PVC bathroom panels

johngti

Anyone used those big PVC panels in their bathroom? Thinking of a summer project, tiles are a pain and since it’s an old house, no cavity wall and a tendency for mildew to go mad on the grout is making them an attractive idea. If they’re any good

oxoman

Depends on the type, cheap white pvc similar to eaves and guttering facias looks really yuk. Some of the dearer patterned and textured type ones are very good. Both easier to clean but still susceptible to condensation and mould. As someone who lives in an old house I've found the only way to stop it is to have really good ventilation. We have a timed extractor fan in our bathroom and the top window is always open on first latch, seems to work for us and we have big tiles.

johngti

Thinking about the more decorative stuff so decent quality. There’s also a cost/time side to the decision in that I reckon I can get the job done in a few days (old tiles off two walls, stick some of that marmox board mentioned on a different thread up on the two exterior walls then clad rather than retile). Did the plumbing a few years ago so that will still be fine. The board will partly be to make the walls a bit more plumb and partly for the insulation properties of it.

pangolin

johngti said:

Thinking about the more decorative stuff so decent quality. There’s also a cost/time side to the decision in that I reckon I can get the job done in a few days (old tiles off two walls, stick some of that marmox board mentioned on a different thread up on the two exterior walls then clad rather than retile). Did the plumbing a few years ago so that will still be fine. The board will partly be to make the walls a bit more plumb and partly for the insulation properties of it.

Double your time estimate

johngti

pangolin said:

johngti said:

Thinking about the more decorative stuff so decent quality. There’s also a cost/time side to the decision in that I reckon I can get the job done in a few days (old tiles off two walls, stick some of that marmox board mentioned on a different thread up on the two exterior walls then clad rather than retile). Did the plumbing a few years ago so that will still be fine. The board will partly be to make the walls a bit more plumb and partly for the insulation properties of it.

Double your time estimate

We’ve obviously met!! 🤣🤣

lesfirth

I used them in the customers toilet at the garage I owned. I was only there last week admireing my handy work . They still look smart and I sold the place 20 years ago.
They were sort of marble colour and came from B &Q. Fitting them was as quick as wallpapering.

capt_slog

I've fitted something like to my bathroom ceiling, they look like tongue and groove, and that's how they join together at the edges of the 300mm panels. I put them in because I wanted to have recessed, LED downlights, but didn't want the faff of having to take up the loft boards and all the problems that would entail.

I fixed onto wooden battens, and used those chrome domed screw covers.

I think they look good, and so does Mrs Slog, and that's job done.

I'm guessing that the wall ones would need to be a bit more substantial than the stuff I used, but it went up really quickly.

johngti

Excellent. Thanks all, think my mind is made up

thistle_

capt_slog said:

I've fitted something like to my bathroom ceiling, they look like tongue and groove, and that's how they join together at the edges of the 300mm panels.

The guy that did my bathroom did this and it looks better than it sounds.

I thought about getting the panels for my bathroom but I couldn't find any that I liked the look of so stuck with tiles.
My parents had them around the bath/shower and the ones they lasted until they moved (approx. 20 years). After 15 years there was some yellowing starting around the joints where presumably water was starting to get in and was getting trapped but you didn't notice unless you looked hard. They always called them "Panelite" but I don't know if that's a brand or some builder's term for them.
I think you can get different thicknesses, and some are more squishy than others. My parents had the hard, rigid panels which is probably the right choice with kids.

A lot of companies will send you small samples of panel for free.

johngti

We’ve got white pvc on our conservatory ceiling and it looks pretty nice if I’m honest. Maybe I’ll think about doing similarly for the bathroom while I’m at it. When I last did any work in there about 10 years ago, the ceiling was artex so I just put a smoothing filler on. It’s lasted well but does look a bit pants still, if you were to look

rjsterry

johngti said:

We’ve got white pvc on our conservatory ceiling and it looks pretty nice if I’m honest. Maybe I’ll think about doing similarly for the bathroom while I’m at it. When I last did any work in there about 10 years ago, the ceiling was artex so I just put a smoothing filler on. It’s lasted well but does look a bit pants still, if you were to look

Don't conservatories have, err, glass for the ceiling? 🤔

capt_slog

thistle_ said:

capt_slog said:

I've fitted something like to my bathroom ceiling, they look like tongue and groove, and that's how they join together at the edges of the 300mm panels.

The guy that did my bathroom did this and it looks better than it sounds.

I thought about getting the panels for my bathroom but I couldn't find any that I liked the look of so stuck with tiles.
My parents had them around the bath/shower and the ones they lasted until they moved (approx. 20 years). After 15 years there was some yellowing starting around the joints where presumably water was starting to get in and was getting trapped but you didn't notice unless you looked hard. They always called them "Panelite" but I don't know if that's a brand or some builder's term for them.
I think you can get different thicknesses, and some are more squishy than others. My parents had the hard, rigid panels which is probably the right choice with kids.

A lot of companies will send you small samples of panel for free.

The ones i used are mostly air, being hollow, a bit like corrugated cardboard in section. Because of that, they were very light and so stay up easily. I just measured an off-cut, it's around 8mm thick. Called 'Hollow Soffit'.

They were also cheap, I think I paid £9 for 300mm wide, and I think it was 3m long, (but could have been 5m because I remember i cut it at the shop and I can usually fit 3m in the car )

johngti

rjsterry said:

johngti said:

We’ve got white pvc on our conservatory ceiling and it looks pretty nice if I’m honest. Maybe I’ll think about doing similarly for the bathroom while I’m at it. When I last did any work in there about 10 years ago, the ceiling was artex so I just put a smoothing filler on. It’s lasted well but does look a bit pants still, if you were to look

Don't conservatories have, err, glass for the ceiling? 🤔

Not ours. Had the roof replaced with a properly insulated lightweight thing. It’s made the world of difference