Thread: Wooden bath

Maybe cut a wine barrel in half

Originally Posted by spencer411

Hey guys I'm pretty keen on attempting a wooden bath. Can someone please suggest some timbers I could possibly use? Native to aus if possible. Also if anyone has plans or wips that'd be great. Thanks guys.

Find out what timber they use for saunas and use that

I'd say any timber will do - it's the reinforcing the joints against the outward pressure of he water and waterproofing it that will be the hard part.

Have you thought that far ahead, if not I'd suggest something like West systems resin, it's used on canoe and boat hulls to keep water out, guess it'll do the opposite and keep it in.

Originally Posted by spencer411

Hey guys I'm pretty keen on attempting a wooden bath. Can someone please suggest some timbers I could possibly use? Native to aus if possible. Also if anyone has plans or wips that'd be great. Thanks guys.

I am totally new to woodworking, but this is one of my ultimate goals, to make a wooden soaking tub one day. I searched the whole internet, but not many things out there.

I know the Japanese uses Hinoki (Japanese Cypress) fo their traditional wooden tubs. You can see some here : Hinoki Wood Ofuro From Japan - YouTube.

I also searched this forum, and found Celery Top referenced. I think Huon would also be OK as it's a boat building material with lots of oils in the wood.

Would love for you to share your project with us when you get it off the ground....

Huon pine will work as will cypress, however oily timber has a major disadvantage , you have to strip the oils from the Joint edges for the glue/resin to hold and stick properly.

I would look at a hardwood, like red gum , flood gum which which grows close to the water , and build the tub by strip planking then sheathing in fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin outside and a light glass 150Grm &epoxy resin inside.

My 2 cents worth ,.

Jeff
vk4

Redwood = Sequoia sempervirens
Western Red Cedar = Thuja plicata

Those woods are very attractive and very durable in wet service RAW. That's why they are woods of choice for saunas, hot tubs and the like Otherwise, skip the wood altogether and go for welded stainless steel.
Commonly fitted up with multiple tongue-and-groove joints. So what if it leaks outdoors a little?

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I should have mentioned this will be an indoors bath. I was thinking tounge and groove joints and mortise and tennon the corner joints and pin them. It will have to be coated with a finish as I'm sure there will be soaps used in it, got a kid to clean lol. Although I want to try and leave quite a satin, natural sort of feel to it at least on the outside. I was thinking maybe wrc but don't want it unfinished. I'll research a lot more and keep you all updated. Thanks

Good Morning Spencer

A friend has a professionally made bath very similar to the first one in Nullwood's post made from Huon pine. It looks superb. It has a light oil finish, Danish oil, I suspect - she uses it on everything else!

Wooden laundry troughs, made from 500 x 30 mm huon pine planks, and with nailed, trenched butt joins were ubiquitous in Tasmania and lasted 100+ years. Joints were leakproof without sealant, and the wood mellowed to a silver grey. No fancy finishes for such a utilitarian item.

Western red cedar would be almost as good, far easier to obtain and far more affordable.

Fair Winds

Graeme

Syncra Forest Products will snug up a triple or quadruple T&G for your tub = they work a block away from my house.
Come into the Rockies for a visit. Stay at my place.
Talk to Craig. Get this done right.

Wooden bath, Bhutan style! Note divider for hot rocks.

They look very nice but I dont know how comfortable they would be for lying in with the vertical back.
My understanding is that the Japanese wash before getting in the bath, I think this would be a necessity. I enjoyed the slide show

One of these would be nice if it is the traditional style you are after...


or a swish newer style ...

These are made here by a Swiss guy who does impressive work
Timber Baths and Basins | Wooden Baths & Basins by Wood and Water

or something else again


Better sharpen up that spokeshave buddy...

Stewie

One of these would be nice if it is the traditional style you are after...


or a swish newer style ...

These are made here by a Swiss guy who does impressive work
Timber Baths and Basins | Wooden Baths & Basins by Wood and Water

or something else again


Better sharpen up that spokeshave buddy...

Stewie

now you are talking, those Swiss ones look fantastic, if only my bathroom was bigger