The modern market of finishing materials offers many practical solutions for finishing bathrooms. More recently, those who were going to make repairs in the toilet had only two options - painting the walls or facing with tiles. Now you can choose from several available options at once, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

In today's article, we would like to tell you about one of the easiest and most convenient ways to decorate the walls and ceiling in the bathroom - plastic panels. You will learn about the features of this finishing material, about the basic principles of working with it, as well as how to choose the right plastic panels for the toilet.

pros

To begin with, let's consider the positive aspects of using plastic panels as a finishing material for a bathroom. The list of the advantages of these products is quite impressive:

• Low price. This method of surface finishing is one of the cheapest. Only painting with water emulsion will be cheaper.
• Ease of installation. Plastic panels do not require any special repair skills. Even those who have undertaken repairs for the first time will be able to cope with their installation.
• Fast installation. Installation of one PVC panel takes a few minutes. Since bathrooms are usually very small, all the work will take you very little time.
• No surface preparation required. There is no need to level or plaster the walls for plastic panels.
• Undemanding care. PVC is a waterproof material that perfectly tolerates wet cleaning and contact with various detergents. Therefore, keeping the walls in the toilet clean is not difficult.
• Wear resistance. Despite the fact that plastic is a fragile material, if you do not expose it to strong mechanical stress, PVC panels will serve you for a long time.

Minuses

However, plastic panels have more than just positive aspects. There are not so many negative qualities of this finishing material, but nevertheless they are present, so one cannot be silent about them. So, the disadvantages of PVC panels are:

• Impervious to heat and fire. Plastic panels deform under the influence of high temperatures, therefore, heaters and towel warmers should not be placed close to them. In addition, plastic is not a fireproof material: it can catch on fire from contact with fire. Therefore, you need to be careful when smoking in the toilet.
• Large dimensions. At first glance, it seems that the plastic panels are absolutely flat, but in reality they can be up to 2 cm thick. In addition, a few more centimeters of space are often "eaten up" if the walls in the room are uneven. For large bathrooms this is not critical, but in small toilets this can become a real problem, since it will not allow using the tiny area to the maximum.

Panel types

Plastic panels for walls and ceilings in the bathroom come in several varieties.

Leafy

The most popular type is sheet panels, which are rectangles ranging in length from one to one and a half meters. The thickness of such panels is 0.3-0.6 cm. They can be monochromatic, with an ornament or imitation of natural structures - wood or stone. It is most convenient to work with sheet panels due to their large dimensions.

Rack and pinion

Rack panels for finishing bathrooms are used much less often. Most often they are used for outdoor work or large premises. This type of plastic panel looks like long, narrow planks. The length of such panels is from 4.4 to 3.7 meters, and the width is from 12 to 30 cm. The slatted panels, imitating a wooden bar, look especially impressive.

Typesetting tiled

The least common type of plastic panels are typesetting tiled ones. They are squares of different sizes, which allows you to lay out various patterns on the walls and ceiling, like from a mosaic. The elements are connected through the grooves in the panels, and everything is fastened with special glue or clamps.

• If you want to purchase a product with maximum strength, choose plastic panels with a thickness of at least 0.8 cm. In addition, pay attention to the number of "ribs" on the inside - they give additional rigidity.
• The quality of the plastic panels can also be determined by its appearance. Take a close look at the front of the product: the paint should be applied evenly, and the drawing, if any, printed clearly.
• As in the case of wallpaper, the color of the same wall panels and different batches may differ by several shades. Therefore, buy products from only one batch.

The high cost of wall panels does not always mean the same high quality, so the price should not be the determining factor when choosing. However, the material, which costs much less than its counterparts from other manufacturers, is usually made in bad faith.

Preparation and stages of repair

Before you start finishing the toilet with plastic panels, some preliminary work should be done. By this stage of the repair, you already need to install a toilet, level the floor, lay it out with ceramic tiles or cover it with linoleum.

