Bathroom finishing - choosing the best variant

How to create a harmonious bathroom interior? What materials are ideal for lining? And what methods of decoration will allow to admire the result for a long time? So, let's get acquainted and remember.
Requirements
Modern construction markets offer a lot of different finishing materials for the walls.
However, for the bathroom, they must meet certain requirements:
- environmental safety
- moisture resistance
- durability
- easy care
- steam effect
- resistant to household chemicals
And of course, that the coating you choose, pleased with its beauty.

Types of finishing materials
Wallpaper
Wallpaper at first glance seems quite unsuitable material for wet rooms. But it all depends on the simple rules that should be followed. You can glue wallpaper directly in the shower, this option of finishing is quite acceptable and very interesting. For this it is better to choose the most dense, heavy wallpaper with a sign of moisture resistance. There are also special wallpaper for the bathroom.
Such include:
- acrylic
- vinyl
- foam
- fiberglass
You can also decorate the walls with collages, graphics or photo wallpaper. Fortunately the color and texture variety allows you to do this. In general, show your imagination.



Surfaces must be covered with a layer of water-repellent varnish. Otherwise, paper materials will quickly fall into disrepair.
If your room is equipped with an enclosed shower, then the wallpaper in this case will last even longer.

Painting the walls
Painting the walls is an easy way to transform the interior. The abundance of color palettes can provide the desired result and provides ample opportunity for experimentation. And all this at a minimum cost and maximum saving of your time.

Before painting, the walls must be smoothed to a perfect smoothness. It is necessary to use a paint that is specially designed for damp rooms. And do not skimp on its quality.
There are two main types: alkyd (solvent-based) and water-based. For the bathroom, the second option is preferable. After all, condensation often forms on the walls. This means that the paint must be able to withstand high humidity and conceal traces of drips. The most important parameters for choosing a particular variety are its consumption per square meter and environmental friendliness. This coating requires virtually no maintenance - you will just need to wash it from time to time with a soapy solution. In addition, paint is the most practical in terms of durability of the material.

Ceramic tiles
Traditionally, the lining of the bathroom is done with ceramic tiles. This method is also considered practical, as ceramic has excellent water resistance. Its durability allows the tile to be used in difficult operating conditions. Hygienicity provides easy care. A large variety of colors and textures makes it possible to create a variety of color variations. Moreover, a damaged tile can easily be replaced with a new one. Because of such advantages, it still has disadvantages. It is an average mechanical strength and difficulty of laying.



If you are going to lay tiles yourself, you should know a few rules. First, be sure to clean the walls from the old coating, remove the remains of dust, grease and dry them well. Secondly, monitor the correctness of the laying, so that the lines of the joints were strictly aligned. Thirdly, to use special adhesive compositions for ceramics and seal the seams with grout with antiseptic additives.

Mosaic
A mosaic can well be an alternative to tile. Due to its wide color palette and variety of textures, it allows you to create an unusual design of the bathroom walls.

This kind of finishing is perfectly combined with decorative plaster or ordinary ceramic tiles. It can also be used as a single decoration as a luxurious mosaic panel.



To create such beauty, manufacturers use ceramics, glass and natural stone. Some produce decorative compositions of glass fragments, while others tile, which only imitates a mosaic. The latter option is much easier to work with. Such a mosaic is obtained by sawing a cage on the ceramic tile. Or the cell itself is applied to a polymeric base. And then the finished canvas of the cell is glued to the walls. The seams of such a pseudomosaic after laying are grouted so that they cannot be distinguished from the real ones.
Gypsum cardboard
Gypsum plasterboard (GPB) is often used to hide communications, align walls and create decorative designs.
It is for damp rooms that gypsum-fiber sheet (GFB) is used.
Such moisture-resistant sheet is impermeable to steam, non-combustible, has good soundproofing and light weight. Sheet installation is carried out on a framework made of profiles, or glued to the walls. After, the walls of GFB can be covered with paint, plaster, ceramic tile - any material you choose for your bathroom.



