🚽 Can I install Stikwood in a bathroom?Updated 9 months ago

Yes, Stikwood works well in bathrooms. With any real wood product you want to make sure the wood is well acclimated to the space, that the space you install it in is well ventilated, and that the surface you stick it to is dry and clean. We do not recommend you install Stikwood in the shower enclosure itself.

When installing stikwood into areas with potentially high humidity like bathrooms here are steps to take to ensure great results: 

1. Make sure the space is well ventilated. Wood acts like a sponge, and even though we can't see it, it is constantly adjusting itself to match it's moisture content to the room's based on the relative humidy (RH) and temperature. More RH/temp and the wood will grow slightly, less moisture/temp and it will shrink slightly. The average relative humidity needs to be between 30% and 60% at a temperature between 60–80 degrees fahrenheit. You'll notice the word average - it's ok that the temp and heat raises briefly (like the length of a shower) but it will cause problems if the moisture and heat stays too long. The first question to answer is - is the room well ventilated and climate controlled? Are the swings in relative humidity and temperature small or brief? A well ventilated room won't fill with steam, even when the shower is on, and a well conditioned space will have a relatively stable temperature. 
2. Acclimate the wood in the space really well. You want the wood to be relaxed and in harmony with the relative humidity and temperature of the room prior to being installed. This is a simple process, because the wood naturally wants to be in harmony with the space and will do it automatically if given enough time. For Stikwood, this means leaving the wood, unwrapped in the space for at least 72 hours. 
3. Make sure the surface you are applying Stikwood to is dry and clean. Although the adhesive is very moisture resistant, it must be installed in dry conditions. The surface you are installing it on must be dry and have a moisture content less than 9%. To put that into perspective freshly painted drywall can have a moisture content of 20% and take a few weeks to get below 8% depending on conditions. If you are nervous about this, you can buy a moisture meter from us or a hardware store and test the wall. An existing, well ventilated bathroom should dry out in about the time it takes for the wood to acclimate. 
4. Determine if you need our splash safe coating. If you are putting Stikwood behind a sink or stove as a backsplash, behind a toilet or next to a shower, you may want to add our splash safe coating to the planks. Splash safe is a sealer that makes the face of the planks water resistant. This gives you added protection against occasional splashes. While wood should never be exposed to water directly, splash safe makes occasional splashes less harmful.

Stikwood works great in bathrooms and is a statement in many beautiful bathroom projects! Anytime you are installing wood around water/moisture you want to be careful that the space is well ventilated. An exhaust fan should be used during and after each shower to remove excessive humidity. We don’t recommend installing Stikwood in areas where direct exposure to water is likely, such as in a shower enclosure.

If you are using Stikwood as a backsplash behind a sink or in a location where some drops of water may come in contact with the wood, we recommend adding our Splash Safe Coating to your order. When you choose this option, we apply a sealer to the wood that makes it water resistant. If you don't see the option when purchasing please reach out to our Customer Response Team at [email protected], or chat with us online.