Suggestions for alternative surfaces in bathrooms. Grateful for tips and ideas!
Soon it will be the bathroom's turn in our renovation. But right now it seems extremely difficult to find cheap and good surface coverings for the walls!?! If you don't want tiles, or tile-imitating panels, (which seem to be the most common options,) what's left?
What rules apply when you want to paint on the wall in wet rooms? I've seen several people who have white-painted wood paneling on the walls in their bathrooms, but how do you make that work with waterproofing and safe water and all that? Is there anyone who can recommend some nice wet room wallpapers?
Grateful for all answers and tips!
What rules apply when you want to paint on the wall in wet rooms? I've seen several people who have white-painted wood paneling on the walls in their bathrooms, but how do you make that work with waterproofing and safe water and all that? Is there anyone who can recommend some nice wet room wallpapers?
Grateful for all answers and tips!
What is available are waterproof floor coverings approved according to GVK; just visit a well-stocked retailer to browse the binders and see what's available.
When it comes to painted surfaces, the industry rules are MVK, but painted wood paneling is not approved.
Then there is always the option to ignore industry rules; they are not laws. You can build however you like, but any damage may then be adjusted or possibly completely denied by your insurance company.
When it comes to painted surfaces, the industry rules are MVK, but painted wood paneling is not approved.
Then there is always the option to ignore industry rules; they are not laws. You can build however you like, but any damage may then be adjusted or possibly completely denied by your insurance company.
I think there is a good äntligen hemma program that installed paneling in a wet area, they had some kind of moisture barrier behind it. The wood itself has no problem being in wet spaces, otherwise how would it work with wooden boats, etc.
Painted system is absolutely the cheapest. In this thread I have some pictures of gray-painted vinyl flooring and white-painted wet room wallpaper. It can give an idea of how it might look.
In many ways, vinyl+painted is a better solution than tile. It is cheaper, probably easier to do yourself, doesn't feel cold to walk on without underfloor heating, and I would think it's considerably easier to repair damage and make modifications (if you want to move a door, for example). If you tire of the color, you should be able to repaint with a few more coats of covering paint.
In many ways, vinyl+painted is a better solution than tile. It is cheaper, probably easier to do yourself, doesn't feel cold to walk on without underfloor heating, and I would think it's considerably easier to repair damage and make modifications (if you want to move a door, for example). If you tire of the color, you should be able to repaint with a few more coats of covering paint.
Sir Anton: Yep, now sitting blissfully and blushing in front of the keyboard. "The wood itself has no problem being in wet areas, how else would it work with wooden boats, etc."
pelpet: Thanks for the great tips! Our bathroom is completely new and therefore has no waterproofing or surface layers yet. If I had an old plastic mat, I would definitely have painted, it turned out really nice!
pelpet: Thanks for the great tips! Our bathroom is completely new and therefore has no waterproofing or surface layers yet. If I had an old plastic mat, I would definitely have painted, it turned out really nice!
Last edited:
You will probably get almost the exact same look if you choose a gray plastic mat on the floor and a painted system with white on the walls. Or you can choose a slightly creative color scheme when you paint. Feature wall? Highlighting different functions? Some fun silhouettes on the wall?
You can come up with lots of fun things, if you want to. The important thing is to find out why it is so important with tätskikt, so you understand the "physics" and the natural laws behind it all. Then you can think about how to solve both tätskikt and ytskikt.
I have myself installed a nåtat teak floor in our bathroom, it is not approved according to any industry standard, but guaranteed tighter than all other alternatives. Maybe I should start my own industry standard
And as already mentioned, you can also put wood on the walls, I usually compare it to wood paneling on houses, it works, right? The whole thing is that it's not the material of the ytskikt and moisture resistance itself that is the big deal, but the tätskikt, which prevents warm moisture from the bathroom from finding its way into colder parts of the house's construction where the warm moisture can condense, turn into water, and cause mold.
I have myself installed a nåtat teak floor in our bathroom, it is not approved according to any industry standard, but guaranteed tighter than all other alternatives. Maybe I should start my own industry standard
And as already mentioned, you can also put wood on the walls, I usually compare it to wood paneling on houses, it works, right?
The whole thing is that it's not the material of the ytskikt and moisture resistance itself that is the big deal, but the tätskikt, which prevents warm moisture from the bathroom from finding its way into colder parts of the house's construction where the warm moisture can condense, turn into water, and cause mold.
Cedar is also a good wood for bathrooms, larch and teak work well too, as well as some other "hardwoods," but they are often more expensive. Painted panels work fine, but not where they are exposed to moisture. There are also cheap painted MDF panels, but they are likely more sensitive to moisture and may easily develop micro-cracks in the paint, I would think.
Regarding painting, it's quite simple. First, put up wet room fabric. It functions just like regular fiberglass mesh for walls and comes in both patterned and smooth varieties. It is glued up with wet room adhesive. Then apply a wet room primer and then a wet room paint that you can get in any color you want.
Regarding painting, it's quite simple. First, put up wet room fabric. It functions just like regular fiberglass mesh for walls and comes in both patterned and smooth varieties. It is glued up with wet room adhesive. Then apply a wet room primer and then a wet room paint that you can get in any color you want.