DIY Plastic panels finishing with plastic panels

When you want to make repairs in the bathroom in the shortest possible time, while spending a minimum of physical effort, you must certainly finish the bathroom with plastic panels. This material is very practical, relatively cheap and suitable for both wall decoration and the ceiling in the bathroom. In addition, plastic panels resistant to high temperatures and moisture. Thanks to all these qualities, this finishing material gained immense popularity among consumers. So let's figure out all the nuances of the bathroom decoration with plastic panels.

Table of contents

1. Choosing plastic panels for the bathroom
2. Pros and cons of plastic bathroom panels
3. Tools for finishing the bathroom with plastic panels
4. How to cut plastic panels correctly
5. Choosing a method of fasteners of plastic panels: all positive and negative sides
   • Fastening panels for screws
   • The frameless method of installation
6. Prepare the walls for installation
7. Plastic panels finishes technology: fastening for liquid nails
8. Plastic panels decoration technology: frame method

Choosing plastic panels for the bathroom

In order for plastic panels to please the eye and serve for a long time, then their choice should be responsible.

Today, the range of plastic panels is quite large, they can differ in color, width, thickness, as well as the density of plastic.

The first thing you need to pay attention to is their evenness. Waves should not be seen on the material, otherwise the walls will not look very attractive.

It is very important to pay attention to the strength of the plastic, namely, its ability to break on the bend and the property of piercing with sharp objects, which are quite a lot in the bathroom. Standard dimensions of plastic panels for the bathroom: 2700 x250 x10 mm.

It is also important that all the panels have a perfectly even and identical coloring color. It is better to take material from one batch.

There are such types of plastic panels:

• by type of coating: matte and glossy.
• by the method of applying the picture: film and printed. The first method is that the pattern is applied to a special film, and then it is glued to the surface of the plastic. And the second drawing using paint is applied directly to the plastic panel.
• by type of joint: suture (the joint is provided by decor) and seamless (panels fit tightly one to the other).

Pros and cons of plastic bathroom panels

Plastic panels have a number of positive qualities:

• the simplicity of installation, due to which the period of repair work is significantly reduced;
• the panels are not demanding to care;
• moisture resistant;
• relatively not expensive;
• thorough wall processing is not required before starting installation, since all the irregularities and other defects will hide the plastic panels;
• a variety of wiring, pipes and other communications are perfectly hidden.

In addition to positive aspects, plastic panels have disadvantages:

• a relatively low service life, since plastic can easily break or bend, in contrast, for example, from ceramic tiles;
• not quite environmentally friendly, compared to other finishing materials.

Tools for finishing the bathroom with plastic panels

Do -it -yourself decoration with plastic panels with your own hands does not require significant physical and financial costs. Any person who knows which side to approach the hammer will easily cope with this work. The set of tools depends on the method of mounting the panels (glue or screws). However, we give an approximate list of tools that you will need to decorate the bathroom:

• installation rails;
• of course, plastic panels;
• construction heater;
• knife specially designed for installation;
• a hammer;
• hacksaw;
• screwdriver;
• level;
• pliers;
• roulette;
• glue.

How to cut plastic panels correctly

Very often, due to the non-coincidence of the length of the sheets and the bathroom, it is necessary to cut plastic. To do this, take a knife, ruler, pencil and hacksaw with small teeth. The ruler attach plastic to the front side, and make an incision with a knife. According to the ends, which are the hardest part of the material, cuts should be carried out by a hacksaw. After that, fold the panels in the cut place and turn over so that the cut is on the back of the plastic.

Choosing a method of fasteners of plastic panels: all positive and negative sides

There are two methods of installation:

• on screws;
• on glue.

The choice of fasteners is completely dependent on your preferences and individual desires, but now let's figure out the pros and cons of each method.

Fastening panels for screws

When installing the panels itself, it will be necessary to drill a lot of holes, but in the future, if necessary, dismantling the finishing material will be very simple, since the screws are very quickly twisted.

