How to fix PVC panels to the wall?

PVC panels are a popular finishing material that is durable, practical and affordable. Such coatings can be used for wall cladding and ceiling decoration. Plastic panels are installed quite simply and quickly. It is quite possible to cope with such work on your own. Today we will talk in more detail about how to fix PVC panels to walls.

Plastic panels are a popular and common wall covering. They can be found in many shops that specialize in decoration materials.

Wide sheets and lining made of plastic are in great demand, since they have many positive qualities.

• First of all, it should be noted the durability of such finishing materials. In our climate, their service life can be more than 20 years.
• Such materials are durable. They are not afraid of dampness and moisture. In addition, they are not subject to rotting, as, for example, natural wood.
• Plastic panels do not require complex and regular maintenance. Dust and dirt do not accumulate on their surface. If the finish is dirty, then it will turn out to be cleaned with a regular damp cloth.
• PVC panels have sound insulating properties, so they are perfect for wall cladding.

• Using plastic panels, you can divide the space into functional zones.
• Plastic panels are lightweight materials that make them easy to work with. All processes can be handled without the involvement of assistants.
• Plastic is a very malleable material - it lends itself to various types of processing without problems. Therefore, in stores you can find PVC panels that have a variety of colors, textures, prints and ornaments.

• These finishing materials can be used in a wide variety of interior styles. The only exception can be only pretentious and pompous ensembles, in which extremely expensive and natural elements should be present.
• You can install plastic canvases both in a city apartment and in a private house.
• Various communications, such as electrical wiring, can be hidden behind the panels.
• It is quite possible to install PVC panels on walls with your own hands, since this process is not difficult and inaccessible. To do this, you do not need to stock up on expensive tools.

Of course, PVC wall panels are not ideal finishing materials. They also have their own weaknesses.

Let's consider them in more detail.

• PVC panels are flammable. In case of fire, these materials burn quite strongly, spreading suffocating smoke in the room.
• Many consumers note that after the installation of plastic panels, an unpleasant chemical smell remains in the room for a long time, which cannot be eliminated by conventional ventilation. Of course, in this case, a lot depends on the quality of the purchased plastic.
• PVC panels cannot be called "breathable" finishing materials. They do not allow air to move through the ceilings, and this is very important for sufficient ventilation in the room.
• Plastic panels have voids in which various insects and parasites are often found.
• PVC sheets are fragile material.They break when hit hard. It will hardly be possible to get rid of such deformations later - the material will have to be changed.

Knowing all the advantages and disadvantages of PVC panels, it will be easier to work with them. You will be able to avoid many mistakes during the installation process.

PVC sheets produced by different manufacturers have different properties and performance characteristics. When buying a suitable material, you need to pay attention to its quality - this is the main criterion on which you should rely.

Experts do not recommend plastic panels for purchase.

• there are damages (even barely noticeable) on their stiffeners or they are completely deformed;
• stiffening ribs protrude too much;
• if the lines of the drawing on the front half are poorly expressed, and there is also blurring of the edges;

• scratches and other minor damages are visible on the surface of the panels;
• lamellas from the same set differ from each other in shade and brightness (such a finish will look inharmonious and ridiculous on the walls);
• panels from one set have different sizes (in this case, the technology of installation of finishing will be noticeably complicated, since different-sized elements will not be fixed efficiently).

Pay attention to the decorative layer of the panels. Any drawings, prints and paints should not be washed out and too dull. These features may indicate poor material quality. Such coatings will quickly lose their original appearance.

When choosing a suitable material, you need to pay attention to its density. It depends on this parameter how durable and wear-resistant the panel is. This indicator is influenced by the number of rigid edges that are located in the inner part of the sheets.

The optimal indicators are:

• front side thickness - 2-1.5 mm;
• number of stiffeners - 20-30;
• the total weight of the part is 2-1.7 kg / m2.

If you decide to install PVC panels yourself, then you should adhere to a specific work plan. If you do everything right at every stage, the result will not disappoint you.

First you need to prepare the wall base for the future plastic cladding. This work is especially important if you plan to attach PVC panels in a frameless way.

Algorithm of work.

• First you need to remove old finishes and any items that might fall off the wall.
• It is also necessary to get rid of all floor defects. If there are noticeable potholes or cracks on their surface, then they should be repaired with a suitable mortar.
• Too prominent areas need to be cut.
• When the wall is leveled, and all the shortcomings are eliminated, it must be treated with a high-quality primer with antibacterial components. Such coatings are necessary so that the base is protected from the formation of mold or mildew.

Only after all the work done on the preparation of the walls can you proceed to the design of the lathing (if you use the frame method of installing the material).

It is necessary to properly prepare for the installation of PVC panels and stock up on all the necessary tools and accessories.

