Because of all its natural oils, teak is generally considered the most naturally water resistant wood — but it's not really particularly affordable, sustainable or easy to get your hands on.
Choose Rot Resistant Wood for Your Project
Well-known domestic examples include cedar, redwood, old-growth cypress, mulberry, yew, osage orange, and black locust. Tropical wood examples include ipe, lignumvitae, purpleheart, and old-growth teak.
Naturally resistant woods that are commercially available include black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), teak (Tectona grandis), ipe (Tabebuia spp.), California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). These have the highest resistance to rot over time.
Teak: Teak's ability to stand up to moisture and resist warping, cracking, decay and rot make it a great option for shipbuilding, doors, flooring and even decks. Definitely consider using teak if whatever you're creating will be exposed to the elements 24/7.
Teak Wood. Teak is an excellent choice for a bathroom vanity top that needs waterproofing. Teak does not require much varnishing, but it is astonishing better when oiled, as it retains the same sturdy properties and looks, says bathroom renovation expert Aaron Donovan.
Cedar is a very popular wood for shower enclosures. It is soft, light, and easy to work on. It is rot, termite, and powder Beetle resistant.
If by “moisture resistant” you mean “decay resistant” you might consider Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Redwood or old growth Cypress. There are other woods that also have very good decay resistance and are very strong, but they're much heavier and harder to work such as Teak, White Oak and Ipe.
Cotton is an excellent material for humid climates as it allows air to flow in and around the skin, creating a cooling effect. It also absorbs the sweat and moisture from your body which keeps you dry and more comfortable. Linen is also cool, airy and absorbent… but we all know how wrinkled it gets in a bag!
Oak is one of the hardest woods you can use for your cabinets, which makes it great for resistant damage and humidity. Oak is a very sturdy wood and is less prone to warp and rot in a bathroom environment.
Liquid sealants are one of the most common ways to waterproof wood. These sealants are applied directly to the surface of the wood and form an impermeable barrier against water penetration. It is important to apply several coats of sealant to ensure a thorough application.
In some extreme cases you will need to replace the affected timbers. However, in most cases you can stop wet rot by treating the timber with a fungicide. The treatment of wet rot involves applying a fungicide during the drying out period.
You'll first have to dry the wood by repairing leaks and/or running a dehumidifier. Once the wood is dry, you can apply a wood preservative that contains copper or borate, such as Woodlife Copper Coat Wood Preservative (available on Amazon). Monitor the wood because it's still at an increased risk of future rot.
Oak is another hardwood species well-known for its water and rot-resistant properties. It is a popular choice for outdoor projects such as decking, fencing, and furniture due to its durability and resistance to decay. Oak wood has a high tannin content, making it naturally resistant to moisture damage.
Which Wood Lasts the Longest? Teak wood easily lasts the longest when used for outdoor furniture or decking.
Extremely Rot-Resistant Wood
Mahogany – This is the king of hardwood. It is extremely dense and hard which keeps the insects and water at bay, preventing rot. Mahogany is beautiful when finished natural, which is why many doors are built with it.
Baking Soda as a Moisture Absorber
Remove dampness by filling a small bowl with baking soda and placing it in the room you'd like to dehumidify. Although it's not as effective as rock salt in combating humidity, it's good for enclosed spaces where moisture is an issue.
Rock Salt. The most popular DIY dehumidifier is the one that works the best—rock salt. Rock salt naturally absorbs moisture out of the air, making it a great choice to use as a dehumidifier.
Protect your products from humid environments by different types of moisture absorbers: Silica Gel, Desiccant Clay (Activated Bentonite), Molecular Sieve or home desiccant (Sanidry). Silica Gel is at humidity absorber, dry agent, produced with amorphous silica and comes in the form of a semi-transparent hard granule.
Waterproof hardwood flooring is natural hardwood, pine, or bamboo that has been enhanced by technology to make it impervious to liquid. The tech varies according to the manufacturer. For example, Shaw makes a product comprising a layer of real wood on top of a core of stone polymer composite (SPC).
Characteristics of Redwood and Cedar
When you're looking for the best wood for outdoor use, both of these types of wood are naturally resistant to rot and decay, along with being termite and insect-resistant. Redwood and cedar are also known to: Resist warping and twisting.
Antique heart pine and American cherry are the most stable with respect to seasonal movement. Oak, walnut, and ash are average, but hickory and beech are the most unstable of domestic hardwood species.
After much research, the best wood to use for bathroom shelving include pine, plywood, koa, cherry, red oak, padauk, mahogany and teak. As long as the wood is properly constructed and finished, it will look great in the bathroom and can be used for extra storage.
Use an appropriate waterproof or moisture-resistant backing material behind grouted tile or stone or segmented plastic or fiberglass tub and shower surrounds. Appropriate materials include cement board which has a cementitious core and glass mats on both sides to strengthen the board.
Teak wood is one of the few kinds of wood that are not susceptible to water and moisture, which is why it's so popularly used as an ideal material for making shower furniture. It has a protective and natural oil that lubricates the wood, making it resistant to any humidity around the area.