"Hoping mine holds up half as well as yours... humidity really is sneaky."
Haha, you're not kidding about humidity being sneaky—it's like the ninja of bathroom renos. I went with bamboo flooring myself a couple years back, and honestly, it's been surprisingly solid. A few quick tips from my own trial and error:
- Regular bathroom sealer worked fine for me. Just make sure you get a good even coat—don't rush it like I did the first time (lesson learned).
- Keep an eye on the edges and corners, that's where moisture likes to creep in unnoticed.
- And yeah, humidity is a sneaky beast, but a decent exhaust fan is your best friend. Seriously, upgrading mine made a huge difference.
You're already doing your homework, so I'm betting yours will turn out great. If mine survived my DIY skills, yours will be golden. Good luck!
"humidity really is sneaky."
You're spot on about humidity sneaking up—I learned this the hard way myself. I went with vinyl plank flooring because of its waterproof claims, but even then moisture found a way. Turns out, sealing around fixtures and along baseboards is crucial, no matter how "waterproof" your flooring supposedly is.
I second the exhaust fan upgrade suggestion. I replaced my builder-grade fan with one rated for a larger bathroom size (mine's tiny, but I'd rather be cautious), and it's been noticeably drier since then. Also, consider running the fan for a few extra minutes after showers. Mine has a built-in timer, and that's been a game changer.
One more thing—check behind your vanity or toilet occasionally. Moisture can hide there quietly for months before you notice anything's off. I spotted some mold starting behind my vanity cabinet once... thankfully caught it early enough to clean thoroughly and reseal properly.
Good luck with your reno—it sounds like you're already on the right track!
Good call on the exhaust fan upgrade, makes a huge difference. Couple other quick tips from experience:
- Don't skip sealing around plumbing fixtures—trust me, water finds every tiny gap.
- Check grout lines regularly; sneaky moisture loves hiding there too.
- And yeah, humidity is basically ninja-level sneaky...
Did you find sealing around fixtures really made that big of a difference? I mean, I get the logic, but when we redid our bathroom, I was skeptical about how much water could actually sneak through those tiny gaps. Turns out, after a few months, we had some mysterious damp spots appearing under the sink cabinet...lesson learned, I guess. Still not convinced grout checks need to be super frequent though—maybe depends on tile type or something?
- Totally get your skepticism about grout checks, but honestly, grout's sneaky. Tiny cracks you barely notice can quietly soak up moisture...then boom, mold city. I'd say occasional quick checks save bigger headaches later. Plus, gives me an excuse to procrastinate on other chores.
