Panels for tiles for bathroom, toilet, kitchen

Renovating a bathroom is an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. Wall decoration requires a lot of funds. But there are materials that allow you to quickly and inexpensively put everything in order. One option is moisture resistant bathroom wall panels. They are of different types and in different forms of release. The general is the speed and ease of installation and low cost (when compared with tiles).

Plastic under the tiles looks good

What are

Moisture-resistant bathroom wall panels are not only well-known PVC slatted panels... There are four more types of finishing materials of this type:

• Based MDF high pressure.
• Fiberboard, laminated with moisture resistant film.
• Chipboard coated with PVC film.
• PVC sheet panels.

Most often, wall panels for bathrooms are decorated "under tiles" or mosaics. This is understandable - the most common design. The drawing also imitates the seams - they are slightly recessed, painted over with a different color. Everything is as in the original. With good execution, it is not immediately possible to understand whether there is a tile in front of you or wall panels for tiles. The difference is in the degree of gloss. For panels, it is very light. But in recent years, the use of matte ceramics for finishing bathrooms has become more and more popular - it is easier to care for it (traces of water are not visible). This is where the difference is really difficult to grasp without touching the surface.

Most often, moisture-resistant panels for the bathroom are decorated with tiles, but there are other patterns

You can also find options that imitate stone (marble, wild stone), brickwork, wood, leather, and other natural materials. If we talk about the appearance, the choice is wide, and there are very interesting designs.

Wall panels based on MDF, fiberboard and chipboard are available in three types:

• In the form of strips (slats), which are joined with a lock.
• Available in square or rectangular tiles. Sizes can be different - 50 * 50 cm and 100 * 100 cm. They can be joined using locks, special profiles or butt joints.
• Sheet panels. This is more than a slab, with which you can finish the entire height (or almost all) of the wall at once. The width is usually 120 cm, the height is 250 cm or 270 cm.

  

  Moisture-resistant panels in the bathroom can be in the form of slats or strips

  

  An interesting form of release - plates of different sizes

  

  Sheet moisture resistant wall panels - a quick way to decorate a bath or toilet

The form of release is chosen depending on the design that they want to receive. Please note that the installation method depends on the release form. Rack wall panels are attached to the crate, the other two types can also be on the frame, or you can directly on the wall. In this case, the choice depends on how curved the walls are.

a brief description of

Although all materials have the same name, they have different properties. First of all, the degree of moisture resistance differs. PVC can tolerate direct contact with water, MDF and fiberboard without harm - provided that the sections are properly sealed and the laminate is intact. Chipboard-based panels are most susceptible to moisture, so, if possible, they are best used for finishing a toilet, kitchen, corridor and other rooms with relatively normal operating conditions.

Looks like wood, actually wall panels

PVC sheet panels

Of these, 100% waterproof PVC panels. This is a sheet of plastic several millimeters thick (usually 3 mm), on which the pattern is extruded. An image is applied to the front part of the panel using special abrasion-resistant paints.These moisture resistant bathroom wall panels can be used without any hesitation. They are definitely not afraid of water.

They are mounted directly on the walls - they are glued to a moisture-resistant composition. Moreover, the walls do not have to be perfectly flat. Plastic hides irregularities well, especially notches, but sharp protrusions are best removed. Similar panels are cut with scissors or a sharp knife, glued end-to-end. The joint can additionally be passed through with a moisture-resistant sealant - transparent or matched.

For the decoration of corners, there are also special plastic profiles that simultaneously join the material and give the joint a finished look. All in all, a good option for budget bathroom wall renovations.

Wall panels MDF

In areas with high humidity and the possibility of direct water ingress, MDF-based wall panels can be used. High pressure technology is used for this material, as a result of which the plate is very dense. Wood particles are pressed so tightly that water practically does not penetrate between them. To improve the characteristics, additional binders and impregnations are added to the composition, which make the base practically waterproof. As a result, moisture-resistant MDF wall panels feel more like plastic to the touch.

A patterned laminating film is applied to this base and the whole thing is covered with a thin layer of transparent dense polymer. This film is an additional barrier to water and it is thanks to it that moisture-resistant wall panels can be used for the bathroom, even in the area of ​​direct water ingress.

This type of finishing material has a peculiarity: so that the finish is waterproof, the joints are coated with sealant. They also pass the places of abutment to the floor and ceiling. So that moisture does not get into the material through the cuts. This method of installation is a guarantee of a long service life of the finish, even in damp rooms.

When choosing a material, be careful: there are many MDF wall panels in stores for dry rooms. Installing them in the bathroom is a mistake, as they will warp very soon.

Fiberboard panels

Fiber boards are made using a similar technology, only wood fibers have a larger fraction and lower density. Accordingly, they are more susceptible to moisture - they can swell. To eliminate this disadvantage, the material is impregnated with moisture resistant compounds. The best for bathrooms are fiberboard panels with bitumen impregnation, which are also called hardboard.

On the basis of impregnated fiberboard

Further, the fiberboard is laminated with a film, on top of which a protective coating is applied. This material is also called laminated hardboard or hardboard wall panels. As in the case of MDF, the film is an additional protection against moisture and it must be intact. During installation, it is also necessary to coat joints and cuts with a sealant.

Chipboard-based

Particleboard wall panels are made from even larger pieces of wood - shavings and small chips. Ordinary material is afraid of water ingress. At high humidity, it swells and after drying it does not return to its normal state. For wall panels, a moisture-resistant option is used - with the addition of additional binders. As in other cases, the surface is laminated. But even after that, such finishing material should not be used in the bathroom. The exception is special waterproof panels. But their cost is almost the same as that of moisture-resistant MDF, and if you choose between the two, then MDF is clearly better.

Imitation of tiles for walls on sheet finishing materials is a way to quickly and inexpensively make repairs in the bathroom

Particleboard wall panels are good for finishing a toilet, corridor or hallway. They are tough to withstand stress and significant mechanical stress. So in these rooms, they showed themselves well. But when choosing, pay attention to the formaldehyde emission class. In the production of this material, synthetic binders are used that release formaldehyde. This parameter is standardized and controlled. In documents, it is designated by the Latin letter E and adjacent numbers. The lowest emission class E0 is no higher than that of wood. Safe - E1. It is even allowed to make children's furniture from such materials. It is better not to take other materials - they cannot be used for residential premises.