You will need the following tools:

• tape measure with a pencil or marker (indelible) for marking;
• a hacksaw with small teeth for cutting sheet panels;
• building level and a plumb line, so as not to encounter distortions and irregularities;
• triangle;
• plastic profile, slats for the design of the corners of the structure;

• self-tapping screws, dowel-nails, clamps for fixing various elements on the base;
• screwdriver and hammer drill;
• sealing compound;
• glue;
• antiseptic.

Also, in the process, you will need special accessories:

• external and internal corners;
• docking profiles;
• start profiles;
• F-shaped profiles;
• ceiling and floor skirting boards.

All tools and accessories must be of high quality and reliable.

It is recommended to proceed to finishing work only after all the necessary calculations have been made. This step is needed to find out the exact number of PVC panels that you will need for wall cladding. Thanks to accurate calculations, you can avoid unnecessary overpayments due to the purchase of material with a large stock.

To calculate the vertical volume of a material:

• first you need to measure the entire room (that is, find out the length around the perimeter);
• then you should subtract the width of the window and door openings;
• now the remainder must be divided by the width of one PVC panel.

As a result of such simple calculations, you will receive the number of panels required for finishing the room. It is recommended to add a couple of additional units to the resulting value. This is necessary so that you have stock in case of damage to some parts.

As for calculating the amount of material horizontally, then it is carried out as follows:

• first you need to measure the area of ​​the room;
• then the area of ​​door and window openings should be subtracted from it;
• the resulting number must be divided by the area of ​​one panel from the kit.

Add 10% to the final figure - this will be a margin. It should be borne in mind that when laying horizontally, the plastic panels will have to be cut out, so you will have leftovers in the form of PVC scraps.

Installation of plastic panels cannot be called too complicated. According to experts, such work can be done alone, since PVC sheets do not have much weight.

There are two main methods for installing such cladding materials. The first one is wireframe. Choosing a similar installation option, you should be ready to manufacture a reliable and high-quality crate, to which the plastic sheets will be attached. The second installation method is frameless. With this option, you do not have to make a separate frame, but you will need to carefully prepare the wall base for the future application of finishing materials. Otherwise, PVC panels will not adhere firmly and securely to the floors.

It is worth considering in more detail how the installation of PVC sheets occurs in both cases.

When you have completed the preparation of the rough slab, you can start preparing a high-quality frame. It can be made of metal or wood. Both options are quite reliable and durable. However, if you want to build a structure made of wood, then it must be additionally treated with antiseptic agents to protect it from decay and drying out.

The batten guides must be installed perpendicular to the PVC panels. Simply put, if you are going to mount the sheets horizontally, then the crate should be vertical and vice versa.

The frame strips should be mounted at a distance of 30 cm - this value is optimal in this case. These parts must be fixed at the beginning and end of the wall and around door and window openings.

The lathing must be placed in one plane - so the plastic sheathing will turn out to be smooth and neat. To achieve this effect, you can use small pieces of wood or regular plywood pieces and place them under the frame slats. Do not forget that these elements also need to be treated with antiseptics.

It is also permissible to use special perforated hangers, which are usually used for plasterboard ceiling structures. Such elements are necessary for exposing metal profiles in the same plane, but they can also be used in the case of wood frames.

If you plan to use plastic profiles for the construction of the frame, then you should take into account one important nuance: these elements should be located only perpendicular to the PVC panels. The slightest deviation can lead to many problems, for example, the clamps may not close and will not perform their main function. To avoid such errors, it is worth constantly checking the vertical and horizontal lines.

Also, experts advise to install wooden frame elements around the perimeter of the room. the same thickness as the PVC profiles, since the starter panels will be attached to these bases.

Further, at the level of the floor and ceiling, a starter or ceiling plinth should be used. The starting element is a narrow plastic strip. Ceiling plinth is a shaped piece with a special cutout.

Laying PVC profiles should start in one of the corners (at the top or bottom). Fastening of the finish should be done on the frame strips. Fasteners are selected depending on the material that you used to design the battens. The result is a frame-like structure. It is into it that PVC panels will be inserted further.

Next, you need to cut the starting lamella in accordance with the length and height of the wall. To cut off excess pieces, you should use a hacksaw or a special metal saw. When cutting the panel, do not press too hard with your foot or hand - push or break. In order for the first part to fit correctly in the right place, you need to measure its length again. Subtract 4-5 cm from it and cut off.

A protruding spike must be cut off at the starting strip. After that, with the cut side, this part must be inserted into the corner profile, tucking the edges into the upper and lower profiles. It is worth tapping lightly with your palm in order to drive the bar as deep as possible.

When you install the launch pad, cut off the second one, dock it to the first, and secure. Further actions are very simple and of the same type. Problems often arise only with the installation of the last lamella on the floor. Most often, this part has to be cut in width, after which you need to try to tuck it in both the groove and the profile (starting or corner). It is not always possible to do this neatly, since the plastic wrinkles easily. In order not to face such a problem, do not install a second corner profile. If this is the case, the piece fits over the fitted finish panel. Then these assembled elements are joined to the previous lamella. The profile is fixed only after these actions.