Experts advise to prepare plastic panels for installation and further operation by treating them with an antiseptic. This will protect the material from the effects of heat and moisture, so there is no need to fear the appearance of mold and mildew.

• Stage 1. Installation of the side posts, which will serve as the basis for the frame.
• Stage 2. The lathing of the structure with slats and crossbars.
• Stage 3. Fastening of plastic fittings.
• Stage 4. Cutting and installation of plastic panels.

Basic principles and installation

Let's consider each of the above stages of work in more detail.

1. One rack should be placed in each corner of the room. At the same time, they should not come into contact with the floor and ceiling, therefore, we put any material between the racks and surfaces. After the structure is fixed with screws, the temporary support will need to be removed. You need to put the side racks along a plumb line so that they are strictly parallel. We observe a pitch of 0.3-0.4 meters between the fasteners (we use screws as fasteners).
2. The lathing of the side posts is made with wooden bars along the perimeter of the structure from above and below. Fasteners should be screwed in at an angle of 45 degrees - so we can reliably fix two rails at once. Further, the slats must be fixed to the walls with self-tapping screws. This is the main frame, which can be supplemented with side posts or crossbars if necessary. The spacing between the frame elements should be about 0.5 meters.
3. We nail the plastic fittings to the frame using nails and a hammer. The fittings should be cut at a 45-degree angle to make them fit more tightly. Since PVC panels are quite plastic, we install the fittings, including in the corners. If there is a gap between the rail and the wall, lay it in with scraps of plastic, then hammer in a nail. Select nails for mounting with large flat heads. In order not to damage the plastic elements when hammering in nails, we do the last blows not on the head, but on the protective cap (for example, you can use a nail).
4. The final stage, with the correct installation of the frame and fittings, takes very little time. We cut the plastic panels with a hacksaw. At the same time, the size of each sheet should be one and a half centimeters smaller than the place prepared for it, since the missing length is compensated by plastic fittings. Insert the cut sheet into the grooves and fasten it to the slats. We insert the next sheet into the previous one, then we also nail it to the crossbars.

Currently, it is easy to choose and purchase certain materials suitable for lining the walls of the bathroom. But, it is the decoration of the toilet room with plastic panels that is the most affordable and simply feasible solution.

However, the choice of plastic panels as a finishing material is due not only to the fact that the price of repairs will be low. The fact is that plastic is durable, waterproof and resistant to biological factors. Agree that these are the requirements we make in the wall cladding in the toilet.

List of materials and tools

So, it's time to find out how to decorate a toilet with plastic panels on your own, without resorting to the services of professionals.

In order for the finishing with plastic toilet panels to be completed successfully, the following materials and tools will be required:

• PVC panels;
• additional elements - moldings (corner and finish strips);
• wooden lath with a cross-section of 20 * 25 mm for filling the battens;
• pieces of plywood for lining under the slats;
• nails 15 mm long;
• dowels with plastic seals for fastening in concrete (diameter and length are selected in accordance with the density of the walls);
• a miter box for cutting skirting boards and a special hacksaw;
• assembly knife;
• medium hammer;
• perforator with a chisel and a set of drills;
• tool for dismantling plumbing;
• plastering rule;
• water level.

Preparing the premises for installation work

Preparatory work consists of the following stages:

• dismantling of plumbing;
• dismantling the old wall covering;
• inspection of mounting surfaces and removal of coiled fragments;
• cleaning of construction waste;
• disinfection of mounting surfaces.

Installation instructions for PVC panels involve working with vertical surfaces, and therefore free access must be provided to all sections of the walls. Therefore, in the process of preparatory work, you will have to dismantle the plumbing.

Important: Given the specifics of wall cladding in bathrooms, it is better to combine finishing work with major repairs.

You can familiarize yourself with the details of the dismantling and installation of plumbing in the relevant articles on our portal.

After the plumbing is dismantled, we knock down the old covering from the walls. For these purposes, we use a perforator with a chisel. Before proceeding with the dismantling of old tiles or other coatings, it will be useful to find out how strong the walls are. If the wall, like in old apartment buildings, is a thin partition, work as carefully as possible so that no cracks go along the other side of the partition.

