In February of this year, we renovated our hall bathroom - you know, before sh*t hit the fan and everything went down hill? Well, it's been 6 months since we finished the project and there has been a repeat question... "How is the wood countertop holding up?"
- missed our bathroom project? click here to read all about it -
In our renovation plan, we decided to keep the existing vanity cabinet but wanted to replace the current countertop... it was gross and plastic. The problem was, we didn't want to splurge on a stone slab for the top, so we decided to install a wood top - this came with some questions and concerns from people, rightfully so!
To jog your memory, or if you're a new follower, here's what the countertop/bathroom looked like before
BEFORE
Here is the countertop right after we completed the renovation
Note: All the sources for this bathroom will be shared and linked at the bottom of this post
Water and wood just don't go hand-in-hand... everyone knows that - but Nathan made sure to take the necessary steps to insure that it wouldn't be a problem.
We have a lot of wood tops in our home; we have butcher block countertops along the fireplace wall, we have a wood top island in our kitchen and we have a custom wood, floating, desk that Nathan built for our Home Office. So, it's safe to say that we are no strangers to wood tops and maintaining them... even so, this one was different because water could (and would) come in direct contact with it.
With that being said, Nathan only changed one thing in the finishing process to ensure that it would hold up to potential water - he used a Marine Poly; often referred to as Spar Urethane. The marine poly is specifically formulated to repel water and create a barrier against any water or moisture penetration; it's typically used for exterior finishes such as outdoor furniture or exterior wood doors.
The sink is also something that helps keep water off the countertop; we decided to use a vessel sink for a handful of reasons, but the main reason was the wood-top. It sits on top of the wood and the "walls" of the sink help ensure that no water splashes on the countertop. If we had used an under-mount sink, I know there would be a lot more water on the countertop, daily.
Does water still splash onto the wood-top? Yes, of course... but it's not a lot and I usually make sure to wipe it up right away if that happens. We try to never let water sit on the countertop for an extended period of time. but it has happened and there has been no issue.
I always appreciate a cute soap set in bathrooms... and I hate buying single use soap bottles, so I bought these plastic amber soap bottles for the space & paired them with this concrete tray. The tray helps keep any moisture that could drip down the bottles off the countertop; I recommend using trays for anything you put on the countertop that could potentially get wet or leak!
Another thing I purchased was this silicone mat, for when I use my hair straightener. I used to be able to set my straightener directly on the countertop and not worry about it... but since our new one is wood, I wanted to make sure I wasn't "burning" it. I bought this from Target (it was super cheap) and I use it almost every day - it works like a charm!
Next, let's talk about shiplap. We've used it in nearly every project we've done in our house... okay, actually every single one. We always use the same exact shiplap every time - it's tongue and grove and so, so easy to install. I love it because unlike "typical" shiplap, it doesn't leave you with a gap, but a bevel that creates the illusion of a gap. I really don't like the idea of having gaps on my wall... I think it's just another place for dust and gross things to collect... especially in a bathroom. Ew.
Again, even though we've used this product before, we've never used it directly next to a sink. We decided not to use a wood "splash" behind the sink, but instead we butt the wood-top right up to the shiplap. We used a satin paint finish on the shiplap, so it can easily be wiped down.
In all honesty, the shiplap probably gets more water splashed on it than the wood countertop does! When water splashes on the shiplap, we make sure to wipe it off right away... if you don't it will leave water spots - but those wipe off with cleaning solution and a rag.
All in all, we are still very happy with our decision to use a wood-top as the countertop in our bathroom. It's held up exceptionally well and I don't see us having any issues with it in the future!
- Here are all the sources for the bathroom -
The wood-top itself was sourced locally and the wood species is Ash - we used Early American as the stain color and Nathan applied a minimum of 3 coats of poly to finish it
Talk soon, friends!
Kayleigh