Are you looking for the best woods to use for bathroom countertops? Something that will last you years and is easy to clean?
Well, you’ve come to the right place because that’s exactly what we’ll be going over in this post So, let’s get straight into it!
Table of Contents
Hardwood VS Softwood for water resistance
Before I start listing out the best types of wood, it’s important to understand the difference between hardwood and softwood…
Hardwood is usually wood found in dicot trees. Dicot trees are usually broad-leaved varieties with pores that act as vessels to distribute water. It is denser than softwood and often more expensive.
Hardwood is one of the top choices for construction designed to last. It is the superior choice for water resistance due to its strength, longevity, and easy maintenance capabilities. With a varnish finish, you can easily expand the lifespan and prevent water seeping into the pores and cause it to rot.
Softwood is the wood found in gymnosperm trees, trees that bear cones and needle-like leaves. As opposed to hardwood, softwood doesn’t have visible pores. Instead, they distribute water through medullary rays which appear as growth rings and tracheids.
Softwood is a less expensive wood, partly due to its faster growth rate. However, stacked up against hardwood, it fails to reach the needed metrics to consider it a worthy material for a countertop.
Due to hardwood being denser than softwood, it will help prevent liquids from penetrating the surface. But it’s still porous so liquid can still penetrate the surface so it needs to be sealed. Overall, hardwood is a stronger wood, making it more beneficial over softwood. However, hardwood will cost more.
Types of Bathroom Countertops You Need to Know About
7 Best woods to use for bathroom countertops
Every available hardwood option has its benefits. But it will come down to a personal choice.
1. Oak
If you’re looking for durable and flexible wood, then look no further than oak. What makes it an ideal option for bathroom countertops is that it is resistant to absorption and warping.
Oak has an excellent finish, thanks to its straight-grained and uneven texture. In addition, different types of oak give off different colours, such as white oak or medium oak.
Due to it being hardwood, oak is slightly expensive. Oakwood is being produced worldwide in countries like India, America, Japan, England, and China. There are over 600 species of oak, with 90 species found in North America alone.
2. Walnut
When it comes to tough wood, walnut is amazing. When exposed to water, walnut resists warping and shrinking, which is perfect for your bathroom.
There are different varieties of walnut, meaning the colour varies from variation to variation. For example, it can range from creamy white to dark browns.
In comparison to other woods, walnut is more uncommon and in high demand. These factors have contributed to it being considered one of the more expensive woods on the market.
While many countries produce walnut wood, none produce it as proficient as China, the leader in walnut production. Other high-profile walnut producers include; Iran, the US, Mexico, and Turkey.
3. Maple
Another hardwood option for your bathroom countertop is maple. Maple is a finely textured wood that is very popular. However, maple does experience slight shrinkage when it comes to water, especially when in constant contact with water or humidity. So it needs to be sealed like every hardwood.
When it comes to maple, it is often the sapwood of the maple tree that builders utilise. Maple has a straight grain, usually a fine and uniformed texture. In terms of colour, this varies. It can be anything from a light shade with white hues and streaks, which give it a reddish-brown look, to a more darkened version, mainly when you apply varnish.
Maple wood is somewhat more affordable than some of the other hardwoods. Canada has 10 of the more than 100 varieties of maple and is one of the largest maple wood producers. However, they’re not alone, as Europe and northern Africa are also producers of maple varieties.
Merbau
Thanks to its oily wood feature, Merbau is a durable wood when it comes to water. This quality means merbau has a natural upper hand when it comes to handling water and humidity.
Merbau is a dense wood that has pinkish grey to reddish-brown features. It also has a natural waxiness to it. The grain of Merbau is straight, verging on interlock. In addition, it has a coarse, moderate natural lustre.
When it comes to the cost of Merbau, it is on the more moderate side of the scale. Merbau wood is primarily grown in South East Asia in places like the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Fiji.
Ash
Ash wood is an excellent option for your bathroom countertop but will require sealing to be effective. As ash wood stands, it is durable but can be susceptible to water damage and rotting. That’s why it needs to be sealed like every type of wood.
