Choose bathroom finishes
The bathroom is a strategic object in our home, and it is necessary to approach its repair with all responsibility. The decoration of the bathroom in its diversity can exceed those options that can be applied in any other room.
When choosing building materials, it is only important to remember that this is a room with high humidity. Moreover, its coefficient is higher, the smaller the area of the bathroom.
This refers to either a separate bathroom or combined with a toilet. We will talk about the intricacies of finishing these rooms and try to help you with the selection of a suitable interior.
The content of the article
Selection trends
In typical high-rise buildings, the size of such a room rarely exceeds six square meters, plus poor ventilation and a high probability of flooding. Therefore, in a small bathroom, the choice of materials is not as wide as in a spacious bathroom with a window, which is done in private houses, mansions and luxury apartments.
Finishing options for a small bathroom are no longer based on a variety of materials as such, but on a huge range of textures and colors.
Floors
It will not be amiss to say that when starting repairs, it is necessary to replace all the taps and pipes, even if they are not flowing yet.As for the floor, here, first of all, you need to exclude leakage of water from you to the neighbors below.
Failure of the faucet or poor-quality pipe connection under the bathtub - at least once happens in everyone.
So:
- The floor must be airtight, and only a cement screed can provide it with this property, on top of which tiles are laid. In order for the screed to be of high quality, a waterproofing layer must first be made.
- After removing the old coating, and cleaning the floor to the floor slab, a primer is applied to its surface. Then the waterproofing mixture is applied by roller to the floor, capturing 10-15 cm of the walls.
Corner joints are closed with an insulating tape. - The instructions on the packaging with the waterproofing mixture will inform you in what ratio it is diluted, and how long it takes for each layer to dry. With the help of a level, markup is carried out and beacons are installed.
- In previous years, the screed was made of cement-sand mortar, its low price contributed to this. But it is difficult to perfectly level the floor with such a solution.
In addition, the ratio of the components was not always correct. - With the advent of special self-leveling compounds, this process has been greatly simplified. These mixtures are also sold in dry form, in bags of 25 kg.
With the help of a construction mixer, a certain amount of dry composition and water are mixed in a container and evenly spread on the floor. - Such a screed hardens quickly and, subject to the recommendations of the manufacturer, cracks never form on it. It is possible to level the floor in this way not only in the bathroom, but also in any other room.
If you want to know all the nuances of this work and do it yourself, watch the video.
- Only after a full set of strength screeds, you can proceed to further finishing. Nothing is better than ceramic tiles, for the floor in the bathrooms have not yet been invented.
The dimensions and thickness of the floor tiles are slightly larger than those for wall tiles. - Even if your walls will be decorated with any other material, you still need to put tiles on the floor. To do this when you have a perfectly even screed is not difficult.
Tile glue and grout for joints are purchased immediately when purchasing tiles. - Of course, there are options for slabs made of natural stone: travertine, onyx, marble - but this is a rather rare phenomenon, and it is not affordable for anyone. They use such floor tiles when the entire bathroom is decorated in this style.
In the photo below, even the countertop of the washbasin is made of natural stone.
- There is another design option, about which little is known in our country. This novelty is a rubber tile with a stainless steel topcoat.
Its surface may be similar in appearance to aluminum ceiling rails - matte, glossy, bronze, etc. - But ceramic tile is a classic in the decoration of bathrooms, it is much cheaper than marble and other frills, and has an unimaginably huge assortment. Manufacturers produce it in certain series, which can be combined for the decoration of both the floor and walls in the same color scheme.
- The floor can be fully or partially laid out of mosaic tiles - ceramic or glass. If the area of the room allows, the mosaic is combined with ordinary tile in the form of a panel.
These are just the nuances of the design, and perform such decor on the floor also in combination with the walls.
Walls
With good natural ventilation of the bathroom, the possibilities of decor are expanded. Options for finishing the bathroom with drywall, washable wallpaper, natural wood become quite appropriate.
A spacious room can be zoned using a combination of several types of materials in the wall cladding in the bathroom. On which way of decorating the walls you choose, it will depend on whether you need to align them.
Plastic
Polymer materials: plastic panels and PVC lining, these are the most low-cost options - finishing the bathroom with plastic will be the cheapest. And this is the only way in which you do not need to align the walls, because the panels are mounted on a frame - wooden or metal.
So:
- Of course, the choice of colors of plastic panels is not as great as that of ceramic tiles, but the work on their installation is not so time-consuming. Sheathing walls with plastic can be five times faster than laying tiles.
- Plastic is easy to clean, durable, not afraid of damp. If the frame is wooden, the bars can simply be coated with an antiseptic before hanging the panels.
If plastic is chosen for the walls, then the ceiling in this case is also sheathed with plastic panels, only in a lighter shade.
- A plastic sheathed bathroom can look quite respectable if you take panels decorated with silver thread or a gold border, correctly select plumbing, fixtures and accessories for them. The picture above is a great example of such an interior.
