Bathroom Cladding
Although relatively new to the UK market, bathroom cladding, a form of waterproof wall panelling, has been used on the continent for over 25 years.
Bathroom cladding is an ideal alternative to ceramic tiles as it is waterproof and so can be used in showers, wet rooms and around baths. Most cladding utilise a tongue and groove system so that each panel slots into the next eliminating the need for grout. This makes them ideal for those who are looking for a maintenance free wall covering as grout can turn mouldy, especially in areas with high humidity. The face of the panel has a vinyl or printed layer, which comes in several different effects:
- woodgrain
- marble effect
- tile effect
- mosaic effect
- solid colour
Woodgrain cladding can be used in place of traditional timber tongue and groove cladding but can also be used in areas that would be unsuitable for timber cladding namely shower enclosures. Most woodgrain efects tend to be printed on but there are some panels available with a textured finish. Marble effect cladding is perfect for all around the bathroom as a complete wall covering. The overall look is similar to ceramic tiles but there are some panels available that are designed to mimic the look of tiles themsleves.
The mosaic effect panels can be used all around the bathrom or can be kept to just inside the shower area and a complimentary or contrasting colour used around the rest of the room. Solid colours, such as white, tend to be used mainly on bathroom ceilingsand are sometimes used in conjunction with chrome or gold effect highlight strips.
|
PROS |
CONS |
|
wipe clean surface |
choice of colours and styles is slightly limited when compared to tiles |
There are two main types of bathroom cladding : PVC cladding and laminate based panels.
The laminate based systems usually consist of a marine plywood core, with a coloured laminate front face and a plain laminate rear face. The finishes available are similar to the uPVC systems. There is also a system from Spabord where the laminate is bonded directly onto a foam backing making the panels considerably lighter than equivalent sized wooden panels
Both forms of cladding are ideal for use in bathrooms and showers. The uPVC panels are cheaper, easier to fit and offer slightly better insulation properties than the plywood based systems but they are less robust (the plywood based panels are ideally suited to commercial applications).