What are wall panels for tiles. Moisture-resistant wall panels and other new types of bathroom finishes

To date, there are several basic ways to finish the walls of the bathroom, most often used in repairs.

Somewhat less often, for repairs, wall pasting with moisture-resistant wallpaper is chosen.

But there is another way to make beautiful bathroom walls. To do this, you can use pvc panels or tile panels.

We will talk about tile panels in this article. Let's see what they are and see what their pros and cons are.


Advantages and disadvantages of laminated panels

Tiles are considered to be the most hygienic and durable material for bathroom walls. But in order to lay tiles on the walls, you need some experience, which is not always available if you decide to do the repairs yourself. Yes, and laying tiles will not be cheap.

Therefore, cheaper laminated fiberboard panels are often chosen as an alternative.


Such panels are made from eucalyptus wood fibers impregnated with special moisture-resistant compounds and are high-density panels (850 kg / m3) with PVC coating.


The most famous manufacturers of laminated waterproof fiberboards on the world market today are Georgia Pacific (USA), CANFOR (Canada), Eucatex (Brazil), PLY GEM (Brazil).

The main advantages of laminated panels made under tiles include the following characteristics:

  • high hygiene. Walls finished with such panels are not afraid of detergents.
  • tile under the tile is not afraid of temperature changes in the bathroom;
  • panels have high resistance to mechanical damage;
  • do not absorb moisture;
  • do not support the spread of fungus and mold;
  • aesthetic. The walls, finished with tile panels, look very beautiful;
  • Panels are fade resistant and durable enough.

In addition, the installation of panels is incomparably less labor-intensive than laying tiles. Due to the large area of ​​the sheet, wall repairs are carried out very quickly.

The disadvantages of such panels include somewhat less resistance to mechanical stress than that of tiles.

These panels look great in the interior of the bathroom:


Coloring of hardboard panels for tiles

To date, the industry produces panels of a wide variety of color shades.

In addition, the pattern can imitate various materials - tiles, marble, granite.

How such panels look like is shown in the figure below:

The panels have a size of 1220x2440x3.2mm and allow you to cover a fairly large area of ​​the wall at once. You can choose panels for any plumbing, furniture and bathroom door.


Installation of tile panels

The panels are very easy to install. Earlier, we already considered how to make repairs with plastic panels. As you remember, the panels are mounted on a crate made of wooden bars or a galvanized metal profile.

Panels for tiles can be fastened without installing the crate, that is, directly on the glue. But before proceeding with the installation of the panels, you need to align the walls of the bathroomso that after finishing the panels are strictly vertical.

After the walls are leveled, they are primed with a deep penetration primer and proceed to the installation of panels. To do this, glue is applied to the wall with a spatula with a layer of 3-5 mm and the panel is pressed from above.

Adhesive that has come out from under the panel must be immediately removed with a spatula or a damp cloth.

The panels are stacked with an indent of 5-6 mm from each other. After gluing the panels, the seams between them should be filled with waterproof sealant.

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

What are

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

  • Based on high pressure.
  • Fiberboard laminated with moisture resistant film.
  • coated with PVC film.
  • PVC sheet panels.

Most often, wall panels for bathrooms are designed to look like tiles or mosaics. It is understandable - the most common design. The pattern also imitates the seams - they are slightly recessed, dyed in a different color. All as in the original. With good performance, you can’t immediately understand whether the tile is in front of you or the wall panels are tiled. The difference is in the degree of gloss. The panels are very light. But in recent years, the use of matte ceramics for finishing bathrooms has become increasingly popular - it is easier to care for it (traces of water are not visible). Here it is really difficult to catch the difference without touching the surface.

You can also find options imitating 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:

The release form is chosen depending on the design that they want to receive. Please note that the method of installation depends on the form of release. Rack wall panels are mounted on 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, their properties are different. First of all, the degree of moisture resistance differs. PVC can safely endure direct contact with water, MDF and fiberboard - provided that the cuts are properly sealed and the integrity of the laminating film. Chipboard-based panels are most exposed to moisture, so, if possible, they are best used for finishing the toilet, kitchen, corridor and other rooms with relatively normal operating conditions.