After the old coating is removed, we carefully examine the walls for the presence of coiled sections. If there are any, it is better to remove them immediately so that they do not subsequently fall under the cladding layer.

At the next stage, we sweep the prepared surfaces with a broom and remove dust from them in this way. After that we remove construction waste.

Now the most important point is the disinfection of the mounting surfaces. If you do not want the walls to grow moldy under the cladding layer and smell unpleasant, you need to take care of this in advance. The optimal solution is powerful sprays that make the treated surface unsuitable for the vital activity of microorganisms.

So, we got acquainted with the preparatory work, now we turn directly to how the toilet is finished with PVC panels.

Installation work

Installation instructions include the following steps:

• installation of lathing;
• panel assembly;
• installation of additional elements at the junction of walls and ceilings, walls and plumbing, etc.

Let's consider each of the listed stages in more detail.

Stuffing lathing

Since most of the PVC panels on the market are installed vertically, the battens are installed horizontally.

This is done as follows:

• with a long plastering rule and a water level, we determine the most protruding part of the wall;

• in this area, we fix the rail in a horizontal position with dowels;

Important: During installation, the dowel heads must be recessed so that they are flush with the rail surface.

• when installing the rail, we align its position relative to the wall, placing plywood inserts;

• relative to the first rail, we fasten the following strips so that the distance between them does not exceed 0.5 meters;
• at the very bottom and at the very top of the wall we stuff the slats on which we will attach the finishing strips;
• we make a frame around the pipes of the riser in order to subsequently cover them with panels;
• after all the slats are installed, we make sure once again that they are all brought to the same level.

Important: No matter how smooth the walls appear, they can be curved.
If the crate is stuffed without plywood inserts, the installed panels will bend.

Again, you need to make sure that the slats used are level. If the slats that are on the market are even slightly curved, you can purchase metal used for installing drywall.

Installation instructions are as follows:

• measure the corner bar along the wall height and cut it in the miter box at a right angle;
• we fasten the prepared bar in the corner with a stapler (if there is no mounting stapler, we use small nails 15 mm long and a small hammer);

• we measure the length of the wall along the horizon and, according to the measurements taken, we cut off the upper and lower finish planks;
• we fasten the finishing strips at the top and bottom of the wall;
• we measure the height of the wall and, in accordance with these measurements, we cut the panels;
• the first panel is inserted into the corner strip with the side where the spike is located;
• on the reverse side, where the groove is located, we fasten the panel with nails or staples with a stapler;
• insert the spike of the next one into the groove of the previous panel until the part fits as tightly as possible;

• when, installing the panels, we reach the corner, we measure the width of the remaining gap and, according to these measurements, we cut the whole panel in the longitudinal direction;
• insert the prepared last panel with a spike into the groove of the previous panel, and with the opposite edge into the corner panel.

Tip: Before covering the crate with panels in the area where the riser pipes are located, engineering communications can be wrapped with glass wool.
Thus, you can prevent the appearance of unwanted noise, which is the norm for using a toilet in an apartment building.

In addition, at the site of the location of the revision in the riser pipes, it will be advisable to install a special hatch on the panels. Thanks to the installed hatch, it will be possible to clean the pipes without dismantling the wall cladding.

Ceiling cladding

As well as walls, the ceiling can be tiled. For the installation work, you will need the same materials and the same tools. If you decide on lining the ceiling with plastic panels, instead of the top finishing strip when decorating the walls, install a corner strip. In this case, it will be possible to insert panels on the ceiling and on the walls into one plank.

Output

The desire of every apartment owner to equip his home with taste and comfort is quite natural, especially when it comes to such a place as a toilet. At the same time, the desire to save money on finishing is quite natural. At first glance, everything is quite complicated, because currently the choice of materials for decoration is very large. But, focusing on the contents of the wallet, it is easy to divide the materials into budget and expensive ones.