Ash wood is light in colour and is a smooth-grained hardwood. It typically has a straight grain and beige-to-light-brown hue. Over time, the light beige of the ash wood darkens slightly.
In some cases, ash can be more expensive than other woods such as oak. This just depends on the species. There are many species of ash wood grown around Europe, North America, and Asia. They require a cool and warm climate where the soil is moist and well-drained.
Beech
Out of all the woods we’ve listed, beech wood is the least water-resistant. So it will be sealed like every wood before used as a countertop
Beech wood is a straight-grained, evenly textured material. Aesthetically it resembles the yellow birch but has tints of darker brown and red.
In terms of cost, beech wood is on the cheaper side in comparison to other hardwoods. As a result, construction projects usually use it in combination with other hardwoods. Beech wood is primarily grown in Europe, as well as Asia and parts of North America.
Mahogany
An excellent option for bathroom counters is mahogany due to its well-known resistance to long-term water damage. Mahogany is a fine-grained wood with a natural reddish-brown colour.
However, due to mahogany’s noted durability, as well as its aesthetic qualities, it is on the pricey side in comparison to other options for your bathroom counter.
Many places in South America are home to mahogany, especially those countries in Central America. These places include Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, and even the upper Amazon in Brazil and Peru.
Pros and cons of wooden countertops for the bathroom
A major pro to having wood countertops is the aesthetically pleasing nature of such a feature. Wood almost always compliments a space.
The right type of wood will add a great deal of character and warmth to a room. Another bonus to this is the numerous options when it comes to the kind of wood.
A more practical pro to wood counters is that they go well with almost every style imaginable. This means that while you may take a moment to decide on which kind of wood to go with, you’ll know that it won’t stick out in the worst kind of way.
Cons of wooden countertops are their ability to succumb to water damage. For example, suppose you aren’t constantly treating the wood with mineral oils or other protectants. In that case, the water damage can weaken your wood countertop long-term. So make sure your wooden countertop is sealed and you maintain it.
You need to take the idea of adequately sealing your wooden countertop seriously. Sealing the wood helps to prolong its lifespan from things such as water damage, as well as preventing lingering germs in the pores of the wood.
A minor cosmetic con to consider is the need for refinishing over time. With years of wear and tear, the day will come where this becomes necessary.
How do I waterproof my wood countertop?
Step One: Preparation
Before you get into the grunt work of waterproofing your wood countertop, there are some things you need to do in preparation.
For starters, in the event you have a rough wood countertop, dust it off. Then, sand down the surface gently to smooth and even the surface.
However, if the wood isn’t rough, make sure there isn’t any prior finish on the wood if you’ve applied a finish before to your existing surface. You must degrease, strip, or sand off any previously used products.
Step Two: Hard Primer
The first proper step you will take in making your wooden countertop waterproof is the base coat, your hard primer.
Hard primer doesn’t protect the wood. Instead, it prepares it for the varnish layer by providing better adhesion and taking full advantage of the benefits of the varnish layer.
Step Three: Varnish
A critical aspect of the varnish process that you need to know is that there are multiple types of varnish. Therefore, a majority of the components of the varnishing process that you need to consider have to do with how the finish will look.
You need to ask yourself the following questions;
- Do you want a matt or glossy finish?
- Do you want a coloured or colourless finish?
- Does my wood type require a special varnish explicitly made for this wood type?
Once you have answered these questions, you’ll be able to make an educated decision on which varnish to purchase and apply.
In terms of actual application, use a brush or roller and apply 2 – 3 waterproofing coats in order to provide adequate protection to your wood countertop.
Step Four: Maintenance
If you’ve followed all the previous steps, then be thankful that the maintenance of your wooden countertop is going to be a whole lot easier.
The varnish, thankfully, means your countertop won’t absorb stains or water damage. As a result, it will likely be several years before you need to conduct any maintenance on your wood countertop. You can also apply a damp sponge to the wood daily without fearing long-term damage.
This leaves you with that peace of mind feeling that the sealing process helps to provide.
