How to decorate the walls in the bathroom except the tiles?

In the minds of many of our compatriots, the tiles and the bathroom are inextricably linked, but this combination has a lot of shortcomings. Firstly, tiling is traditionally expensive for the customer, and secondly, with all the modern variety of tiles, you would hardly be able to find your original vision of the interior if there weren’t at least some alternatives.

If you decide to finish the walls in the bathroom with anything other than tiles, when choosing finishing materials you will have to check the compliance of potential alternatives with a number of criteria that are important in the bathroom.

Spray and water vapor in the air are the main destructive factors in the bathroom, which the decoration chosen instead of tile should be able to withstand. In addition, if the installation is carried out on an additional frame, then it must either correspond to the level of moisture resistance, or be reliably protected.

Due to the abundance of plumbing and the need to use the most resistant materials, they try to make the repair of the bathroom as rare as possible, because it is better to veneer it once with expensive and high-quality material than save today and pay again in a couple of years.

High humidity and high temperature in the bathroom are ideal conditions for the reproduction of any pathogenic microorganisms. Facing should not once again contribute to their presence.

In the bathroom, you should not rely on the accuracy of handling repairs - here, heavy plumbing presses on him, and he can also be prone to shock if someone accidentally loses his balance. To avoid repair problems It is worth choosing reliable and impact resistant materials.

Preference is given to those materials whose structure involves a minimum number of pores. Due to this structure, dirt is less absorbed into the finish and it does not need to be cleaned so often, and the cleaning procedure itself is simpler and more convenient.

This criterion is important in the event that you decide to do the repair yourself, as well as when calling the wizard. In the first case, you greatly simplify your task; in the second, you can spend less on paying for the services of an employee.

Unfortunately, many modern materials are rightly criticized for the emission of toxic fumes, especially when heated. In the bathroom, where you are completely protected from the effects of the surrounding atmosphere, and it’s almost always a little warmed up, The choice of environmentally friendly materials is crucial.

The longevity of the cladding largely depends on how easy it is to clean it from emerging contaminants, but sometimes you can not do without aggressive chemicals. It is necessary to choose such finishing materials, which themselves are not destroyed by "chemistry", otherwise your repair will only live until the first cleaning.

Connoisseurs of classic interiors probably sleep and see their bathroom, finished with wood, especially since even in the baths this option of facing is widely found and does not cause any particular complaints.

You can make such a repair, but it is worth considering separately all varieties of material.

At the same time, the tree is afraid of water and from contact with it begins to rot, therefore It is important to use impregnations based on oils, wax and other substances that protect against moisture and repel dirt. Laying the tree on the floor, as well as in those places of the wall where contact with water is very likely, is still undesirable, but in all other parts of the bathroom, the durability of the repair strongly depends on how often the impregnation is updated.

The version with MDF in its characteristics is not so much inferior to natural wood, although it is an artificial material - This is a small chip, compressed under high pressure and with significant heating.

With the same impregnation, MDF will last quite a long time, and even these panels are not so sorry to change.

Fiberboard and particleboard are very cheap, but only suitable for the bathroom with a stretch. Fiberboard still has relative water resistance, therefore it can be used in areas where direct contact with water is not expected, but chipboard is an extreme option. Chipboard is brittle and very afraid of moisture, because its installation is only reasonable in a company with a very powerful fan, and this material emits harmful toxins.

Modern manufacturers are ready to offer customers a slightly more expensive waterproof wallpaper, whose gluing is appropriate even in the bathroom.

Besides, this cladding option allows spot repair - instead of a damaged or too dirty fragment, you just glue another one of the same from the old stock.

In order not to be disappointed with the result, pay attention to the following types of wallpaper:

• washable - they are based on ordinary paper, but on the outside they are covered with a thin waterproof film, due to such an engineering solution, both practical and inexpensive coating is obtained;
• vinyl - are expensive, but their outer layer is not afraid of even direct contact with water, because the lining will last a long time;
• self adhesive - in fact, they are a polymer film that is not afraid of moisture, and therefore it often paste on wall sections directly near plumbing;
• liquid - contrary to the name, they are not really wallpapers at all, but are more suitable for the description of plaster, albeit with the inclusion of cellulose fibers, and are great for decorating the bathroom;
• cullet - these are rolls based on fiberglass, fundamentally indifferent to moisture, they are available in white with a relief texture and suggest subsequent dyeing, permissible up to 10 times;
• photo wallpaper - in the presence of a hydrophobic film, they are able to withstand operation even in conditions of high humidity, while allowing to make the design of the bathroom as interesting and unusual as possible.