Among the budget options for finishing the toilet, plastic panels are very popular, which by their characteristics are ideal for decorating the walls and ceiling not only in the toilet, but also in the entire bathroom.

You can see beautiful designs in the photo. Not only that, they are also easy to attach, and also easily dismantled in case of deformation. Therefore, to install them, you do not need to have any special knowledge and skills, but only the desire to independently make the wall cladding in the toilet and bathroom.

Advantages and disadvantages of plastic panels when decorating a toilet

It should be noted that over time, the quality of the material sold has become much better and more adapted to certain operating conditions. Previously, plastic trim was only chosen when the toilet was under strict budget constraints. But now with its help you can decorate the room and hide all the imperfections of the walls. You can verify this by looking at various photo designs. Various shades, patterns, textures and shapes will help make the interior unique and functional. But as always happens, plastic paneling has its advantages and disadvantages.

Let's get to know them better:

Dignity

1. Easy to attach.
2. Easy to wash and clean.
3. Resistant to aggressive detergents.
4. Sufficient strength of the material achieved due to additional stiffening ribs.
5. They have significant wear resistance.
6. Low cost.
7. The design allows you to close all communications, including pipes and wiring.
8. It is possible to make an additional layer for sound and heat insulation.
9. The vertical installation method visually lengthens the space.

disadvantages

1. Despite the stiffening ribs, the panel itself is thin and can crack with considerable force.
2. If you are going to use plastic in a toilet or bathroom, you should pay attention to its safety for humans. Because some low quality models may contain aldehydes or other hazardous toxins.
3. There is a danger of slight inflammation as the plastic is poorly resistant to fire. Therefore, when buying, choose plastic panels with the most fire-resistant characteristics.
4. The area of ​​the toilet or bathroom is slightly reduced due to the peculiarities of the panel fastening.

Plastic panels are mainly used for wall cladding in bathrooms and toilets, because they have the necessary characteristics for this. However, designers do not recommend sheathing walls with plastic in living quarters.

Color palette of plastic panels

The palette of PVC panels is so diverse that with its help you can create a real cozy corner for consumers with absolutely any taste. There are a lot of photos on the network where various color shades and their combinations are presented.

It is impossible to single out the most popular shade, because with a successful combination, they all look great.

Here at least take a photo showing a bathroom in a beige tone.

If you choose the appropriate lighting and accessories for gold, you will get a stylish and harmonious design, looking at which you can only wonder because it is made with plastic panels.

Among the variety of photos, you can find the option with PVC panels for ceramic tiles. This solution allows you to create an imitation of a tile and, accordingly, make the interior visually more expensive.

Black and white colors create a stylish design that matches the tiled finish. Decorating a toilet in pink, blue, light green or lilac tones can be no less harmonious and simple. It is only important that the toilet room does not seem visually smaller, and dark saturated shades can contribute to this.

Features of the combination in the decoration of the toilet

When choosing plastic cladding for walls and ceilings, you do not need to dwell on only one. Quite harmonious combinations can develop if the walls and ceiling are sheathed with PVC panels, and ceramic tiles are laid on the floor. The tile will be able to withstand the load that is carried out on it for many years.

The rack-and-pinion fastening system allows you to hide wires and pipes, and also allows you to significantly decorate the design. In this way, ceilings are made not only in small bathrooms, but also in large bathrooms. For small toilets, this mounting system plays an additional role, allowing you to visually increase the space.

Panel mounting principles

There is no particular difficulty in fixing the panels in the restroom. You just need to be patient and a tool with which you can carry out your plans. The list of tools is small:

• Electric drill;
• A hacksaw for woodworking;
• Hacksaw for metal work;
• A screwdriver, if there is a screwdriver, then this is the best option;
• Hammer;
• Office for measurements and markings;
• Ladder or stepladder.

The first thing to do is to measure the working surface in the room and calculate how much plastic is required. There are 2 options for fixing the plates - gluing and rack type.