Further cladding of floors with PVC panels occurs in the same way.

According to experienced finishers, the frame method of mounting plastic panels is reliable, but more complicated than frameless.

In cases where the floors are flat, plastered or sheathed with plasterboard, they do not require the installation of a batten for finishing with plastic. In this case, it will only take away the free area in the room. On such bases, PVC panels are attached using silicone, liquid nails or polyurethane foam.

However, in this case, the starting panels will still have to be fixed on the walls with dowels.

After that, the following is applied to the back half of the sheets:

• foam (it is better to lay it on PVC sheets in a zigzag);
• silicone (it is recommended to apply it on the panels in small portions at intervals of 10-15 cm).

Then the bar is inserted into the profiles and pressed tightly. After that, it is fixed with fasteners. Further, the installation of plastic panels should be continued according to the same principle.

The main advantage of this installation method is that it takes up a minimum of free time. However, you can only turn to it if the walls in your home have a perfectly flat surface without serious flaws. It should be borne in mind that in the future it will hardly be possible to remove such a finish without damaging the plastic.

Wall cladding with plastic is not the most difficult job. The main thing is to adhere to the instructions provided and use quality materials / tools.

If you decide to do such finishing work with your own hands, you should take into account some recommendations from specialists.

• It is not recommended to combine PVC panels with more expensive materials. For example, the union of luxurious marble and polyvinyl chloride will look ridiculous and disharmonious.
• According to experienced craftsmen, hot melt glue cannot be used for PVC.
• To make a competent installation of panels around the sockets, you should make all the necessary holes for them in the material in advance. Before doing this, be sure to turn off the electricity.

• If in the bathroom or in the kitchen you have designed a wooden crate, then a couple of millimeters must be added to the resulting indentation, since the wood is subject to deformation under the influence of dampness, moisture and temperature extremes.
• PVC panels are a popular and demanded material, however, they are not recommended to be laid in the bedroom (both for children and for adults). For such rooms, it is better to choose more "breathable" materials.
• It is not recommended to sheathe the walls with PVC panels immediately after purchase. They should rest in a dry and warm room for at least 2 hours.
• Wall decoration should be started only after the floor and ceiling are ready.
• The advantages of PVC panels include their ability to hide various communications. However, these elements must still be available to the hosts. To do this, use removable inserts.

• If you use liquid nails to fix PVC sheets, then you should not pull with the removal of their nodules - these compounds dry out very quickly.
• Materials for wall decoration should not have different openings at the joints. This must be monitored when choosing plastic panels.
• At each stage of laying PVC panels, it is necessary to check the evenness of the structure using a level. This device will help to avoid bevels and curvature of the finish.
• Experts recommend purchasing high-quality PVC panels. Don't look for too cheap coatings - these materials are already available. Ask the seller for certificates of the quality of the canvases. Study them carefully. The composition of such finishing materials should not contain toxic compounds.

PVC panels look organic in many environments. Designers do not recommend only combining such coatings in one ensemble with very expensive and pompous coatings (for example, natural stone).Against the background of such finishing materials, PVC sheets may seem too modest and even "poor".

Plastic panels can revive the interior of the hallway, corridor, living room, bathroom and kitchen. The main thing is to choose coatings of a suitable color and texture.

In a small loft-style kitchen, the dining area can be highlighted with PVC panelsimitating dark red brickwork. Against such a background, a laconic white table and metal chairs with dark wooden backs and armrests will look harmonious. The dining area will look complete if you hang a large dark clock over the table.

PVC panels can be used to decorate an apron in the kitchen. For example, in a room with burgundy walls, a white floor and the same white headset, an apron trimmed with a wide plastic sheet with an image of coffee beans will look spectacular.

In the hallway, PVC panels are used most often. In such rooms, coverings that imitate brick and stone look especially attractive. As a rule, they are side by side with regular wallpaper in neutral colors. For example, canvases under a light brown stone will look harmonious in tandem with yellow wallpaper and a wooden entrance door.

Also, in the conditions of a hallway or corridor, PVC panels with a silk-screen effect look good. Against the background of such light canvases, both entrance and interior doors of dark shades look advantageous. Such coatings look attractive, side by side with wooden furniture and decor items.

With the help of PVC panels, you can revive the interior of the living room. In such environments, 3D coatings with embossed surfaces look especially original and stylish. For example, you can decorate an accent wall with a TV with spectacular textured black canvases, and place a dark chocolate woven sofa opposite it. To prevent the ensemble from appearing too dark and oppressive, light laminate should be placed on the floor.

For information on how to clad walls with PVC panels, see the next video.