breaking down but w oods with high rot resistance will last longer he says.
How to seal wood wall in bathroom.
Sealing the surface of the wood planks will slow the moisture down and perhaps keep the wood dry enough over time to prevent mold if the bathroom has good ventilation and the overall humidity is kept low really need to have a good fan or other humidity control.
The maintenance is very easy.
Ahlen applied several coats of oil based polyurethane and then filled the cracks in between the boards with wood putty to assure a waterproof seal.
Step 1 clean the wall wood paneling with a bucket of water and cloth wipe down the entire wood paneling you want to reseal.
If it needs it just a wipe over with a cloth with a little oil.
This is to remove any dirt and dust on the wall.
Apply a coat of oil to the surface of the wood using a lint free cloth such as an old cotton t shirt.
Tung oil is used for waterproofing wooden salad bowls and utensils.
Here s how to apply yours.
Pour the oil into the cloth and rub the cloth along the grain of the wood until the entire.
Apply with a natural bristle paintbrush to dark grained wood that s been sanded and cleaned.
Let it sit for 2 minutes and wipe.
And be prepared to renew by sanding and adding a couple coats every few years.
The oil is applied diluted 50 50 with white spirit and will penetrate the wood by perhaps 1 8 of an inch.
Let the oil soak into the surface and reapply to any spots that look dry.
Wipe the mixture onto the ceiling with a sponge.
Wipe off the residual oil rubbing.
If looking you re waterproofing wood that is.
To truly make this waterproof and safe you ll pretty much want to treat this like you would a wooden boat and that means at least 12 15 coats of varnish sanding with around a 1 000 grit paper in between each one.
John ahlen the owner of a 19th century victorian home in arkansas used salvaged wood from an old farmhouse for his bathroom floors to keep with the original look and feel of the house.
Put on safety glasses and a face mask.
Then mix detergent into the bucket of water and use a cloth to wipe the wall again.
If water is allowed to sit on the wood it will eventually find its way in says daves who recommends sealing reclaimed wood used in a bathroom with an oil based polyurethane.