Wall panels for bathrooms: varieties and tips for choosing

Nowadays, wall panels of various types are increasingly used for cladding rooms. It is most preferable to use them in rooms with high humidity. The bathroom is a place with an abundance of moisture and constant temperature fluctuations. In such a room, PVC wall panels are the best choice of finishes. These products are very durable, resistant to an external aggressive environment, and have an attractive appearance.

According to reviews, bathroom cladding with wall panels is one of the best options for budget repairs. They are much cheaper than ceramic tiles. This solution is facilitated by a large selection of panels on the market in various colors, textures and tones. There are many design options to choose from: monochromatic, stylized as traditional tiles or mosaics, as well as sets of tiles that contain a drawing or painting.

A rich assortment allows you to satisfy any customer's taste. The coating of colorful products is created using high-quality photo printing and the use of anti-vandal coatings. The variety of materials on the basis of which the panels are made provides freedom for design projects.

The main advantages of using panels for bathroom decoration are several.

• Wear resistancedue to increased resistance to moisture, alkaline solutions and temperature extremes.
• Easy to install, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of repairs by doing it yourself, even if you are doing it for the first time.
• Easy to maintain. Any plaque, dust and dirt can be easily removed with a simple damp cloth.
• Ease of repair. A damaged component can be easily replaced without compromising the integrity of the entire structure.

These materials are highly appreciated by consumers and craftsmen in the field of construction. Plastic panels based on polyvinyl chloride are resistant to moisture, they do not change their structure and are not subject to destruction during operation. In terms of strength, they are not inferior to other finishing materials. Due to their low weight, they will not create a weight load on the walls and ceiling.

A distinctive feature of such panels is the locking technology of connections. It is due to her that they are convenient in assembly and disassembly. Due to their increased resistance to alkaline solutions, they have become almost indispensable in the design of bathrooms. The flexibility of plastic products from PVC components helps to painlessly replace a separate damaged fragment for the overall structure, freely removing it from the grooves of the adjacent components of the wall structure.

Like other finishing materials, wall panels have their drawbacks. The main disadvantage is durability. Compared to ceramic tiles, panels are more vulnerable to pinpoint impacts, sharp and sharp objects. Scratches are visible on the surface and cannot be removed or masked.The price of this finishing material largely depends on the hardness of the coating: the higher it is, the greater the cost.

When choosing this finishing material, it must be borne in mind that its thickness and strength are not interrelated. By touch, you can determine the resistance, mechanically it is not difficult to determine the resistance of the decorated surfaces to abrasion. One of the main indicators of the quality of this product is the perfect evenness along the entire length. Since the connection is lock, when purchasing, it is necessary to selectively check several pieces from the batch for the compatibility of the connection along the entire length.

For the decoration of bathrooms, all kinds of panels are used that have different purposes, made of different materials (including flexible ones). For the interior decoration of the bathroom, panels for wall cladding, slabs for ceiling cladding are used.

Usually all overhead panels are called false panels. Through them, you can finish walls and ceilings in a single-textured version, as well as combining them with other materials, performing a certain design solution.

Regardless of the functional purpose, false panels are produced in the following types:

• rack;
• standard;
• tiled (in the form of squares and rectangles);
• leafy.

All panel products are produced in one color (monochromatic) and decorated with different materials (for example, tiles, wood and stone textures, photo-printed coatings in the form of integral drawings and patterns, including 3D images).

After installing the bath itself, plastic screens are often used to close the space under it, which are sliding front panels with a frame in the form of metal or plastic profiles. Such a screen is matched to the tone of the wall panels. If it was not possible to choose the tonality of this product, its surface can be pasted over with the same wall panels or self-adhesive film of a similar color.

Less commonly, sheet panels are used in the form of a colorful panel, combining them with slatted panels on the ceiling or standard panels on the walls. Sheet finishing materials are often used for floor coverings. Regardless of the material and purpose, bathroom panels must be waterproof, with increased resistance to temperature extremes.

In the consumer market for finishing work, a huge amount of materials is currently provided, which is significantly increasing every day, due to new production technologies.

Until recently, products based on PVC and other synthetic materials were considered exotic in application; now they are used everywhere. New synthetic-based materials are successfully combined in any type of renovation work with traditional natural (glass, wood, plaster and metal components). And the materials themselves, as a rule, have become combined.

Laminated surfaces and hardboard-based plates are commonly used in repair work. Hardboard is a traditional wood-fiber board (Fibreboard) base, which is covered on one or both sides with a decorative surface made of synthetic material that has water-repellent properties.