Ceramics
In fairness, it should be noted that ceramic tiles are the most popular material for creating a bathroom interior, despite the complexity. The options for finishing the bathroom with tiles are so extensive that they allow you to create a unique design.
- Of course, tile must be laid on a flat surface. Alignment of the walls can be done in the classic way - plaster mortar.
Experienced craftsmen lay the tiles immediately on the cement mortar, while simultaneously aligning the walls. - You can go another way - to mount cement slabs on the wall, which will serve as the basis for tiles or mosaics. The standard size of such a slab is 1.5 * 0.9 m, 12 mm thick.
They are easy to cut and perfectly smooth out all irregularities. - Mount the cement slabs on the frame, and fasten with screws in increments of 20 cm. The joints between them are plastered and glued with fiberglass tape.
It turns out a waterproof compound.
- Having a perfectly flat base, the tile is laid on a special mastic or glue. To apply the adhesive composition, use a notched trowel, this improves the setting of the mastic and the fixation of the tile on the wall.
It is only necessary when buying glue to pay attention that it is intended to work with a vertical surface. - When choosing wall tiles, the consultant will always be able to tell you how to combine it with floor tiles; what decorative elements can be used in one or another set; how to combine smooth tiles with mosaic.
There is a material that looks like ceramic tiles. It is called an agglomerate.
Thin, and more durable tiles are much easier to install and operate.. They have a glossy surface and a large selection of colors.
But because of the higher price, widespread use in our country, this material is not found.
Combined wall decoration
Combining materials completely different in structure and colors, the easiest way is to create an interior that is not like any other - you just need to include your imagination. And of course, you need to thoroughly prepare the surface of the walls for decoration.
- We all know that there are many types of wallpapers that are not afraid of moisture. This is non-woven, and acrylic wallpaper, and fiberglass.
On waterproof wallpapers is an icon depicting three waves. - But wallpaper itself is one thing, quite another thing is their connection with the wall surface. Sealed it can not be called.
Therefore, in rooms with a high coefficient of humidity, which include standard bathrooms, it is better not to use them.
- But in spacious rooms with natural ventilation, with their help you can create an unusual design. Most often, wallpapers are used in various combinations with the same ceramic tiles or plastic.
In any case, in the area where the washbasins and the bathtub are located.
- In the same way, ceramic tiles are combined with wood. You can, of course, complete the wall cladding entirely of wood, but do not forget that this natural material is prone to decay.
- An antiseptic can not completely protect a tree from constant humidity. Therefore, the best option is one in which part of the wall, which regularly gets hot water, will be tiled.
- In design projects, the interior of the bathroom can be made in a certain style and look no worse than the living room. Interesting combinations of finishing materials, beautiful mirrors, panels, curtains and even chandeliers - all this makes up a single image and makes an indelible impression.
The ceilings
Thinking about the design options for the bathroom, do not forget about the ceiling. It should be practical, and organically fit into the overall interior.
The options for finishing the ceiling in the bathroom are very numerous:
- The most inexpensive of them will be pasting the surface with ceiling tiles. This option for finishing the bathroom is most often used where there is a very small height of the room.
A large selection of tile textures allows you to choose it for any interior. Glue it on a flat surface. - It is much easier to make a suspended ceiling that does not need to be leveled.. A plastic ceiling goes well with walls of any material: even tiles, even wood, even wallpaper.
- In a well-ventilated, and fairly large area room, it is quite possible to perform a plasterboard ceiling. Simply, in this case, moisture-resistant cardboard GKLV is used.
- Finishing decoration of the plasterboard ceiling in the bathroom is made by painting its surface with latex or silicate water-based paint of any color.
- You can also paint the aligned base surface of the ceiling, but it is very time consuming. In addition, these types of paints can be applied to the plaster surface only a month after the leveling layer has completely dried, and this will delay the repair time.
- A great option for the bathroom would be a stretch ceiling. Such a design can beat any geometrically irregular shape of the room, allows you to integrate spotlights and make interesting lighting.
- The stretch fabric is not afraid of moisture. In case of flooding from above, water will simply collect in the interior of the ceiling.
Only you can’t merge it without the help of specialists, and this is its minus. If you don’t have neighbors from above, this design will be a wonderful choice. - The most versatile option for decorating ceilings in bathrooms is suspended aluminum construction. It can be a rack or cassette ceiling - it all depends on the configuration of the module.
Aluminum ceilings
- This option, as they say, for centuries. Aluminum is not afraid of corrosion, elevated temperatures, condensate.
The surface of the modules can be of almost any color and texture. They are sold complete with frame parts, it is easy to mount it, guided by the attached assembly diagram.
Determine the order of work: floor, walls, ceiling - you need to logically. First, the most time-consuming and dirty work is done.
These include leveling surfaces, painting and laying ceramic tiles. The bottom line is not to spoil another while doing one job.
The last floor tile is laid. If you did everything right, the result will certainly please you, because the bathroom is such a place where a person needs positive emotions.