Looks like wood, but it's actually wall panels

PVC sheet panels

Of all the listed 100% waterproof PVC panels. This is a sheet of plastic a few millimeters thick (usually 3 mm) on which a pattern is extruded. An image is applied to the front 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.

PVC wall panels for tiles - ordinary decor

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

For the design 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 a budget bathroom renovation.

MDF wall panels

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

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

This type of finishing material has a feature: in order for the finish to be waterproof, the joints are coated with sealant. They also pass the junction to the floor and ceiling. To prevent moisture from entering the material through the cuts. This method of installation is a guarantee of a long service life of the finish, even in wet rooms.

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

Fiberboard panels

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

Next, 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 the joints and cuts with sealant.

Based on chipboard

Chipboard 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 version is used - with the addition of additional binders. As in other cases, the surface is laminated. But even after that, you should not use such a finishing material 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 wall tiles on sheet finishing materials - a way to quickly and inexpensively make repairs in the bathroom

Chipboard wall panels are well suited for decorating a toilet, corridor or hallway. They are rigid to withstand the load 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 normalized and controlled. In documents, it is indicated by the Latin letter E and numbers next to it. The lowest emission class E0 is no higher than that of wood. Safe - E1. From such materials it is even allowed to make children's furniture. It is better not to take other materials - they cannot be used for residential premises.

Finishing a kitchen with ceramic tiles is not always possible for a number of reasons, so there are proposals on the market to replace it with wall panels that imitate tiles. With their help, you can experiment for your own pleasure, giving an outlet to fantasy and creative energy. Professionals know that using ceramic tiles when decorating a kitchen is impossible to achieve quick results, and wall panels help transform a room in just a couple of days. Today, moisture resistant sheets are the best alternative to tiles.

Types and features

Panels for tiles are produced in several varieties, the main of which are three:

  • rack;
  • tiled;
  • leafy.

PVC slatted wall panels are ordinary plastic lamellas that imitate tiles. They are mounted on pre-installed rails using special fasteners in the form of brackets. Their width varies from 14 to 30 cm, and their length is up to three meters.

Tiled panels designed for kitchen walls are produced in the form of squares or rectangles of different sizes and colors. Various combinations of colors or texture combinations are made from tiles, as a result of which an original lined surface appears.

The most interesting and relatively new finishing material is sheet wall panels that accurately imitate ceramic tiles. They have standard dimensions of fiberboard, which are 1.22x2.44 meters. Wall decoration with their help is carried out quickly, and for mounting sheets under tiles, installation of guides is not required. They are mounted only in case of alignment of curved walls.

The technology for the production of sheet panels provides for their manufacture from wood-fiber or HDF boards made on the basis of eucalyptus fibers. As a protection, the material is impregnated and laminated with melamine. This significantly improves the characteristics of wall sheets for tiles and increases their moisture resistance.

Walls are completely lined with panels under the walls or they are used in certain areas, for example, as a kitchen apron.

Benefits of using panels

In addition to the quick installation process, tiled wall panels have a number of other equally important advantages:

  • in the process of work there is no dirt and a large amount of construction debris;
  • cutting panels does not require special tools and devices;
  • one sheet covers an area of ​​\u200b\u200b3m2 at once;
  • ease of installation makes it possible to independently install and dismantle;
  • the price is more affordable than ceramic tiles;
  • practicality and versatility allow the installation of facing materials on any walls without first leveling them;
  • simple care allows washing the surface with ordinary household products, which do not include aggressive components;
  • A wide range of colors allows you to choose panels for almost any kitchen interior.

Wall panels for tiles have sufficient moisture resistance and may well replace ceramic counterparts in aesthetic and operational terms. The material is not afraid of mechanical loads in the form of shocks and bends, and the cladding will last a long time.

Connoisseurs say that repairing the walls in the kitchen will not be required for ten years with the correct installation of the panels.

