Best finish for a wood floor in a bathroom

[dllive]

Hi all,

Im putting in a whole new bathroom. Ive removed some nasty vinyl tiles from the floor to reveal the original floorboards. I was going to use some wood-effect vinyl, but then I thought - whats the point of covering over real wooden floorboards with fake wood!?

So my question is: how do I prepare the floorboards so theyre suitable for a bathroom floor? Shall I sand them and then varnish them? Do I need a special type of varnish or sealant? Would it feel colder underfoot than having vinyl?

Thanks

 

[foxhole]

Nothing special required , assume you are happy for any major spills to go thru the floor?

 

[JohnD]

I used a satin varnish, but I used Colron wood dye to colour the boards first. Mine are varnished on both sides and all edges to prevent water penetration. This is easy if you take them up, not if you don't.

If you use countersunk screws you can clean up the subfloor void and unobtrusively mark the position of pipes and cables. One day you will be glad you did.

 

[dllive]

Nothing special required , assume you are happy for any major spills to go thru the floor?

Hmm, Im hoping for no major spills! Would varnish or some sealant not protect against major spills?
Maybe I should just put down vinyl. :/

 

[JohnD]

varnish will cope with ordinary drips and splashes. But f you leave a sodden towel or bathmat on the floor it may stain the floor.

If you let the bath overflow, it will run between the boards and through the ceiling below.

If you put down vinyl, when the bath overflows it will run down at the edges of the room, and through the gaps where pipes pass through, and under the bath.

If you seal the edges and gaps it will run under the door into the rest of the house.

UK homes generally don't have floor drains or gullies. There are various health problems in countries that do.

 

[bernardgreen]

The ancient oak boards in my cottage had for years been patched with tin and hardboard but could not be removed ( Listed building ) so a false floor was created above them.

I put 12 mm marine plywood as the base layer and then American Oak planks 10 mm thick and 280 mm wide were fixed to the ply. Top side of the ply and both sides and edges of the oak were treated with Danish Oil. 6 years later and the floor is still looking good.