I get wanting to go green, but not if it means paying double to fix it later.
That’s been my experience too. Tried a “natural” waterproofer on a shower surround—looked good for a few months, then started peeling at the seams. Ended up scraping and redoing with poly anyway. Curious if anyone’s had luck with those hardwax oils or similar in wet areas? Or is poly just the lesser evil for bathrooms?
Poly’s still my go-to for bathrooms, honestly. I’ve seen hardwax oils hold up okay on floors, but in a shower? That’s a tough ask. Moisture just finds every weak spot. Maybe there’s some magic combo out there, but I haven’t seen it yet. Curious if anyone’s managed to make those “green” products last more than a year in a wet zone... I’d rather avoid redoing the job twice.
I hear you on poly—it's reliable, and honestly, I get why folks stick with it for bathrooms. That said, I’ve tried a couple of those “eco” finishes in wet zones, mostly out of stubbornness and wanting to avoid the fumes. Hardwax oil did fine on a powder room floor, but in our main bath, especially around the tub, it just couldn’t keep up. After about eight months, water started creeping under the finish and I had to sand back to bare wood. Not fun.
I wish there was a green product that could really handle constant moisture. Some of the newer water-based polys claim low VOCs and better durability, but even those seem to struggle if you’ve got kids splashing everywhere. For now, I’m sticking with traditional poly in showers and high-splash areas—at least until something better comes along. If anyone’s found a miracle combo that’s actually lasted, I’d love to hear about it... but I’m not holding my breath.
Gotta admit, I’m still rooting for the eco stuff, even if it’s bitten me a couple times. Tried Osmo and Bona on the cheap in my laundry nook—definitely not a bathtub, but it’s survived the occasional sock tsunami. Trick was, I went heavy on the coats and did a super thorough caulk job around the edges. Not perfect, but it’s holding up better than I expected. Maybe it’s a combo of overkill prep and just not letting the kids turn the bathroom into a water park… if only that part was as easy as slapping on more finish.
Yeah, I hear you on the eco finishes. I tried Bona in my entryway last year—looked great at first, but one muddy dog sprint later and it was a mess. Ended up doing a second round with extra coats and sealing every edge like my life depended on it. Still not bulletproof, but it’s holding up way better now. Honestly, keeping the kids (and pets) from treating the place like a slip-n-slide is the real challenge... finish can only do so much.