If the first option is chosen, then the walls must be completely cleaned of the previous cladding. After purchasing plastic panels, you need to let them stand indoors so that they acquire room temperature. Do not remove the film in advance, which protects the surface from damage and scratches. In order to carry out mounting on the wall, carry out preparatory work. It is necessary to clean the surface and level it with plaster.

The second option is to mount it on a crate, which looks like beams or slats, screwed onto the wall at some distance. There are certain standards - for fastening to the ceiling, the distance between the slats is no more than 30 cm, and to the walls - 30-40 cm. It is necessary to fasten the rack profiles perpendicular to the intended direction of the panels.

For fastening to a wooden surface, it is better to use self-tapping screws, and dowel-nails are suitable for concrete or brick walls.

Damaged panels cannot be repaired; they only have to be thrown away. This must be taken into account when calculating the required quantity and take a few spare pieces. Fastening to the lathing implies punching the panel, so any wrong hole will cost a beautiful and holistic design.

First, fittings are attached - these are corner and finishing elements. Ceiling skirting boards are attached if you plan to install panels up to the ceiling. After that, the panel is inserted into the fastening element with the narrow side, and from the wide side it is attached to the rail.

After making sure that the plastic part is level, attach the next one. Observe maximum fit. The final panel in the row is inserted between the last part and the adjoining fittings. If some part is superfluous, then it must be cut off with a knife.

Ceiling mount differs from wall mount in that it is necessary to leave a distance of about 15 cm for spotlights. Holes for their output are pre-marked and cut out.

Practical use of plastic panels

In order for the restroom to be always clean and pleasing to the eye, it requires care. It must be carried out especially carefully on the surface of plastic panels, because they can crack.

After what time of operation, dirt can get between the fasteners of the plates, which over time will provoke the appearance of mold. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to regularly sanitize the surface with special disinfectants. A mild, soap-based detergent will work. It is not advisable to use products based on abrasive particles. They can scratch the surface of the panels and lose their original appearance.

Since Moscow is quite an expensive city, the use of PVC panels is very popular among its residents. But thanks to modern technology, their quality and appearance have improved significantly. Therefore, saving money, you can make a stylish design both in the toilet and in the bathroom.

The decision to renovate the toilet and use PVC panels for cladding came spontaneously. Our lavatory needed to be repaired a long time ago, as the unclosed pipeline was already tired. After examining the range of cladding materials, paneling seemed like an interesting idea. We put tiles on the toilet floor and the whole bathroom was transformed after the renovation.

Svetlana

I didn't want to invest a lot of money in renovations, and there weren't any extra money, so the wall panels turned out to be an interesting idea. Ordered in Moscow and delivery came quickly. We have opted for a beige and brown tiled look. It turned out very nice, especially since all the pipes were hidden. The toilet floor was decorated with tiles, and the ceiling was also plastic.

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How to assemble PVC toilet panels yourself, and why are they good

It so happened that tiles traditionally reign in our bathrooms. There is nothing to say here, the cladding is definitely good and reliable. But such a pleasure does not come cheap. Apart from the cost of the material itself, you often need to pay almost the same amount for laying, because not everyone can do this kind of work. But now there is a great alternative - PVC panels for the bathroom and toilet. Based on my own experience, then I will tell you why people fell in love with PVC panels so much and how to mount this coating with their own hands in several versions.

Why People Choose PVC Panels

I will not argue that the PVC paneling of the toilet panels is the best and almost the only possible option, but nevertheless, the advantages of such a facing are much more than disadvantages, judge for yourself:

• Everyone knows that only wallpaper is lighter than plastic, therefore, any base will withstand such a facing. In this case, it does not matter at all what kind of walls you have, concrete (including newfangled foam and aerated concrete) or wooden. The plastic will fit perfectly both on the walls and on the ceiling;