The decision to sheathe the bathroom with plastic is considered almost the most popular after choosing tiles. Such popularity seems reasonable, because consumables, like work, cost a penny, but at the same time, the finished repair will serve the owners of the apartment for a long time.

Specialists distinguish the following features of plastic panels, for which it is worth choosing this particular material:

• environmental friendliness - the same kind of plastic is used for manufacturing, in which food is packaged and from which water pipes are made, it is completely safe for humans;
• resistance to high temperatures - for panels the mark of 370 degrees is critical, but such is unlikely to ever be reached, and even in case of fire the material does not emit particularly toxic smoke, without interfering with the evacuation of people;
• moisture resistance - plastic does not absorb water at all, and its seams are made in the form of waterproof locks, because the wall will always be clean and will not contribute to the growth of bacteria;
• ease of installation - the panels can be glued either directly on the wall or on the frame, which allows you to smooth the surface without hassle, hide insulation or communications;
• decent assortment - contrary to the common misconception, the appearance of plastic wall panels can be very diverse, which allows the consumer to experiment with the design of their bathroom at their own discretion.

Drywall in recent decades has become one of the most popular building materials, not only for rough work, but also as a cladding. An ordinary variety of this material does not react very well to contact with moisture, therefore it is worth using moisture resistant types, and even better - special gypsum vinyl panels.

Understanding the desire of the buyer for the maximum simplicity and speed of repair, many manufacturers are pasting the already decorated vinyl film. Thanks to this, you can decorate the interior of the room by simply installing panels without additional operations, although no one forbids using more sophisticated methods - for example, with subsequent independent decoration.

As for design variability, here manufacturers exploit the most popular scenarios demanded by the average consumer. So, in great demand gypsum vinyl panels that naturally simulate natural materials - wood or stone. Plain products and sheets decorated with the same type of repeating ornament are also in demand.

Sometimes you don’t need to invent anything new if you can use the old proven method - to cover the walls with waterproof paint. The advantages of this solution are many:

• saving - it is unlikely that you will find at least one cheaper alternative, even if you chose a fairly expensive paint;
• design variability - experiment with colors, dose the color, mix shades, and if you have talent, create real masterpieces on the bathroom wall;
• ease of execution - as a rule, hired workers are not involved in such work; you can also paint the bathroom yourself, and quite quickly.

Firstly, all the charm of such a cladding will be revealed only if the surface of the wall is initially smooth; if not, you will definitely not save time, money or effort. Secondly, the paint is not suitable for any - choosing the cheapest water-dispersion paint, you run the risk of repairing for just a few days.

In order not to be mistaken when choosing a paint, we will consider those options that may be appropriate in a bathroom.

• Acrylic paint good in that it is produced in a variety of colors, and you can experiment with the color scheme. It is suitable for painting all types of surfaces except metal. Moisture for this facing material is not terrible, but it costs relatively cheap.

• Latex paint It is good for its elasticity - it does not crack, even if the walls shrink over time. In addition, this material covers the wall with a sufficiently thick layer, therefore it is able to hide cracks up to 1 mm in size, which means that it is already possible to level the wall not so diligently.

• Silicone paint It is even used for exterior decoration, so its use indoors is all the more advisable. Its advantage is that it is not afraid of not only water, but also serious mechanical stresses, and the only thing that stops an interested buyer is its high cost.

Each consumer must give an answer to this question himself - it all depends on what specific results would be desirable.

So, if you want to carry out repairs as cheaply as possible, you should pay special attention to the paint - here the material is extremely budgetary, and there is no need to attract wage workers.

However, it all depends on the degree of talent of the designer - if you find a remarkable gift for drawing, then no murals will make your bathroom more original than a landscape or a still life made by yourself.

As for durability, according to this criterion, the most advantageous solution is seen natural wood, but with one caveat: although you will not change the main lining, you will have to update the impregnation several times.

Of the alternatives, the most preferable plastic panels, decorative drywall and vinyl wallpaper.

In the next video you will learn how to quickly and originally finish the walls of the bathroom in the rain.