If your bathroom is very small, then the frame method of installing plastic panels is not very suitable for you, since the profiles occupy some space and slightly reduce the volume of the room. In addition, the frame is not an integral base, so with a careless attitude, plastic can simply be sold.

The frameless method of installation

The method of fastening plastic panels on the glue is quite simple and fast. Here you do not need to spend additional costs and time on the frame. For installation, it will simply be cleaned by the walls, disinfect and degrease, and then glue the panels.

However, in this method there are a number of minuses. Firstly, with the panels planted on glue, in the future, problems will arise when dismantling, since it is quite difficult to tear them off the walls. Secondly, it is better not to use the adhesive method of fastening in those bathrooms in which the walls are not perfectly even, since all flaws will be noticeable.

Prepare the walls for installation

If you have chosen the frame technology of finishing with plastic panels, then the preparation of the walls is to remove the old coating and light alignment in those places where it is planned to install the racks of the crate.

If you attach plastic panels to the glue, then you need to free them from the old coating, thoroughly align the entire surface and dry it very well.

In both installation methods, before starting finishing work, the wall should be treated with an antifungal agent to eliminate mold.

Plastic panels finishes technology: fastening for liquid nails

The most important thing in this method of installation is the thorough preparation of the base. The walls should be perfectly even, the differences over the entire surface should not exceed 0.3 cm, small hollows are allowed, but various tubercles are categorically not acceptable.

It is also important to pay attention to the corners, they should not be rounded, otherwise the process of decorating the bathroom with plastic panels will turn for you into the last horror.

To install panels, an adhesive containing organic solvents is not suitable, it is best to use liquid nails. Such glue is sold in tubes for the gun, and its consumption depends on the evenness of the walls of the bathroom, but on average 1 cylinder of liquid nails per 5 sq.m. will be required.

The plastic panel should be covered with glue pointwise, but it is better not to apply glue to the edge too close to the edge, since in the future it can simply be out of the way and pollute the front of the finishing material.

The side of the plastic panel treated with glue is applied to the wall and for 5 minutes we press and dry a slightly.

Particular attention should be paid to the first strip of finishing material, it must be set under the level and so that it does not go, it should be fixed on top and below with dowels. In the future, these fasteners will be hidden with a ceiling and a baseboard.

Plastic panels decoration technology: frame method

To carry out the frame method of installation around the entire perimeter of the wall horizontal, guide rails made of plastic with a size of 40x25 mm are installed. It is not recommended to use wooden panels, since it will not be possible to achieve the perfect tightness of the joints, because of which the moisture falling will destroy the wooden frame.

The location of the strips depends on the desired strength of the structure, however, most often they are fixed at a distance of 30-40 cm during ceiling decoration and 40-50 cm during wall decoration.

The racks of the frame should be mounted perpendicular to the location of plastic panels. For example, if you plan to install the panels vertically (this is the location is optimal for the bathroom), then the crate should be attached parallel to the floor.

The vertical placement of panels, in addition to increasing the height of the ceilings (which is not enough for modern bathrooms), will also contribute to the best output of moisture. This is due to the fact that drops of water with a vertical arrangement of the panels will slide down, which is impossible with horizontal.

Then plastic panels are attached directly to the crate using self -tapping screws, which enter the panels themselves. The mounting of the panels should start with the far from the entrance of the corner.

The joints are best covered with sealant to avoid falling water drops during the operation of the bathroom.

To finish the corners with plastic panels, a special external and internal profile in the form of the letter L is used. The joint near the floor can not be covered with a profile, since the skirting board will perform this function.

The panel should be inserted into the side profile, and then fix it on the back of the frame of the frame. All subsequent panels are tightly inserted into each other.

To install a socket or switch, simply cut the holes into the panel with a knife-cut, and then carefully attach them to the wall.

Before installing plastic panels, you should take care of high -quality plumbing pipes, since the old ones will flow over time, and this is to ditch your repair and psyche.

Board of bathroom with plastic panels - photo of visual examples

Whatever way to install plastic panels you choose, as a result you will get a very beautiful bathroom. Most importantly, such repairs do not require large financial and physical costs, in addition, it will maintain its original appearance for a long time.