• If you choose a traditional frame installation, then you will not need to align the walls. Many people prefer not to even plaster. You can imagine how much the cost of the project is reduced;
• Polyvinyl chloride material is absolutely resistant to any moisture, plus fungus and mold do not start on modern models, they are initially covered with an antiseptic. Although resistance to moisture should not be confused with waterproofing, PVC cladding is an extremely good decorative coating, waterproofing is different and, for example, in the bathroom, it will need to be equipped separately even before the plastic is installed;
• Caring for such panels is no more difficult than for tiles. A simple sponge and a traditional detergent are enough here;

• Modern plastic has a wide palette of colors and textures; such a cladding can imitate most popular coatings, in which it is significantly superior to the same tile;
• And finally, self-finishing of a toilet with PVC panels costs at least 3 - 5 times less than professional installation of good tiles. Agree, it is difficult to argue with such an argument.

There are also negative aspects of this cladding, but they are rather controversial:

• So opponents immediately point out that the plastic burns and at the same time releases toxic compounds. It is true, but modern panels are made of self-extinguishing material, they can only melt from a cigarette or a short circuit, a strong fire is extremely unlikely. And if you are not going to barbecue or bask in the toilet by the fire, then you have nothing to fear;

• Some say that finishing with your own hands requires serious preparation, and so, from my own experience, I can tell you for sure, they are lying to you. If you are able to drill a hole in the wall with a puncher, and you are also not afraid of screwdrivers and hacksaws, then you can do it quite well, such work will not be a problem for you;
• The only real drawback in my opinion is a small loss of usable space. The fact is that with frame installation, you really will lose at least 30 mm on each surface. However, do not forget that there is also a frameless option. I will also talk about this technology.

Technology and options for mounting PVC panels

Like any similar work, the repair of a toilet with PVC panels is conventionally divided into several main stages. This is, first of all, the choice of material, preparation of the base and the installation itself.

The decoration of the toilet with PVC panels begins only after the floors are equipped, plumbing fixtures and doors are installed. All major parts, such as a sink or a heavy wall cabinet, are attached to the base.
The most you can hang on the plastic cover is a small framed photo or a light mirror. On the ceiling, such a panel can still withstand the built-in LED soffit.

A few words about the choice of material

The external data of the coating is, of course, important, but most bathrooms in domestic apartments do not shine with dimensions, so I recommend that you pay priority attention to the strength of the panel. If this does not play a special role on the ceiling, then the thin plastic on the wall can easily be pushed through by accidentally leaning on it or hitting it with your elbow.

When choosing panels, pay attention to the front side. If internal stiffening ribs are visible on it, then you are dealing with a thin, low-quality material and you should not take it.

In general, PVC panels are available for exterior and interior decoration, we are naturally interested in the second option. The width of such strips varies from 120 mm to 500 mm.

Now let's talk about the material for the frame. If you have had to install drywall, and you know how to handle UD and CD profiles, then such a frame would be almost ideal.

For people who are far from such work and are faced with installing the frame for the first time, I recommend using wooden slats. The minimum size of such slats is 20x25 mm. But if the loss of a usable area of ​​10 mm does not play a big role for you, then it is better to mount a frame made of a 30x30 mm bar.

Do not skimp on docking fittings, all kinds of corners, baseboards and fillets should be taken with a small margin. When trimming corners, it is very easy to make a mistake, and you will definitely not want to run for a new bar on the market. Moreover, the price for such a product is quite affordable.

In addition to frames from a metal profile and a wooden bar, such structures can be assembled from special guides with movable cleats. Such a cladding is more expensive, but it is very easy to dismantle it and reassemble it if necessary.

Frame installation

First of all, remember that the frame guides are mounted perpendicular to the PVC cladding strips. In wet rooms, which are a toilet with a bathtub, most often the panels are mounted vertically, respectively, the frame slats go horizontally. This is done so that water does not accumulate in the castles, but flows down through them.

As you understand, between the plastic coating and the wall, we have a gap equal to the thickness of the frame slats. In a warm, humid, draft-free environment, this is just a resort for fungus and other such vegetation. Therefore, even before the start of work, the entire room needs to be covered with an antiseptic a couple of times.

