[taylorsc]

I have a shower that I plan on adding teak T&G lumber around the top part of the walls that will compliment a sauna. What should I use for a backing to behind the planks for water proofing, if any? I have some PT plywood that I plan on using to build out the studs and provide a solid surface to fasten the teak and level the surface to the tile. But was wondering if I should use a membrane between plywood and teak or skip all of that and use cement board?

Only issue with cement board is it will be a challenge to fasten the teak and hide the screws.

 

[chandler48]

Are you actually going to use it as a "sauna", or just as a shower? If a shower, the residual moisture won't bother the teak. I have installed teak shower seats and they are still going strong.

If you are converting it to a sauna, then it is another ball game with vapor barrier, etc. Good wall backer as well.

 

[taylorsc]

the shower will not be used as a sauna. The sauna is adjacent to the shower with the sauna door (alum.) in the shower. This is just decorative and an idea I stole from the company I bought the sauna from. Since the sauna ceiling is lower than the shower ceiling ,the studs to the sauna wall are currently exposed. Most of the shower wall is tile, so to have the teak flush with the tile I need to build out the thickness of cement board and thinset. Just wasn't sure if I need to worry about moisture behind the teak with a membrane or just nail directly to the PT plywood

attached is an example. I'm only doing the top of the wall part.

 

[de-nagorg]

Why not use a membrane anyway?

That way you know that any stray moisture is not rotting your structure.

It never pays to "cheap out", on things like this, I always over build, in preparation for the worst thing that can happen.

A few extra $ now, is better than a lot of $ in 10-20 years.

Just my not humble opinion.:biggrin2:


ED

 

[chandler48]

I agree with Ed. Is your shower open to the atmosphere of the rest of the bathroom? Will it receive ventilation at any point? Membrane it and install the teak. I don't think you will have a problem.

We just finished this one that had bead planking on the walls already and a tub/shower unit. The backer and tile made a perfect transition to the bead planking. Of course it is open to the bathroom and ventilation.

 

[taylorsc]

Thank you for your input.
I ended up using cement board and PT plywood to build out and level the surface from the studs to thickness needed. Then covered that with PT plywood, stapled a thick plastic sheathing before installing the teak.

I ended up overlapping the tile by 1/2" as a drip off even though water shouldn't be getting up to that level. The only challenge is my clean out pipe is in the back corner so I built a removable panel that is held in with 2 stainless screws in the corner.

Here's the finished product.