Furniture fit for bathrooms

Bathroom furniture needs to perform in a particularly hostile environment.

Bathrooms are hot and steamy places and this means that furniture and fitments need to be durable and able to stand up to high humidity, water-splashes and some potentially aggressive cleaning materials.

What happens to wood in bathrooms?

Wood products in the bathroom absorb moisture from the air and hence might swell and distort. Lacquered or painted items might suffer from surface cracks caused by timber movement. Wood expands in size as it absorbs moisture. It is this sponge effect which makes drawers and doors stick when the moisture content increases. Expanding timber could also be the cause of splits in cabinet tops and shelves. Joints, too, might open up when timber absorbs moisture. Gaps often become more noticeable in mitred joints.

How can wood be used successfully in bathrooms?

There are a number of strategies available to the designer and furniture manufacturer. First choose a timber that has low movement characteristics, (for example, mahogany is a low movement timber and beech is a high movement timber). This way, if there is any movement, the visual effect will be small in a low movement timber.

Secondly, choose a method of construction where flush joints are avoided and where there is an opportunity for movement to take place without stressing glue lines. Thirdly, ensure moisture-resistant adhesives are used throughout. Fourthly, select a lacquer or paint that has good flexibility to cope with any small movements of the underlying wooden substrate. Usually if the cracks in the lacquer follow the grain of the wood then the cause is most probably due to movement of the timber. If the cracks in the lacquer are random in both direction and shape the cause is almost certainly due to inflexibility in the lacquer.

What about metal items?

Some metal items may tarnish or corrode in humid bathrooms and care should be taken to select hardware items that have adequate protection via powder coatings, plating or lacquered finishes.

How can we predict performance in bathrooms?

The performance in use of bathroom (and shower room) products can best be predicted by using a chamber with a constant high humidity. SATRA uses a large chamber set at 85 per cent RH and 25°C to evaluate bathroom furniture and accessories. This constant high humidity atmosphere allows items to be observed over a period of several weeks and for signs of deterioration to be identified. Careful measurements of product dimensions are taken at regular intervals to plot any change. The surfaces of furniture are examined for the emergence of cracks or fissures, which indicate excessive movement and which could result in a customer complaint.

The performance of surface finishes in bathroom environments is assessed using a number of tests which examine their ability to withstand the rigours of day-to-day use.

The quality of surface finishes is usually assessed in relation to three criteria:

• mechanical damage, for example resistance to abrasion, impacts and scratching
• climatic influences, for example fading due to light, and the effects of temperature and humidity
• chemical resistance, for example resistance to oils, acids, bleaches and foodstuffs.

Spillages and accidents with cosmetics and cleaning materials might be expected in any bathroom environment. Suppliers of furniture products, especially those made from wood, need to be careful with product information to help the consumer to choose the appropriate cleaning materials and to flag-up the risks of spilling cleaning materials such as bleach. The consequences of spilling cosmetics such as nail varnish, nail varnish remover and shampoo should be highlighted and tips on removal and cleaning given.

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