shower shelf: doomed?

[Matt Stiegler]

Our guest bathroom shower gets used only a few times per year. It's a clawfoot tub with a shower attachment. The last time the in-laws were here, they pointed out that there's no place to put your shampoo and whatnot.

So I decided to make a little tub shelf thing that hangs on the lip of the tub. I used cedar (cheap borg cedar), an oak dowel, and titebond 3 to glue it together. No masterpiece, but a quick and fun little project for me, and hopefully the in-laws will appreciate the thought even if the execution leaves something to be desired.

Anyway, here's the question. I'm pretty sure this thing would die a quick death if it saw daily use, but am hoping it will last better because it will only be used a few times a year. Am I kidding myself? Would applying a finish help?

[Michael Schwartz]

Cedar doesn't really need a finish, but I would be a little concerned about the oak. You could wipe on a few coats of an exterior finish but there might be problems getting it to penetrate into the cedar.

For what it is it should be fine for some time. You can always make another in the future.

If you made another I would either use a cedar dowel, or round over the top of a square piece to give it the same function. Allot of exterior furniture/siding and decking is made from cedar and the stuff lasts quite some time in the weather with no finish.

[Robert Reece]

I suspect it will last longer than you are expecting.
If it got used daily, I'd expect it to last 5 years.
With the use you are proposing, I bet it lasts as long as it's needed.

Let us know how it goes.

[Dale Lesak]

The only thing I can think of that would last in the wet environment would be Corian Works like wood and water won't hurt it. Might be able to get some scraps from a counter top installer. Dale

[Michael Schwartz]

I have a wood shower brush that has seen day to day use for years.

I saw an article or post somewhere a while back of a wooden bathtub somebody made.

[johnny means]

The only thing I can think of that would last in the wet environment would be Corian Works like wood and water won't hurt it. Might be able to get some scraps from a counter top installer. Dale

Are we forgetting that boats have been made from wood since the first guy figured out that he could float downstream on a log. Your cedar shelf should last plenty long.

[Matt Stiegler]

Thanks for the responses. Fingers crossed.

Are we forgetting that boats have been made from wood since the first guy figured out that he could float downstream on a log. Your cedar shelf should last plenty long.

Wood behaves differently when exposed to repeated cycles of wet & humid / dry & clear than it does if its just immersed in water. Several older threads here discuss the point more intelligently than I can.