Home Improvement Blog

There is no reason why you should not introduce the same decorating flair to your bathroom as you may do the rest of the house. Everything you use, however, must be resistant to damp and moisture; since many modern materials incorporate this quality, you will have a wide choice.

Before you start decorating make sure all your bathroom walls are free from damp penetration, otherwise you may ruin your new coverings, even though you may cover the damp for a while. If you choose to paint most of this area, be sure you use a good quality vinyl matt or silk emulsion. Gloss paint is impervious to moisture but shows up every bead of consideration in a room that is subject to considerable changes in temperature.

Ceramic or vinyl tiles
Area around the basin, bath and shower need extra protection and ceramic or vinyl tiles here are ideal. They have waterproof, easy to clean, hard-wearing and come in enormous range of styles, quality, sizes and price. If you can afford it, and your walls are strong enough, tile the whole room, except for the ceiling, since this can provide a potential hazard if these heavy tiles ever fall off. Plain tiles are cheaper and also give you more freedom to change your scheme than other more sophisticated patterns. You can make them look less clinical by choosing different shapes than the usual square, such as rectangles or tiny mosaics.

If you do not want to cover the paint or wallpaper with tiles in the ’splash’ areas (such as round basins or baths), protect these parts with a glass or perspex panel. If you do, remember to round off the edges to avoid the possibility of getting cut. Small metal tiles, often with their own self-adhesive backing, are available and do the same job as ceramicones.
Warning Before fixing any tiles, make sure your wall is clean and dry and free from flaking paint or plaster, old tiles make an excellent base as long as they are sound and securely fixed.

Wallpaper
Many modern wallpapers are suitable for the bathroom, but always choose one with a vinyl or washable coating. If you are uncertain about the paper you have bought, and if the room is particularly small and steamy, give the paper a protective coat of a special sealer or varnish to make it moisture resistant and easy to clean. Hang it with a heavy-duty waterproof adhesive containing a fungicidal ingredient to prevent mould forming underneath.

One range of wallpaper has a raised design which looks like ceramic tiling but costs much less. You can scrub it and, because it is soft and warm to the touch, it is less subject to condensation than ceramic tiles, even in heavy wear areas such as showers.

Wood panels
Wood cladding or panelling is expensive but very warm looking. It is suitable for bathrooms if you seal it with several coats of polyurethane lacquer to keep out moisture. This type of covering is fixed either directly to the wall or on timber battens and has the added advantage of enabling you to hide unsightly pipes and plumbing. You can lower a high ceiling by fixing tongued and grooved cladding horizontally.

Mirror glass
Huge pieces of mirror glass will give a luxury look to any bathroom and visually increase the size of the smallest room. But make sure the edges are sealed to prevent moisture damaging the silvering and giving a mottled effect.

Cork tiles
These are a good insulator in a chilly bathroom and a pleasantly warm to touch although fairly expensive. They come in a variety of shades and textures and must be sealed.

Laminated panels
If your walls in poor condition you can install specially made moulded panels faced with laminate which give a smooth, hardwearing continous surface. Before committing yourself to this type of covering, check whether there is enough room to manoeuvre the panels through the door.

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