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Posted by D Sherman [72.47.9.228] on Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 20:53:33 :
In Reply to: O T construction advise needed posted by bill in pa [75.242.31.97] on Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 17:25:11 :
I think unfinished wood isn't automatically a bad idea in a bathroom. It depends on the type of wood and how wet it will get. Saunas and hot tubs are traditionally made of wood (rot-resistant kinds) and they hold up fine and don't get moldy. I expect the same natural toxins in the wood that keep it from rotting in the ground also keep mold from growing on it in the house. Just for ease of keeping it clean, I would not use rough-sawn wood. It's easy enough to have it planed by a cabinet shop or small mill or a friend who has a planer. With oak, rot-resistance depends on what kind. Red oak rots pretty easily, but white oak is possibly the best wood there is when you need strength, toughness, and rot resistance combined. It's what they traditionally used for truck side boards and beds and carriage bodies.
My preference would be to not try to varnish it with anything, because when moisture is involved, inevitably some of it gets under the finish and eventually it looks blotchy and starts to peel. Also, consider that steel fasteners will rust and stain the wood, and even galvanized has a bad reaction in contact with oak. Maybe it's the tannic acid. If you can't hide the fasteners under things, consider stainless steel nails, which are available for building decks.
All in all, I think it might be worth a try and look nice if it isn't going to have water directly spraying on it and you don't mind it being a bit harder to clean.