teak shower floors

I feel like I spend all of my time in the shower cleaning it. We recently moved into a new home, and new construction (as we all know) likes to take shortcuts. One of those is using fiberglass shower inserts instead of tile. Ours is a humble middle-class home, but I've seen it even in larger, more expensive homes. It makes sense: it eliminates a greater possibility of moisture leaking through to the walls, its inexpensive, and very easy/quick to install. But it's also not super attractive and--as I'm learning--it's a giant pain in the rear to clean!! I mean really. Our magic eraser stays permanently in our shower. 

So, for our next house (years down the line), I've been looking into some creative shower materials that are both pretty and low(er) maintenance.

And then I thought "I bet people have teak shower floors!" So I got on Houzz (my go-to for just about everything) and sure enough, there are a lot of teak shower floors being done out there. Teak is an exotic hardwood that naturally withstands frequent exposure to water without treatment. Most wood patio furniture is teak. 

And they are relatively simple. As long as you have a shower curb (meaning you step over a lip into your shower) or a recessed shower pan, you could do it. And if you don't, you could probably create a curb with a little more work. Then you would just have a custom shower floor mat built (or cut one yourself) and lay it on top of your waterproof drain pan. (I hope you all follow me--I try not to get caught up in too much "designer jargon"). 

Take a look at some of these examples (most of them are very modern spaces, but there is no reason you couldn't have a teak shower floor in a traditional space).

Most designers have a love-hate relationship with red. It can be overpowering. I tend to fall on the love side of red more often and I kind of really like this bathroom. I don't think I would have done the wallpaper on the ceiling, but hey. It's still a cool space. Take a look at the whole bath transformation if you are intrigued.

I'll just move on in to this house, thank you very much.

One thing to keep in mind with teak is it's still a wood. It ages like regular wood, and exposure to harsh chemicals may stain your teak or damage it's natural water-shedding properties. Definitely do your research and talk to an expert to find out how to care for your teak. I would personally stay away from shower products containing oils, parabens, silicone, etc (but I do that anyway, since I've currently been falling down several "crunchy" all-natural rabbit holes). 

And here is a great representation of how teak ages. So although it has a beautiful warmth on installation, don't expect it to last!

Do you have any teak in your home? How have you liked it? I once had a teak bath mat in front of my shower. But then I took in an abandoned wiener dog in my neighborhood and he ate it. Chewed it into a thousand pieces. And I never got another one. But I loved it!

Have a great week everyone! And keep dogs away from teak bath mats...