Timber shower base - the latest trend in bathroom design

Yes, as always I am a little bias but I love using timber in the bathroom whether it be a solid timber vanity, a mirror surround or a shaving cabinet.  The latest trend in timber in the bathroom is as a shower base!  It is a lot more comfortable on the feet than cold tiles, a great way to visually divide the shower from the rest of the space and well, it just looks really beautiful! 

    We have had a couple of people ask us about timber shower bases recently as they love the look of it but are concerned about the water and timber combination. It is a common misconception that timber and water don't mix however with the right sealing product and species of hardwood timber, a timber shower floor is very durable. 

The finish that we would recommend when sealing the timber in a shower base is a coat of the Osmo wood protector followed by a coat of Osmo Polyx.  The wood protector is highly water repellent due to its high content of natural waxes.  As with all of the Osmo products, the wood protector is made from a combination of oils and waxes and is non toxic. 

I have wandered around the wonders of the internet and come across some images of timber shower bases that I love! 

decoholic.org

I love the combination of the dark charcoal tiles with the warm toned timber floor. The scale of this bathroom is just magnificent! 

http://schulbergdemkiw.com/project/beachavenue/

The lighter toned timber is this walk in shower design works so beautifully with the concrete rendered walls.  The wide slat design allows for easy water drainage and also delineates the space perfectly. 

https://www.dwell.com/article/amazing-house-is-half-historic-and-half-modern-86e03e34

In this bathroom design, I love how the exposed aggregate concrete floor runs flush with the timber shower base.  The luxe industrial design is continued with the solid concrete vanity with the timber drawers and the towel shelf.  

http://www.aba-architects.com.au/

Lovely combination of grey and timber in this bathroom.  I love how the timber shower base is continued throughout the entire bathroom and how the boards line up exactly with the boards outside. 

Alison Collins is the co-owner of Bombora Custom Furniture and in charge of all things other than making furniture!