Real Wood toilet partitions

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Author Message Russ Hinkle, AIA, CCS Senior Member Username: rhinkle Post Number: 18 Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 08:01 am:    Anyone have any experience with real wood (veneers on substrate) toilet partitions? We are doing an office where the owner has requested upgraded finishes. The designer has proposed using real wood partitions. I am have a tough time finding resources for the best way to do this. John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 666 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 10:08 am:    I've never done this, but understand that the toilet partion manufacturers don't do this type of partition. Consider it architectural woodwork. You can use standard toilet partion hardware for mounting, etc. Dave Metzger Senior Member Username: davemetzger Post Number: 187 Registered: 07-2001 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 10:49 am:    I've specified louvered wood doors for toilet partition, for use with marble partitions or with framed gypsum board partitions. Typically the wood doors have been of field-painted solid stock construction. Because of the quantity of water used for washing floors and walls in restrooms, and the likelihood of splashes, I'd think hard about using veneered wood toilet partitions. Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 553 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 11:37 am:    There is another thread lower down on this site about the wood doors. Remote possibility that some of those manufacturers mentined there might do panels, too. I would think the finish on the wood would be a critical factor, to prevent any damage or soiling from getting to the wood proper. Have seen heavy, multi-coat stain and varnish finishes on compartment doors-- may be a possibility there; or talk to a good paint rep. Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 506 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 11:42 am:    I'd be very leery of wood in a wet environment. Dave's thought of full-framed walls with wood doors is a good one. I always feel pampered when the toilet compartment is a nicely appointed "room" as opposed to a "stall", especially when the compartment is larger than the average. That's a real upgrade. John Hunter Senior Member Username: johnhunter Post Number: 17 Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 01:18 pm:    Lots of good advice about wood in wet environments above. However, both Trespa and Parklex make wood veneer-faced phenolic panels that might work for your application. The aesthetic of wood panels with standard toilet partition hardware might be a bit strange. Like Dave, when we've done "upscale" toliet partitions, we've typically used framed gyp board walls with louvered wood doors. Richard L Matteo, AIA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: rlmat Post Number: 202 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 01:30 pm:    Solid phenolic is definately the way to go for a "wet" environment. I specified them a few years ago for a project in Kuala Lumpur - talk about a humid, wet environment and horizontal rain!! J. Peter Jordan Senior Member Username: jpjordan Post Number: 221 Registered: 05-2004 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 06:22 pm:    What I have seen in "premium" installations is stone partitions with wood doors (sometimes the size of conventional toilet partition doors, sometimes larger). The stone toilet partitions can be fabricated to be installed like typical floor mounted units or they can fabricated where sides sit on the floor (harder to clean). Dave Metzger Senior Member Username: davemetzger Post Number: 188 Registered: 07-2001 Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 06:39 pm:    If you do use wood partitions (for transparent finish), I'd recommend finishing them with spar varnish (which is used for sailboats). The owner should buy into the use of wood partitions, because he'll have a constant maintenance project on his hands. Tim Werbstein, AIA, CSI, CCS Junior Member Username: tim_werbstein Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2006 Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 08:04 am:    I'd agree with spar varnish, but doubt it can meet VOC limits. Dave Metzger Senior Member Username: davemetzger Post Number: 189 Registered: 07-2001 Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 09:14 am:    You're right, Tim, at least not for LEED projects or jurisdictions which limit VOC's for clear wood coatings (varnish) to 350 g/L. Benjamin Moore's spar varnish, Impervo 440, has up to 450 g/L VOC's. John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 668 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 09:17 am:    On the other hand, if you're using the averaging method, this small quantity used for toilet partitions may not be a problem. Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 469 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 03:36 pm:    if the spar varnish is done in the shop (as it should be) it will not count against any LEED VOC limits. all the connector holes should be predrilled; the finish applied so that it will finish all cut surfaces, and fully dried in the shop.