Hi, all. My husband and I would like to renew our bathroom inexpensively. The main problem is tile -- there's ugly tile over about 3/4 of the walls. In our fantasy, we simply install paneling or wainscoating over this tile. Whether this is a good idea, and what exactly we'd use to adhere the wood to the tile, we have no idea. Any thoughts on this? The alternative, I suppose, is to rip out all the tile, but we'd have to replaster before installing the wood panelling/wainscoasting then anyway, right?

If this is a possibility -- what kind of adhesive? What kind of wood? Is it crazy to put wood around the tub as well, or should we in this case either reglaze the tile or install new tile?

Thanks in advance for your generous help.

It COULD be done but it's probably not a good idea. In a bathroom, dimensions are crtical. Adding another thickness of materials can affect plumbing hookups and light fixtures. You have to study that all out.

If you do it, a polyurethene glue such as PL Premium construction adhesive will adhere to both materials, as well as your hands. Use surgical gloves if your day job requires clean hands. Gorilla glue is another type of Poly glue but too runny for walls. Both will expand a little as they cure. Be sure that the existing tiles are solidly adhered. If they are loose, you will be wasting your time.

As for the tub, you will need to seal all six sides of each and every piece of wood you use there before installing it with the weapon of your choice. I would probably use oil based polyurethyne but it cures very slow and smells. A water based poly will do the job too.

Also, for the tub area, it would be best to choose a water resistant or tolerant wood like cedar or redwood.

Hey, thanks. Guess being lazy/cheap won't really pay off, eh?

I want to replace existing (ho-hum) paneling in my bathroom with cedar boards - similar to cedar wainscoting. Will cedar hold up to the moisture from showers?