There are now enough similar compositions on the market, and with a waterproofing effect. Although if you are dealing with a brick or classic concrete wall, then you can limit yourself to two or three times the surface treatment with a solution of copper sulfate, it is cheap and quite effective. Some are whitewashed with lime, it dries well. But in both cases, the result is quite decent.

Wood and aerated concrete must be covered with a deep penetration waterproofing primer. It is better to use special squads here, they are different and they all have instructions, so there is no point in writing about this.
In theory, it can be painted with oil paint, but it is not durable and such savings will cost more.

If the frame is made of wooden blocks, then they should also be well impregnated with an antiseptic. Of course, you can spend money on a special composition, but I prefer to make it easier, I cover it with engine oil a couple of times, cheap and effective. Such slats will stand for more than a dozen years and nothing will happen to them.

The installation of the frame should begin with the installation of vertical support rails around the perimeter in all corners. This is the main skeleton of the structure; guide fittings will be attached to it, so they must be mounted clearly along a plumb line. If the wall is strongly curved, then wooden wedges are placed under the planks.

Fastening of any frame strips is carried out according to the standard scheme. First, a series of through holes is made in the plank with a thin drill, so that the drill leaves a mark on the wall. After that, the bar is removed, and holes for plastic dowels are drilled in the designated places. When everything is ready, you just have to insert the dowels and fix the bar with self-tapping screws.

There is one small nuance here. Vertical guides should not rest against the floor and ceiling; a gap of about 5 mm is left between them. As a rule, during installation, scraps of the same plastic are inserted from above and below, and after fixing with self-tapping screws, they are pulled out. It is advisable to drill a melt on the bar under the self-tapping screws, so that the hat is hidden in the bar.

With the installation of horizontal guides, everything is a little easier. They are also fixed to the walls with self-tapping screws, but in order for the bars to stand at the same level (meaning the case with strongly curved walls), they are screwed to the ends of the side vertical supports.

This can be done with the help of metal corners or simply by driving a self-tapping screw from the side at an angle of 45º into both strips at once. On curved walls, wedges are placed under them so that the planks do not bend.

Horizontal guides, to which the PVC panels will actually be attached, are installed in increments of 30 - 50 cm, everything here depends on the strength of the panels themselves.

Often in city apartments, all communications, that is, a sewer riser, water supply, and so on, run along the back wall of the toilet. So, PVC cladding gives an excellent opportunity to hide all this "beauty". In this case, the two vertical support rails are not mounted at the rear corners, but in front of the tube bundle. On them, with the help of corners, a horizontal crate is attached and sewn up.

And in order to provide access to communications, on the same guides, swing doors from or OSB plates can be fixed. By the way, these doors can also be sheathed with plastic, as a result they will merge with the general background.

Cladding with panels

Sheathing with PVC panels of the toilet, or rather fixing them on a wooden frame, can be done in different ways. Some craftsmen recommend using small, wide-headed carnations for this. Theoretically it is possible, there is no error here.

But there is one important nuance. You will have to hammer these studs into a narrow mounting strip at the edge of the panel and once you miss and hit the panel with a hammer, it will crack and will need to be replaced.

Now there is such a convenient device as a construction stapler. The plastic mounting strip at the edge of the panel is thin in itself and can be easily pierced by the sharp legs of the metal brackets.

The price for this very stapler is quite adequate, plus it may come in handy on the farm more than once. And if you are absolutely sure that you will not have to disassemble the plastic cladding in the foreseeable future, feel free to mount it on staples.

But personally, I prefer to fix the panels with small screws. True, for this, it is advisable to have a normal screwdriver; turning such a number of self-tapping screws with a screwdriver will make your hand tired.

This method is also good because it does not matter at all what kind of frame you have, wooden or assembled from metal profiles. It's just that one type of self-tapping screws are taken for wood, and another for metal.

The very technology of installing PVC panels is extremely simple. First, fittings are attached to the guides, that is, corners and baseboards. This is an important stage, everything should be as accurate as possible. The grooves in all guides have a depth of at least 10 mm, this must be taken into account when cutting the strips.

