Best Water Resistant Wood to Prevent Water Damage

10/19/2020 (Permalink)

If you notice water damaged wood in your home, contact the experts at our Dallas area SERVPRO for a free repair estimate.

For centuries, natural wood has been a standard building material. Its ornate grain and fortified integrity make it versatile to use for both interior and exterior construction.

A newly-cut piece of lumber is pure and unblemished. Ever notice how a brand-new fence accentuates how much the one beside it has aged? As strong as it is, wood weathers easily. Over time, heat, light, foot traffic, and water batter wood’s fibers.

Because wood is vulnerable to the elements, some opt for alternative materials like steel, plastic, MDF, vinyl or laminate faux wood, etc. However, this sometimes means losing the aesthetic benefits of wood.

Some homeowners are conflicted because they have water or moisture problems in parts of their living space, but they’d rather not replace it with other materials.

How do you preserve the wooden accents and features of your Dallas home without the hassle of constant repair or replacements from water damage? Today, we’ll offer water-resistant wood solutions so you don’t have to sacrifice the benefits of natural wood.

Best Water Resistant Wood for Your Home

In the clash between harvested wood and the elements, humans have been seeking solutions to timber decay for centuries. For example, It was a longstanding tradition for farmers to build their fences with wood from rot-resistant trees, such as black locust.

Recall the story of Noah. In this epic, the Bible details a blueprint of how the Ark should be built to sustain a flood for the ages. This plan to preserve all of life includes fortifying the ship with Cypress timbers and coating the boards with pitch.

Like Noah’s Ark, wood construction that can withstand days of rain is a combination of water-resistant wood and what you treat it with.

Water Resistant Wood for Indoors

Does your home have wood features in high-moisture areas (like windows that accumulate condensation)? Below are options of water-resistant wood for bathrooms that are also attractive for Dallas’ interior design.

• Cedar - The material of choice for building a sauna, fragrant and durable Cedar wood thrives in damp climates and withstands many conditions. Cedar is resistant to shrinking, swelling, warping, and decay even with dramatic weather shifts.
• White Oak -Stronger than Red Oak, White Oak is resistant to decay and moisture because of its closed grain with pores containing tyloses. 
• Teak - What makes Teak wood remarkable is how its natural oils preserve the timber from rot and decay after being harvested.
• Treated Pine – Pine is known for its toughness. When treated, Pine wood will then have a long-term resilience to decay and infestation.
• Mahogany - Popular for its rich beauty, Mahogany holds its shape and is less prone to warping, shrinking, or swelling (compared to many kinds of wood). This is because of its superior ability to withstand moisture and atmospheric changes. 

Waterproof Wood for Outdoors

For Dallas outdoor wooden features (such as decks, balconies, outdoor furniture, roof terraces) that can stand up to years of water exposure, it begins with selecting the appropriate weather-resistant wood. Sealants help, but the quality of the lumber itself is the main consideration for water resistance.

• Ipe - Ipe is a low-maintenance decking wood. Because it is acclimated to the highly-humid rainforest, Ipe is naturally waterproof and is rot-resistant.
• Teak - Mentioned in the last section, this versatile rot-resistant wood is suited for outdoor use as well as indoor use.
• Black Locust - Traditionally used for fence posts, Black Locust is considered the environmentally-friendly alternative to Ipe as its production does not contribute to South American deforestation, nor does it require chemical treatments. Among the trees indigenous to North America, Black Locust the strongest and most naturally rot-resistant.
• California Redwood - The Redwood forests are a treasure in Northern California. Redwood has a beautiful hue and is naturally warp-resistant and fire-resistant.
• Bald Cypress - Mature Bald Cypress trees yield a moisture-resistant wood that is not susceptible to decay. 

The strength of timber usually depends on what part of the tree the wood is sourced from. Heartwood comes from the core of the tree and is the strongest. Toward the outside of the logs is sapwood, and while not as strong, it can still be harvested for use. Heartwood is typically more expensive than sapwood.

How To Make Other Wood Water Resistant

If you don’t want to replace your existing wood with the suggested types, or if you choose to rebuild with one that is none of the above, you should know how to make wood water resistant, especially if the lumber is not pre-treated.

Even for those water-resistant wood types that were listed above, the ends of the timber may need a protectant to keep moisture and insects from penetrating the boards.

Create an Oil Finish

An oil finish both preserves the wood and accentuates its natural beauty. For this treatment, you would blend linseed oil and tung oil. Virgin wood needs multiple coats - anywhere from three to 20 layers.

Apply this mixture with a large bristle paintbrush and let the wood dry overnight. Apply more coats as needed.

Oil may need to be periodically reapplied for maintenance. For example, homes with wood floors need a new coat about once per year.

Commercial Sealants

Your hardware store will typically stock various kinds of varnish, polyurethane, or lacquer. These are highly recommended for their waterproofing benefits. 

To determine which product is best, ask for product recommendations from your store’s customer service. Be sure to tell them what look you’re going for, what kind of lumber it will be applied to, and what elements it will be exposed to (for example, bathroom humidity versus rain on an outdoor pergola).

Depending on which you buy, these treatments are applied with a brush or as a spray-on. Simply follow the directions as stated on the label. Typically, you would apply the coating in a room temperature environment (like a garage) and leave the pieces to dry overnight. 

Contact SERVPRO for a Free Water Damage Repair Estimate

Dallas, TX home and business owners do take pride in the appearance of their property. Real wood is a commonly used construction material that provides an attractive natural look for outdoor uses such as decking, or indoor uses such as cabinetry or wine cellars.

Wood can gradually degrade by continuous exposure to moisture, or in a water emergency event such as home flooding. When this happens, do you try to salvage the wood or start over with a different material?

SERVPRO is here to help Dallas property owners navigate wood damage problems. Our water damage repair and restoration services prioritize restoration over replacement wherever possible. 

Our goal for any job site is to make it "Like it never even happened," and this means the preservation of solid wood construction. Call us any time at (972) 986-7677 with questions about wood damage or for a free quote!