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How to waterproof door in my shower wet area?

Hi There

We have a wood door in our shower area.. It has been painted with an oil base paint however i am starting to see some signs of water damage.

The door gets wet when somebody has a shower

Changing it with an aluminum framed door is logical but costly so I am hoping to find a solution where I could waterproof the door

Would you have some ideas as to how to waterproof the door and what products to use?

Thanks in advance for your support

Cheers

Giovanni

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EricL

Hello @gloseto (Giovanni)

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your shower door.

I'm sorry to say that a timber product is just too susceptible to water damage even with a coat of waterproofing. Timber is a natural product and expands and contracts depending on the temperature. When combined with hot moisture you have a recipe for timber damage. I propose removing your door, sanding it down and repainting it with an oil-based paint. But as an added protection, I suggest putting a Metal Mate 0.5 x 300 x 900mm Plain Aluminium Sheet - 300mm where water often splashes the door. You can use two sheets if have the budget for it.

The aluminium panel will serve as a shield and prevent water from making contact with the door. This in theory should extend the life of the door for a much longer time and you won't have to keep painting the door every time it bubbles up.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @gloseto

It would help to get a few photos please so at to better provide more accurate advice.

Regards Nailbag

Dave-1

Good Evening @gloseto

I am thinking about how the door gets wet? I have a badly sealed door (shonky paint job before I moved in) but havnt had issues with water on it. Could you show in a photo or two the distance or whgere the water comes from? Maybe stopping the water before it gets to the door may be an easier option then stripping it back or installing as metal door.

Dave

gloseto

I will take some photos and share later today

gloseto

I will take some photos and share later today..

In the interim, our bathroom is divided in 3 functional areas,

1-) Shower area on the left. This is an enclosed area with its own door so it can be used independently.

2-) Toilet on the right hand side. Also an independent area (like a powder room) with its own door so it can be used independently

3-) The vanity area in the middle, that interconnects all the spaces

This configuration allows for the 3 areas to be used potentially by 3 different people. we just have 2 bathrooms, so this design makes it more versatile specially when having 2 teenagers at home.

The shower area is a 1.6m x 2.2 mtr space. It is a good size but not big enough to have a shower and a bathtub, so we decided to make the whole space a shower / wet area. So imagine the whole space is tiled from floor to ceiling, and the shower head is on one side of the space , there is a bench and towel rail on the opposite.

The reason why the door gets wet is because water splashes into the door when somebody is taking a shower.

gloseto

Thanks eric.... Interesting idea... so do you reckon there is no possible option based on i.e. waterproofing the door using some kind of paint / coating material that could be painted over?

gloseto

Perhaps another question / idea.

Is it worth exploring a vinyl laminate as an option?

EricL

Hello @gloseto

Due to the door's material, I'm not able to suggest a waterproofing agent that can withstand shower/bathroom conditions. Vinyl laminate might also provide protection, but its base is made of timber as well and should this get damaged or if moisture penetrates the substrate, then it will deteriorate as well.

It is possible to paint the aluminium surface if you wish to blend it in with the doors colour. Just keep in mind that you'll need to touch it up every now and then when it fades or gets chipped.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Dave-1

Afternoon @gloseto

I dont know any door that would handle the water as you are describing 😕 Well One door, and that is a glass shower door sealed edge type deal. Even if you manage to seal the timber, I would be concerned about water making its way into the cavity, thre may be tiles all over and a "wet area" but that dosnt mean to say its going to have the same level of waterproofing everywhere for prolonged water impacting the joinery.

Dave

MitchellMc

Is the bottom edge of the door painted @gloseto? It's often a forgotten location and the bare timber sucks water up into the door.

It's common practice to have timber doors on bathrooms. How close is the door to the shower? Even if it's next to it that shouldn't be a problem as long as it's coated on both sides and all four edges. If it's getting splashed, you might need to work on the shower enclosure to ensure water can't escape it.

Mitchell

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