Chipboard, chipboard and MDF have been used for a long time. But the coatings for their surfaces are constantly being improved. Each of these materials has taken its own niche in the decoration of premises.

Due to its environmental friendliness, it is preferable to use MDF (fine fraction) in finishing, the plates of which, unlike chipboard, consist of natural components. For bonding fine components under high pressure, natural carbide resins are used in the manufacture of MDF boards.Artificial resins are used in chipboards, which emit formaldehyde, which is harmful to health. In addition, MDF does not crumble during processing.

They try to use MDF for wall cladding before finishing work. Due to the denser texture, slabs made of this material absorb less moisture. Therefore, MDF-based wall panels have almost the same moisture resistance as PVC panels. Any traditional material can be made water-repellent and fire-resistant by impregnation with resins and various fluids based on artificially created components.

In addition, you can use the lamination technique (covering the surface with a film or paper with preliminary impregnation with resin compositions). Lamination and surface coating with special solutions, as a rule, are combined with decoration in the form of textures and patterns, as well as various tone combinations. Wooden and glass panels are used in the decoration of bathrooms from natural materials.

When facing walls, as a rule, special impact-resistant glass is used. Gypsum vinyl cladding is also often used in rooms with a humid microclimate. It consists of slabs and panels similar to laminated chipboard, but with a plasterboard base covered with decorated vinyl sheets. In addition to aluminum alloy products, shock-resistant plastic was used as connecting profiles, as well as for frame structures and fasteners.

Humidity, direct sunlight, drafts and temperature changes negatively affect any material, but to varying degrees. For example, if PVC panels are preferable in a humid environment, then under the influence of direct sunlight they begin to emit harmful fumes, their surface quickly fades. Therefore, in rooms where windows face the sunny side, it is preferable to use finishing materials from MDF and gypsum vinyl.

The main factor when choosing any finishing materials, along with the strength of the material itself, is the quality of the coating of the product. Now on the market there are many products with anti-vandal surfaces that are resistant to mechanical damage, moisture and temperature fluctuations. However, any products that have been photographed are prone to chafing and fading when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, wipe them only with a damp soft cloth without concentrated cleaning agents.

Bathroom décor should match preferences and tastes, enhancing the mood. A working day begins from this room, a considerable part of life is spent in it. The decor of this room should be based on an inextricable combination of reliability and the generation of positive emotions. Design is obliged to carry positive associations, creating comfort and tranquility. The selection and purchase of finishing materials should be carried out only after the overall design is clearly outlined and the room is carefully measured.

All design ideas and the plan for the reconstruction of the premises should be embodied on paper in the form of sketches. Facing with panels can be successfully combined with the same or other finishing materials, differing in shape or tone. For example, from the floor to the middle, the wall can be faced with panels, and from the middle to the ceiling, it can be decorated with plaster. At the same time, plaster can be decorated with glass, metal or a texture like stone or brick. After drying, this surface is covered with a special water-repellent antifungal paint for rooms with high humidity.

Facing panels and slabs are decorative finishing products produced in various designs: independent decoration of each fragment, in the form of sets of elements united by a single theme (pattern or pattern). At the same time, the most common are wide panels on a marine theme: with dolphins, ships against the background of ocean waves, other marine life and algae, rocks and stones.

Photo printed veneers are currently of high quality, beauty and durability. Plates with applied patterns, textures and patterns are made with paints with high saturation, resistance to moisture and alkaline solutions. It is advisable to clean materials with such a coating with a soft damp cloth to avoid scratches and abrasions.

Along with the traditional design for tiles and mosaics, products are now very popular, where 3D images are applied to the surface by means of photo printing, imitating the natural volume of individual components. With this method of photo printing using various color and tonal solutions, you can create the effect of a visual increase or decrease in the room, the effects of approaching or removing individual elements of the image.

Of particular interest are solutions when the mosaic has alternating convex and concave effects on an absolutely flat surface.

When choosing panels for cladding bathrooms, where there is high humidity and a constant temperature drop, it is necessary to take into account the resistance of the selected products to these factors. The bathroom and toilet are constantly exposed to an aggressive environment in the form of all kinds of cleaning agents, which must also be taken into account when purchasing wall panels.

Consideration should be given to the surface to which the panel will be mounted and the fixing solutions. For fixing, it is necessary to use adhesive solutions that do not harm the structure of the material and do not affect its color and overall decor. For example, solvent-based solutions cannot be used for plastic and PVC products.

