Renovating a home is, firstly, a rather time-consuming task, and secondly, it is not cheap. Sometimes the repair is not done in the whole apartment, but in parts. And at some point, the queue reaches the bathroom. This is a specific room. We rush here in the morning to wash or take a shower. We return here before going to bed. And in order for this small room to create a good mood, you need to think carefully about its design and how the wall decoration in the bathroom will be done.
If necessary, it is also necessary to change plumbing or organize new lighting. But that is already in another article. Now let’s talk about the issue of wall decoration.
Today, there are many more types of wall coverings. Among them, it is necessary to choose a moisture-resistant and hygienic material.
Ways of finishing the walls in the bathroom
The following finishing materials for the bathroom are distinguished:
- tile;
- plastic wall panels;
- wooden lining;
- plaster;
- plasterboard;
- natural stone;
- wallpaper.
Ceramic tile
A classic finish that meets the conditions of the bathroom – a tile that will never go out of fashion. Designers constantly come up with new and new types of its texture, color and form factor as a whole. Ceramic tile styles are varied. For the bathroom, they are not limited to marine themes. The tile can be in a classic design, and with pseudo-children’s drawings, and with an imitation of wood, stone, and with an ethnic ornament.
Ceramic tiles have many advantages for use in the bathroom. It is moisture-resistant, durable, hygienic, easy to care for. Of the minuses, only its installation can be singled out – perfectly level walls are required, so the repair begins with leveling the surface. Also, the process of laying tiles is quite time-consuming, which requires special skills so that it lasts a long time, and does not fall off after a week.
Wall panels
An alternative finishing option, no less hygienic and resistant to moisture, is plastic wall panels. They can be called a budget option. Of course, hardboard with a moisture-proof coating will be even cheaper, but any scratch will cause this material to swell at the slightest ingress of water.
Wall panels are less resistant to mechanical damage than tiles, but at the same time they are easy to install, which can be done by yourself, so finishing the walls in the bathroom with this material will be much cheaper.
When choosing and installing plastic panels, the dimensions of the bathroom should be taken into account. By varying their color and direction of location, you can visually reduce or enlarge the room. For example, a vertical arrangement will visually raise the ceiling.
Wooden lining
A more expensive type of finish is wooden lining. At the same time, it should be remembered that it can “eat up” a large amount of space in small bathrooms, and not every type of wood will react well to high humidity. As an option, larch, which does not rot by its nature, is suitable. But the bathroom, decorated with plastic or wooden wall panels, becomes very original.
Decorative plaster
Plaster cannot be included in the classic design of bathroom walls either. It refers to a decorative type of material. It will remind someone of “Venetian”, but in practice the choice of types of plaster is very large. Textured plasters of modern production, as well as technologies for applying them to the wall, help to obtain an unusual surface relief.
What is the option with the funny name “bark beetle” worth? Such plaster is simply applied to asbestos cement, plasterboard or concrete, etc. It is a moisture-resistant coating option, which is characterized by the fact that it forms a rather beautiful relief pattern. This texture is similar to a tree eaten by bark beetles. Any color can be added to such plaster, which expands the scope of the implementation of the idea. In addition, walls covered with “barkwood” are easily washed, vacuumed and cleaned with a brush. This material is resistant to damage and relatively inexpensive.
Drywall
Plasterboard is increasingly being used to decorate the walls of bathrooms. This material is easy to install, and it has excellent soundproofing properties. This is what is usually lacking in bathrooms. In addition, it is able to regulate the microclimate.
However, keep in mind that you need to use only plasterboard with a moisture-resistant coating, since the usual option will quickly dehydrate and begin to crumble. But even in this case, a combination of finishing materials in the bathroom is recommended, that is, the main walls are made of plasterboard, and the areas around the bathroom, shower, sink with more moisture-resistant tiles or wall panels.
Paint
Painting the walls in the bathroom can be an acceptable solution. It is easy, and in case of damage to the decoration (for example, if the child decided to paint the walls), it can be easily restored by painting everything again. Cheap and angry!
Water-dispersed or latex-based paint is used in the bathroom. In order for the appearance of the walls to be perfect, it is important to provide them with an absolutely flat surface. It will require some effort if leveled only with plaster. Or you can go the simple way and finish the walls in the bathroom first with plasterboard, and only then paint it.
Natural stone
For those who are not limited in finances, natural stone can be recommended as a finishing material for bathroom walls. It is durable, waterproof, but at the same time it is expensive and requires careful maintenance.
Wallpaper
No matter how strange it sounds, wallpaper can also be used to decorate the walls in the bathroom. It is only necessary to choose moisture-resistant ones, this will be evidenced by the corresponding sign on the package in the form of a triple wave. Similar options are available among vinyl or acrylic types of wallpaper.
The advantage of such a solution will be the ability to choose the most diverse design, the disadvantage is the complexity of processing. It will be necessary to provide sufficient protection against moisture and steam – use a moisture-resistant primer for walls and moisture-resistant products for pasting wallpaper. But even in this case, splashes of water should be avoided, as if they hit the joints between the canvases, the service life of the treatment can be significantly shortened.
If you choose wallpaper, then only in the bathroom, where a closed shower cabin is installed.
The design of bathroom walls can be very different. The options are endless. In addition to the aesthetic factor, you will also have to think about the repair from the point of view of convenience and comfort.