Wall panels
The walls of wet rooms are also lined with panels. Wooden panels - Is expensive, but a good and environmentally friendly option. Treated with special compounds and varnishes, they have excellent resistance to moisture. Excellent insulation and natural shades will create a cozy atmosphere in the bathroom.

Instead of wooden coatings, you can use colored MDF panels. Such material provides the opportunity to cover it repeatedly with varnish or repaint in any shade. It has a not bad moisture resistance and easy to clean with water. But the coating of the panels is not resistant to mechanical stress. They also do not have high thermal and sound insulation.

More popular for finishing walls use plastic panels. This is not only an economical option, but also a fast alternative to ceramics. It tolerates temperature changes well.

Finishing with plastic
Perhaps plastic panels are one of the most practical options for bathroom walls. The market provides a wide choice of sizes, colors and various photo panels. Install such panels in two ways: glued directly to the walls, or attached to the frame. The second option is used more often, as it is easy to hide the curvature of the walls, as well as hide pipes and other communications.
Before installing the plastic walls are treated with moisture-repellent and antifungal primer.



The framework itself is usually made of metal profiles. Then, they are mounted panels on the principle of "tongue and groove". This connection is tight enough and does not let moisture through.
Like any material, plastic also has its disadvantages. It is combustibility and low strength. Some types of panels have a specific, unpleasant smell.
Plaster
Plaster is perfectly "adopted" in the bathroom. Using different spatulas you can create different color notes of granite, malachite, marble, onyx. Depending on the angle of incidence of light, it changes shades.



To make the beauty play on your walls, before applying plaster, you will have to pay special attention to the preparation of the surface.
If the house is old, the walls are treated with a special washer, putty, and then primed with diluted water-based paint. Then they are dried and only then apply the finish. In any case, the surface must be perfectly flat.



After the decorative plaster is applied and the surface dries, it is usually covered with waxes or impregnations. The paintwork is thereby protected against moisture. Plaster should be washed with a soapy solution. Abrasive sponges and agents are not used for such finishes.
Self-adhesive film
Self-adhesive foil is also used to decorate bathroom walls. This is a fairly, budget-friendly option for finishing. The film has a wide range of colors. The coloring imitates natural materials such as marble and wood, but it looks too simple.



When pasting, it is recommended to close the joints with sealant, this will protect the walls from moisture.
Keep in mind that this material is not durable.

Marble
Of natural materials for the lining of the bathroom, there are several types. For example, marble - fascinatingly beautiful natural stone. It is environmentally safe and durable.



But due to its weight and complex care, it does not often decorate residential interiors. Such finishing is an expensive pleasure.

Wood
Wood is an excellent decoration for wet rooms. Contrary to popular belief, very many species are just suitable for such places. There is a wood that does not need any additional treatment at all. It is absolutely resistant to moisture. And there are products that are impregnated with special compositions and varnishes, after which they become impervious to water. Therefore, they are not inferior to the first ones.
About wood finishing the bathroom read another article.



Metal
Metal is quite common in bathrooms Because of its particular reliability and hygiene. Many people enthusiastically use it in private interiors.

There can be two options for the finish: metal tile or sheet metal. The first comes in completely different shapes, sizes, textures. It is laid in the traditional way. In the second case, under the sheet metal should be a solid substrate, otherwise such a coating is unlikely to last long. It is not necessary to use exclusively stainless steel in the finish. Let's say, plates of patinated copper look great in a bathroom, styled like an antique.


As you have noticed, you can clad wet rooms with a variety of materials. It depends on your budget. These days, they combine everything. They mix styles and combine the incongruous. So it is not necessary to stop your choice only on one material. Observing the proportions and avoiding abundance in the selection of accessories, you will get a perfect bathroom.
Ceramic tiles in my opinion - the most practical option. But I know people told me that in a newly built house is better to finish the whole bathroom with panels, because the house can give shrinkage, and then the tiles will crack.