PVC panels for bathrooms: their advantages, disadvantages, tips for selection and design.

Pros and cons of PVC panels

Plastic panels, like any other finishing material for the bathroom, have their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Affordable price. Compared to ceramic tiles or porcelain tiles, the cost of repairs will be 30-60% cheaper.
2. Ease of installation. Installing PVC panels does not require preliminary preparation and leveling of the walls. In addition, the process itself is quite fast and does not require time for the glue to dry or grouting.
3. Ease of replacement. Due to damage to 1-2 slats, you will not have to disassemble the entire wall. You can replace the parts without unnecessary effort.
4. Moisture resistance. The slats themselves will not swell or deteriorate from water and high humidity. And if they are installed correctly, you will avoid fungus and mold inside the structure.
5. Fire resistance. PVC panels do not burn, but melt – therefore, they limit the spread of fire.
6. Safety. High-quality plastic does not emit harmful substances and is suitable even for allergy sufferers and families with small children.
7. Durability. This material is not afraid of changes in humidity and temperature, pests, sunlight.
8. Wide range. Plain, with the texture of any materials, with patterns and abstractions – finding a suitable design will not be difficult.
9. Ease of maintenance. PVC panels can be washed with ordinary water or with a cleaning agent.

1. Reduction in usable space. The frame installation method can take up to 5 cm from one wall in the bathroom.
2. Low strength. Throwing heavy objects at the walls or hitting them is not recommended, the plastic will break and the wall will have to be repaired.
3. Difficulties with installing furniture. You need to drill the paneling very carefully, otherwise large cracks may appear.

Which panels are better to choose?

The design of a bathroom made of plastic panels begins with their correct choice. Today, there are many different types of PVC panels for the bathroom, they differ in shape and size, as well as in texture and mounting method.

By their shape, there are 3 types of plastic panels:

• Slatted. In appearance, they resemble ordinary clapboard. They come in different widths, and are installed both on a frame and on glue. Slats are convenient for finishing a non-standard bathroom with different angles and protrusions. In addition, they can be used to visually raise the ceilings (if installed vertically) or move the walls apart (with horizontal installation). The width of standard products is between 10-30 cm, the height is 90-300 cm.
• Tile. A budget alternative to ceramic tiles has the same shape – square. Often they imitate mosaic, marble or concrete. The main advantage of this type is the integrity of the structure, which is achieved through special fastenings on the tiles. The size of the tiles varies from 10 * 10 cm, but 30 * 30, 100 * 100 cm are considered standard.
• Sheet. The larger the material, the fewer joints, and this is important for the bathroom. After all, moisture penetrating into the joints provokes the formation of fungus. In addition, even a large bathroom can be renovated with large sheets in just a few hours. The width of the sheet reaches 50 cm, and the length is 260-300 cm.

Conclusion: For bathroom design, decide on the priorities: visual correction of the room, absence of joints or installation speed. This will suggest the ideal shape of PVC panels.

By thickness, they are distinguished:

• Up to 0.5 cm. This thin and fragile material is best used for ceiling decoration.
• 0.8-1 cm. Thick panels are more durable and are suitable for wall decoration. In addition, they are protected from mechanical impacts and fading in the sun.

Conclusion: For wall cladding in the bathroom, use planks 0.8-1 cm thick.

The photo shows a bathroom finished with black plastic panels

Polyvinyl chloride panels also differ in surface treatment technology and appearance:

• Offset printing. Resistant to ultraviolet radiation, protected from moisture, scratches and other damage. Enhanced with a varnish coating.
• Thermal printing. There is no varnish protective coating, the pattern can be easily damaged and even erased.
• Lamination. Applying a film with a relief surface to the panel is considered the most durable option and has the highest resistance to damage.

Conclusion: It is recommended to use offset printing in the bathroom, and it is better to install laminated slats around the bathtub itself.

Another difference between PVC panels is the connection method.

• Seamless. Most often, these are ceiling slats. They are supposed to be installed as close to each other as possible, the seam becomes almost invisible.
• Rustic. Otherwise – chamfered slats. They also interlock with each other, forming a single canvas. They are used to decorate walls and ceilings.
• Relief. The uneven coating of the plastic panels masks the seam, making the space integral. This is the most suitable option for walls, and it is also resistant to damage. But the cost of such finishing will also increase significantly.

Conclusion: Decorate the walls in the bathroom with relief or rustic panels.

There are 2 methods of fastening:

• Frame. The slats are installed on a wooden or metal frame. The main advantage of this method is that there is no need to prepare the walls. In addition, you can hide communications in the frame – pipes, ventilation or wires. The disadvantages are the cost (the frame can be more expensive than the strips themselves) and a decrease in the area of the bathroom by 5-7 cm.
• Frameless. The panels are attached directly to the wall using glue, screws or staples. Suitable only for flat walls and complicates the replacement of 1-2 slats if necessary. But at the same time it does not make the room smaller and allows you to save time and money on the frame.

Conclusion: Choose the installation method based on the size of your bathroom and the smoothness of the walls in it.

To summarize – when choosing PVC panels for the bathroom, first of all pay attention to the following nuances:

• thickness from 0.8 cm;
• offset printing or lamination;
• embossed lamellas or with a chamfer;
• the presence of an environmental safety certificate;
• the number of stiffeners – the more, the better;
• serviceability of the locking joints;
• quality of the coating and the correctness of the pattern joining.

Interesting ideas in bathroom design

To make the room interior stylish and modern, you can combine plastic slats with other materials or with each other.

The standard set is slats and ceramic tiles. You can decorate the shower area with tiles, and cover the rest of the area with panels. If you choose slats that imitate mosaic, it will be easiest to combine them.

An option for large bathrooms is a combination with wallpaper. Install slats to the middle of the wall near the toilet and washing machine, and glue wallpaper above.

You can also combine plastic panels with paint. Varieties with imitation texture will look great with plain painted walls.

Symbiosis with decorative plaster will benefit from the use of contrasting plain lamellas.

The photo shows a real example of finishing a combined bathroom with PVC panels

A combination of different types of plastic is a simple but effective way to decorate a bathroom. Combine 2 textures (concrete and wood, matte and glossy), colors or sizes to get an interesting effect. As an option – to cover the walls and ceiling with two different types.

You can create a modern bathroom with the same panels if you choose a good print:

• imitation wood will decorate a country house or garden, and, unlike natural material, plastic is not afraid of water;
• imitation ceramic tiles with borders and columns will facilitate the implementation of a classic interior;
• panoramic photo printing visually increases the space and is suitable for a small bathroom.

Tip: When buying panels with photo printing, be sure to check how the finished wall will look – to do this, put several panels next to each other and move back a couple of meters.

The photo shows a combination of tiles and PVC panels

Plastic panels are chosen, based on the style direction:

• monochrome light (white, gray) panels in combination with metal strips or baseboards will fit perfectly into minimalism, hi-tech or modernism;
• imitation wood is suitable for country apartments;
• pastel-colored strips, monochromatic or with a small floral pattern, are what you need in Provence;
• plastic brickwork or concrete sheet panels will be an excellent basis for a loft;
• a color scheme in bright red, blue, yellow shades is justified by the fusion style.

The photo shows a bathroom in a marine style

White plastic panels are universal and suitable not only for minimalist design. They can be combined with bright wallpaper, mosaics or colored slats. Or create a completely white bathroom in Scandinavian style, complementing the interior with wooden furniture.

In the photo are white PVC panels