When fixing the panels to a frame, previously fixed to the facing wall, it is necessary to take into account the rigidity of the applied wall panels, since voids appear between the wall to the width of the mounting frame. If the walls are sheathed with plasterboard panels or water panels before final finishing, you can use cheaper, but less durable finishing materials that have less resistance to punching.

Aquapanel is a composite material in the form of rectangular and square slabs. This finishing material is increasingly used instead of drywall. This material is more moisture resistant than drywall, with greater density and durability.

In fact, this is a cement board for creating a base for cladding with some kind of finishing material. Sheathing a wall to be leveled with water panels is the best way to create a basis for further finishing the room. After that, without any additional frames, panels and tiles are glued directly to the aquapanel, attaching with liquid nails, sealant or special adhesives. Since the main advantage of this building material is moisture resistance, it is often used as a base for fastening wall panels in bathrooms by frameless fastening. The wall trimmed in this way is the most even and reliable.

The tiles are attached end-to-end to each other, a self-adhesive film is applied to the surface of such products, decorated with any texture or gradient. It is better to use glass panels, they are the most moisture resistant and have a wider range of colors compared to other finishing materials. At the same time, glass always has more saturated colors, emitting light from the inside. But the cost of these panels is very high, since only high-strength glass is used for cladding.

Before purchasing finishing materials, one must be guided by the size of the room being repaired. Of course, finishing without waste will not work in any way, but it is advisable to minimize them. Sometimes it makes sense to do a combination of finishes. For example, you can combine wall decoration with panels and paint or decorative plaster.

The main standard sizes of the produced facing slabs and panels:

• wall - 2.7 x 0.25 m or 3 x 0.37 m;
• ceiling - 3 x (10 - 12.5) m;
• slabs - 0.3 x 0.3, 0.5 x 0.5 or 1x1 m;
• sheet - 2.5 x 1.2 m.

The installation methods for wall panels are different: to the wall and to the frame. If you decide to do the installation yourself, please note: there are no even walls. Installation should be carried out strictly according to the level (especially when a frame is first created, which can be assembled from wooden, metal or plastic components).

In addition to the panels themselves, you will need the following components:

• fixing solution (glue, sealant, or liquid nails);
• antifungal primer or solution;
• start and side profiles;
• inner and outer corners;
• self-tapping screws;
• sealant for the treatment of gaps against moisture penetration.

Particularly serious about the leveling of walls should be approached when planning paneling by direct gluing to the wall (frameless installation). In this case, after the plaster dries, the wall must be carefully leveled and coated with a primer or a special liquid with antifungal properties. You can make a complete cleaning of the surface from plaster and installation directly on concrete, if the wall is concrete.

The best way to level the wall is to completely remove the plaster and cover with water panels or drywall with a primer. or another solution containing antimicrobial and antifungal components.

It must be remembered that the crate reduces the room by 3-4 cm. This is not much, but in the limited space of most standard bathrooms in high-rise buildings, this factor can lead to a complete reinstallation of utilities. Therefore, sometimes it is preferable to carefully process and level the walls so that the panels can be installed without lathing, attaching the finishing components directly to the wall, fixing them on liquid nails, sealant or special glue.

The disadvantage of this design solution will be the fact that if this structure is glued directly to the wall without a crate, then replacing a separate damaged element will be problematic, rather than fixed with self-tapping screws on the slats of the crate frame. This work will require great care and replacement of the panel completely without the ability to make an inconspicuous patch from the inside to a small crack. To detach a damaged element glued to the wall, it must be cut along its entire length in the middle, and then removed in parts from the center.

A bath is installed in a pre-cleaned room. Then other plumbing fixtures are mounted and pipes are laid, taking into account all plumbing components. Places of installation of furniture and a washing machine are pre-marked.

They carry out the installation of electrical wiring, taking into account grounding and compliance with all conditions for rooms with high humidity. This work must be done by a professional electrician. Prior to the installation of electrical wiring, the location of ceiling lights and electrical appliances must be clearly defined.

So that there are no fluctuations when pressing on its edges, after adjusting the legs of the bath during installation, it is advisable to fix them with cement mortar. After that, it is necessary to create conditions so that there are no gaps between the bathroom and the walls.

The front of the bath must be closed in such a way that access to the pipes remains. The optimal solution in this case will be a front sliding screen under the bathtub made of plastic panels, matching or harmonizing in tone and color with the wall panels to be mounted later.

The installation of the panels themselves should be started with the installation of the lower (starting) profile. Then the left side profile strip is installed, into which the first wall panel is placed. Then the right profile is mounted to fix the last strip.