Of course, the surface of wall sheets for tiles is less stable and reliable compared to tiles. But visually, it imitates it quite well.

Installation of sheet panels on the wall

Before installing the cladding sheets, the base must be cleaned of old wallpaper or other coating, and poorly adhering plaster will need to be removed. Followed by:

  • repair deep flaws;
  • knock down protruding sections;
  • clean the surface of dust;
  • apply a deep penetration primer.

Purchased panels must be kept indoors for several days to adapt to the temperature and humidity conditions of the surrounding air.

The next step is to cut the wall panels using a tape measure, a ruler and a jigsaw with a thin file. Experts recommend installing sheets with cuts to the floor, ceiling and corners, so that on the visible part of the wall the pattern remains solid. It is worth paying attention to the fact that on one of the adjacent walls the tile should remain uncut. Laying starts from well-visible corners and doors, adjusting the pattern in the far corners or in places that will be covered by a furniture set.

The installation process of sheet panels is not particularly difficult. On the reverse side of the sheets prepared and cut to size, a five-millimeter layer of glue intended for fiberboard is applied with a notched trowel. Sheets can be glued using "liquid nails", be sure to apply the composition along the edges.

The wall panel with the adhesive composition is lightly pressed against the wall, after which its excess is immediately removed. Between adjacent fragments of sheets, small gaps of about 1-1.5 mm should be left, and in the corners, near the ceiling and floor - about 3 mm. The fulfillment of this requirement will help to avoid waves and swelling of the lining in case of thermal expansion of the material.

After 12 hours, the seams and joints between the wall panels, as well as the places where they adjoin the ceiling, floor and other facing material, are sealed with sealant. The final stage of the installation of the plates is the laying of the molding. The shade of the vertical elements should match the overall tone of the cladding, and the upper horizontal elements should match the color of the ceiling. In places of docking with the floor, a plinth is installed.

Wall sheets imitating tiles can be laid in different directions:

  • horizontally;
  • diagonally;
  • vertically.

The flight of fancy when choosing a laying option cannot be limited even by the size of the sheet panel, as it can be easily cut into the necessary fragments! The main thing is to observe the evenness of the direction when sticking the sheets.

A couple of decades ago, ceramic tiles were considered the most popular finishing material. Now there is a great alternative to choosing a tiled cladding - tile bathroom panels. They not only do not concede to a tile, but also in many respects surpass it.

Panels are made of chipboard, PVC, MDF and fiberboard. Lath type-setting plates have been developed and presented for sale, which are suitable for facing rooms with a small area.

Tiled sets combine tiles and panels in the bathroom. But the most common are sheet wall panels. They can be made from different materials.

Sheet PVC

Plastic panels for bathroom tiles quickly gained popularity in the market of facing materials. They are used in almost any room, including bathrooms, showers and toilets. The main substance from which the coating is made is polyvinyl chloride.

Bathroom cladding based on this synthetic material is impervious to moisture, resistant to high temperatures, hygienic and has a long service life.

PVC sheets can be a good choice when choosing bathroom wall cladding.

MDF

Lightweight and durable MDF material is created by dry pressing small wood chips at high temperature and pressure. Under the influence of high temperatures, wood releases lignin, which serves as a natural adhesive.

The material is able to withstand heavy loads. Hanging cabinets and shelves are mounted on the coating. It is resistant to high humidity, has good heat and sound insulation. Some manufacturers of building materials produce sheets with increased fire protection. Therefore, when making repairs in the bathroom, you should pay attention to MDF panels.

From fiberboard

The material is made by hot pressing wood shavings using plant fibers. Wall panels for tiles made of fiberboard clogs are exposed to moisture and high temperatures, but they should not be used in the bathroom.

Building materials made of wood-fiber (MDF) boards can get wet over time, which will lead to a violation of the integrity of the structure and its gradual destruction.

Based on chipboard

Chipboard is made by hot pressing chips and sawdust. Similar to fiberboard, the material is of little use for wall decoration in rooms with high humidity.