In my opinion, fans of PVC panels are best cut with a hacksaw for metal. Some craftsmen cut with a sharp boot knife or even metal scissors, this is possible, but in order not to spoil the edge, you will need to practice.

PVC is prone to thermal deformations, so the bar itself is cut taking into account the damping gap to compensate for expansion. Simply put, you need to measure about 5 mm less than the maximum length in length.

Then everything is simple. The bar is slightly bent, inserted into the lower and upper guides of the fittings, after which it moves until it enters the side groove of the starting corner. Now you need to fix the panel to each horizontal rail using a self-tapping screw or bracket.

The plastic panel has a spike on one side and a groove on the other. The spike of the first panel must be hidden in the groove of the fittings. The spike of the next panel is inserted into the groove of the previous one, after which it is fixed on the guides. And so, until you sew the entire wall.

Particular attention should be paid to the edge panel. In the vast majority of cases, it will need to be trimmed along its entire length. It is cut off by about 5 mm narrower than the maximum distance between the grooves of the previous panel and fittings.

After that, insert it into the guides and first push it all the way into the groove of the fittings, and when it enters, slide it back until it fully enters the groove of the previous panel. As you remember, the grooves on the fittings are much deeper and the difference in dimensions will not be noticeable.

It is inconvenient to start the extreme cut strip directly into the upper, lower and lateral grooves. So that the edges of these grooves do not unbent or, even worse, do not crack, I recommend bending them in advance with the help of wide metal spatulas, although an assistant is needed here.

If, when installing the extreme PVC panel, you managed to stretch the plastic walls of the grooves, which happens quite often, you can return them to their original appearance by warming them up with a hairdryer and ironing the plastic through the fabric with an iron. And in order not to damage the panel itself, while you are heating, insert the blade of a metal spatula into the groove.

Above I have already mentioned that there is also mounting on kleimers. So, here you will need special guides. They are equipped with two grooves, into which clips are inserted and move along them like on rails.

The kleimer itself is a flat metal bracket with a small "tongue". When you insert the strip into the grooves and push it all the way, a cleat is fitted at the back and presses the mounting strip with a tongue. No screws or staples for you, everything is simple and beautiful.

Instructions for lining the ceiling of a toilet with PVC panels are not much different from the technology of wall cladding. Unless you first need to lay an electric cable under the lighting, and hide it in a corrugated metal hose. Naturally, when installing the frame, you will need to take into account the depth of the built-in ceiling soffit. The hole for it is cut with a special crown using an electric drill.

Subtleties of frameless installation

PVC panels for bathroom and toilet can be mounted without a frame, directly on the walls and ceiling, only for this smooth curvatures on the plane should not exceed 3 mm, we are not talking about any potholes and distortions at all. The technology in this case is much more accessible - panels and fittings are simply glued to the walls and ceiling.

As the main adhesive, so-called "Liquid nails" are usually used, this is a fairly common construction adhesive with an optimal price-quality ratio.

But working with him has one peculiarity. First, the glue is applied to the wall and the panel is applied to it. Then it comes off and left for 3 - 4 minutes for airing, and only after that the PVC strip is finally glued.

On this topic, I have a case from my life, it will be useful for you. One of my acquaintances, having bought an apartment in the secondary market, inherited from the previous owners of the service, lined with tiles. The tiles were good, but very old and ugly. There was no desire or money to knock it down and lay down a new one, and the dimensions of the premises were more than modest, frame installation would have made them generally miniature.

The man acted simply. He washed and degreased the tiles well, then cut the PVC panels and glued them to the tiles with double-sided construction tape. On a panel 250 mm wide, he used 3 fixing strips, but this is not a dogma, you can glue in different ways.

When funds appeared, and it came to expensive elite repair and redevelopment, it was very problematic to tear off this plastic. So keep in mind, this option also has a right to exist.

Output

August 1, 2016

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