First, carefully measure the distance from the attachment site of the lower (starting) profile and, having measured this distance along the length of the panel, mark it strictly perpendicularly with a marker. After that, the panel is cut exactly at the mark with an ordinary clerical knife. They are inserted all the way into the lower profile and evenly shifted all the way into the side profile.

If the installation is carried out with a crate, self-tapping screws are screwed into the plane of the lock into each longitudinal strip of the frame. If the installation is carried out by gluing to the wall, all panels are dotted with fixing solution before inserting into each other from the reverse side. Then (after inserting into the previous panel) they are pressed tightly against the wall. In this case, the groove in the lock of the previous panel should fit tightly along its entire length until it clicks. For plastic panels, attachment to a sealant or liquid nails is optimal. For other types of panels, fastening to the wall or aquapanel is made, as a rule, with liquid nails.

The last (right) panel is measured in width so that it is 1-1.5 cm less than the distance from the edge of the penultimate plank to the right wall. The strip is inserted into the right vertical profile until it stops, and then slides to the left until the previous panel is fully fixed in the lock along its entire length (until it clicks). In this case, no gaps should remain between the last panel and the right profile. The panel is cut along the entire length along the previously marked line with a clerical knife.

If the gap remains, it must be camouflaged with a decorative corner, the connecting surface of which must first be coated with silicone sealant along the entire length. After joining all the panels, the corner between the ceiling and the wall panels is covered with a decorative skirting board. All seams and gaps are coated with silicone sealant, its excess is immediately removed with a swab dipped in kerosene. If excess sealant is not removed in time, dust and dirt will concentrate in these places.

When installing the panels, it must be remembered that plastic deforms under strong heating. Therefore, the panels should be located at some distance from any heating devices, hot water pipes and heated towel rails (at a distance of at least 5 cm). Regardless of the type of panel installation, the walls must be thoroughly cleaned and coated with a special antibacterial and antifungal solution. If the cladding is planned on a timber sheathing, all components of the wooden frame must also be subjected to a similar preventive procedure.

All pipes are preliminarily surrounded by vertical and horizontal frames (wooden or metal). First, frame boxes are mounted around the pipes, then the panel strips are fixed on them using self-tapping screws. At the same time, the frames are made of such dimensions that the wall panels can be used in width without cutting. In this case, the installation should be made in such a way that there is easy access to communications.

• Bathroom decoration can be carried out in the same style for all walls and in a complex way, combining different styles into a common design solution. Bathrooms are characterized by the presence of the main (accentuating) wall, which is the center of the decor of the entire room. It is with her that you need to start the bathroom decor. Much depends on the lighting, the location of the doorway, windows and furniture. The main element on which the eye is accentuated is the bath itself. After the wall paneling, the ceiling is finished.

• There are many options for decorating a bathroom. Tile-like decoration is the most common, since plastic panels with tile-like decor, but which are much cheaper than ceramic tiles, are subconsciously perceived by us as a substitute for expensive tiles. Most people think that using wall panels is a cheap solution to replacing tiles. In fact, their use helps to fulfill the flight of fancy much more than traditional tiles or mosaics.

• The use of panels provides the user with harmonious combinations with other finishing materials much more than the use of ceramic tiles. The variety of panels available gives you much more room to embody your design ideas in your bathroom than traditional ceramic tiles. The quality of the manufactured panels is also improving every day. With the use of new materials created using modern technologies, it is as close as possible to the ceramics proven over the years in terms of purity and saturation of colors, strength and durability. And in terms of such an important characteristic as resistance to temperature fluctuations, plastic and PVC products exceed ceramics in all respects.

• The wall paneling is in perfect harmony with the slatted ceiling, into which LED lamps are built with the possibility of changing the lighting angle.In this case, the design of some sections of the walls may include multi-colored glass and mirror components in the form of inserts into a pattern or pattern. In this case, the angle of inclination of the light beam can be directed into such inserts, achieving certain lighting effects, for example, the effect of a waterfall.
• The combination of cladding with wall panels and plaster, stylized as wood or stone, as well as with glass panels, looks very original.

• Photo-printed coatings in the form of 3D images in combination with mirrors can create an indescribable effect of deepening a room, giving an association with a cave or a seashore.

• Provence style decor - simple comfort without frills. It is easy to compose using PVC panels in soft pastel colors and gradient spills, using curtains in floral patterns and simple solid color furniture without unnecessary decorations.

For information on how to install wall panels for bathrooms, see the next video.