The walls in the bathroom in the bathroom can be finished with chipboard sheets only if they are pre-treated with moisture-repellent and antifungal solutions.

What is the advantage over tiles?

A wall panel in a bathroom with imitation tiles has a number of advantages compared to simple ceramic tiles. The relatively low cost of such materials attracts.

In addition, MDF or PVC sheets are much cheaper to install than tiles. The installation process itself is simpler, cleaner and less time consuming.

Durability

In terms of service life, a coating made of polyvinyl chloride or other types of plastic is not inferior to facing made of ceramics or natural stone. If you sheathe the bathroom with panels made of chipboard or fiberboard, then their service life will be significantly lower due to high humidity.

The operating time can be extended if the sheets are periodically treated with sealants and water-repellents.

Moisture and mold resistance

Manufacturers of PVC and MDF panels have long been producing cladding that is practically not exposed to the negative effects of water.

The specially treated surface of finishing materials creates an environment unsuitable for the development of mold and mildew. Such a coating can be safely used in the bathroom instead of tiles.

Ease and convenience of installation

Unlike tiles, installation of wall panels can be carried out on uneven walls. In addition, various defects and irregularities can be hidden behind such a lining.

To mount the sheets, you will need liquid nails or mounting rails and sealant. No need to prepare an adhesive solution and wait several days for it to harden.

The installation process itself will take approximately 8-10 hours. Using wall panels instead of bathroom tiles can save time and money during installation.







Ease of cleaning

The plastic surface is easily cleaned from any contaminants. In tiled cladding, dirt accumulates in tile joints, and when cladding walls with MDF panels, you don’t have to worry about such a problem. Plastic plates are tightly joined to each other. The coating is not exposed to household chemicals, which is a definite plus.

Variety of colors and designs

Manufacturers of building materials offer many shapes and colors of PVC sheets. Photo printing is possible.

In a hardware store, you can order trim with any image or picture. They create beautiful and colorful compositions or limit themselves to a restrained monotonous ornament. In any case, wall tiles can become an accent in the bathroom interior.












Installation of wall panels

To install the facing material, you will need a jigsaw, spatulas (notched and simple), a gun for liquid nails and sealant, glue and a primer for walls. Before gluing the plastic panels, the walls must be prepared by cleaning them from the previous coating and primed.

The dimensions of the PVC plate must be adjusted in height and width. To do this, use a jigsaw with nail files for laminate. On the reverse side of the plate, glue is applied with a thickness of 5-7 mm. Finishing the bathroom with plastic panels starts from the corner of the room.

The sheet is installed on the wall and slightly pressed against it for a couple of seconds. Excess glue is immediately removed, as the mixture hardens quickly enough. After gluing all the panels (after 10-12 hours), they begin to seal the gaps between them. This is done using a transparent sealant for rooms with high humidity.

If earlier wall cladding was possible only with ceramic tiles, now the choice of finishes is very wide. There are many alternatives on the market today.

The most popular of them are moisture-resistant wall panels for MDF or PVC tiles. With the help of such solutions, the finishing of the kitchen or bathroom can be completed in a shorter time, and the installation of the product itself will be performed by any novice specialist.

Panel types


Outside chipboard covered with a dense moisture-repellent film

As a rule, all wall panels are made from the same material.

The base is made of fiberboard with various additives, the outer layer imitates expensive materials and is covered with a moisture-repellent shell.

Conventionally, all products can be divided into three types:

  • tiled;
  • rack;
  • sheet.

In the first type of panels, the pattern is made in the form of rectangles or squares of various geometries. Most often, such a panel is used for the kitchen and bathroom. As a rule, such sheets imitate ceramic tiles.

Rack panels are made of PVC material. They are plastic elements that are attached to each other with lamellae. Installation of the product is carried out using brackets in pre-prepared guides. The standard length of the finished panel is up to 3 meters, and the width is from 0.14 to 0.3 m. Just like in the previous case, such panels are suitable for tiled kitchens.


