Tile seems more permanent, except that the tile that's there now is cracked in a couple of places. And moisture shouldn't harm tile. Will beadboard or other material for wainscoting hold up to the moisture and continue to look good? Can it be used on the walls where the tub/shower is?
Generally the enamel paint that is applied over the bead board is what gives the protection from moisture. Bead board should not be used as a tub surround!!
I was thinking of using a natural wood look, either with beadboard, which I just discovered online, or with strips of wood. If I did that, there wouldn't be enamel paint, just varish or other coating.
Is tile the only adequate tub surround? I did see floor tiles that look like wood but not the thin strips for wainscoting. I don't want to do something that starts to look awful or needs to be removed in a few years. I want an old fashioned country look, and wainscoting seems the prettiest way to get it.
Beadboard with several coats of polyurethane would probably hold up on the walls in a bathroom but not surrounding the shower.
I would put ceramic/porcelain tiles around a tub or a fiberglass surround. I know it's common, but I would not put a natural stone around a tub as natural stone surfaces have some porosity to them.
Hate to rain on the parade but, I have to ditto the others. Nothing short of a material that is IMPERVIOUS to moisture should be used in the tub/shower area of a bathroom. No matter how good the protective coatings technology is today, paint has never liked moisture. Good luck. IMO, I would strongly suggest tile or bathfitters type...may not go with your planned decor but, you don't want the future nightmares of dealing with the wrong product on the walls, there.
As noted, poly or varnish will work fine for the bead board as long as it isn't installed in a wet area [tub surround] If you stain/poly the wood before installation it will save you a lot of time. Stain [or not] and apply 2 coats of poly sanding between coats. Then once the wood is installed, putty any nail holes that show, sand lightly and apply the final coat of poly.
I have beadboard (groove exposed) in two bathrooms in my weekend rental cabin, and it is holding up really well. A couple of coats of poly on it and it should look good for years to come. I'm not going to beat you up on the tile thingy, but consider it in the shower area.
Tags: beadboard, hold, coats poly, enamel paint, look good, natural stone, should used, shower area, that there