Panels will create an aristocratic "natural" design

The most modern and attractive material is sheet wall panels. They imitate the ceramic surface with particular precision. Most often, the standard length of the finished panel is 2.44 m, and the width is 1.22 m. Installation is quick, simple and without the use of additional devices.

The very technology of manufacturing panels allows you to get a material with maximum strength and moisture protection. That is why the base is made of MDF or PVC, and the outer layer is covered with a thin layer of melamine. All wall panels have a number of advantages, such as:

  • affordable cost of the product, unlike tiles;
  • high installation speed;
  • Coverage area of ​​one sheet is about 3 square meters. m.;
  • sheet processing requires a minimum of tools;
  • the formation of a minimum amount of waste after cutting;
  • ease of installation;
  • the coating does not rot, resistant to fungus and mold;
  • practicality of the product, installation is carried out on any surface;
  • resistance to detergents;
  • ease of surface cleaning;
  • huge selection of colors.

Wall panels for tiles have an attractive appearance, excellent moisture resistance, are resistant to long-term loads, shocks, bends, so they can be easily used in interior decoration instead of expensive ceramic tiles. Of course, the strength characteristics are not comparable to tiles, but with proper operation, the product will last more than 10 years.

Installation of wall panels


Installation starts from the corner of the front door

Before you install the sheets, you need to completely free the surface from the old wallpaper and old paint. Protruding parts or loose plaster must be removed. Then the surface should be cleaned of dust and dirt. A wet broom is suitable for such purposes.

If there are deep cracks in the wall, then they must be covered with plaster. The next preparatory step is to prime the walls with a roller or brush. The liquid itself must be selected depending on the coating material. If a layer of deep penetration primer is completely absorbed into the wall after application, then re-application is required. After all layers have dried, the surface is completely ready for finishing.

Before proceeding with the installation of wall sheets, they must be kept in a warm room for at least 2 days. Thus, the panels before installation will have a flat plane, and after installation they will not change their shape. If these conditions are not met and the wall sheets are installed immediately, then in a few days their joints will diverge.

After aging the sheets, we make them cutting. To do this, you need a tape measure, a metal sheet, a jigsaw, a ruler, a pencil. On the whole sheet, mark the dimensions necessary for installation and remove its extra parts. The rest of the sheets are cut in the same way.

The panels are installed in such a way that the cut parts are directed towards the ceiling, floor and corners, the sheets are joined together with factory seams. This is done so that the image on the visible part of the surface is uniform, and the joints are uniform without gaps. It is better to start installing the first sheet from the corner of the front door. Next, the sheets are adjusted to each other so that the overall pattern matches. For more information about installation, see this video:

Finish must dry for at least 12 hours

In no case is it recommended to nail the sheets to the wall with nails. The moisture-proof layer will be broken, which will lead to the rapid destruction of the panel from moisture from the inside. Wall sheets are attached to the wall with a special adhesive. There is nothing complicated in installation, all work can be done independently without the help of specialists.

In order for the wall panel to stick well, it must be smeared with glue on the back side. For this you need a spatula. A solution is applied over the entire plane with a layer of approximately 4 mm. Next, a notched wide trowel is carried out over the entire plane of the sheet, thereby removing excess glue. For gluing the product, it is necessary to press it against the wall along the entire plane. The rest of the sheets are installed in the same way. For more information about panel properties, see this video:

At the joints between adjacent panels, it is recommended to leave gaps of 1-2 mm, between windows, floor and ceiling up to 3 mm. Thus, swelling of the panels after the adhesive has dried can be avoided. The time of complete hardening of the adhesive solution is about 12 hours. If you install the panel under the bathroom tiles, then the joints between the sheets, as well as the joints, can be smeared with a colorless sealant. If this is not done, then moisture will accumulate on the inside of the MDF panel. As a result, the panel will begin to collapse from the inside, rot and fall off.

After complete drying, the joints of the wall sheets should be glued with moldings. Choose the color of the material in the same range with the tone of the wall panel. The final step is the installation of the floor and ceiling plinth.

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