It may seem that the laminate for the bathroom - it's something from the realm of fantasy. The opinion was established that this material is afraid of water, dampness and use it in a room with a high level of moisture is not advisable. But this is not entirely true, now laminate with special characteristics is an excellent alternative to tile.
Can I put a laminate in the bathroom?
The developers recommend that only certain types of laminated panels be placed in the bathrooms:
- Moisture-proof, based on a particularly dense HDF board, impregnated with wax and antibacterial composition. The material withstands moist air, but the direct action of water on its surface without swelling "tolerates" for 3-6 hours, depending on the density of the substrate. It is recommended for rooms with good ventilation, where tenants behave neatly and the liquid gets to the floor rarely.
- Waterproof laminate for the bathroom, it uses a PVC plate, pressed at high pressure, the surface is covered with a layer of polymer with moisture-repellent properties. Planks are impregnated with hot wax so that the slits between the layers are sealed. This coating is not afraid of flooding, scratches, damages, it does not even leave traces from a hammer blow.
Class of laminate for bathroom
Choosing a waterproof laminate for the bathroom, you should pay attention to the material class 32-33. The quality of this coating is high, in the original form it remains for a long time. The boards of this sort are strong, designed for places with high traffic, the outer layer is resistant to abrasion, thick, designed for long work. Manufacturers give it a guarantee of at least 20 years, and some brands - lifelong (provided that it is mounted in a home). Material class 32-33 allows you not to think about the rules of operation of the coating.
Bathroom Laminate Flooring
Modern designers often suggest using a waterproof laminate for finishing the bathroom, it is used for plating any surfaces - floor, walls, even the ceiling. This is due to the advantages of the material:
- High durability, absence of breaks at impacts.
- Absolute watertightness.
- A wide range of textures, shades, the ability to imitate natural wood.
- Ease of installation.
- Warm, foot-friendly texture.
- Easy to clean, cleanable with detergents.
The lining of the bathroom with laminate is made on a flat area, previously covered with a thin waterproofing film. The material creates an additional noise-absorbing and heat-insulating layer. Locks on it are impregnated with a thick layer of waterproof putty, which provides a hermetic docking of the plates and prevents moisture from entering the structure after installation. As for the appearance of the coating, in addition to lamellas of all shades of wood, there is a laminate for the bathroom, imitating:
- natural parquet;
- natural stone;
- skin;
- tiles;
- marble and granite;
- metal.
Laminate on the wall in the bathroom
Water-repellent laminate on the wall in the bathroom is more difficult to fix than on the floor. Its fixation is carried out on the crate, which is pre-packed in parallel in advance on the surfaces. Each lamella is glued to the frame with glue and additionally fixed to the bar with small studs or a stapler in the lock stud. The best way to level the walls under the lining with laminated dies is to mount the gypsum board on the frame. Then each lamella will ideally lie on a flat sheet. Possible types of decoration - horizontal, vertical, diagonal, combined.
Laminate flooring in the bathroom
Finishing the bathroom with laminate is made on flat surfaces. This is necessary for high-quality laying of the material. The floor is leveled beforehand by the screed, then the waterproofing of foamed PVC or polystyrene is laid all over the surface. Planks on the floor are fixed with each other due to the locking mechanism. In addition to linear styling, it is possible to perform figurative in the form of stairs, fir-trees, squares, other elements. Diagonal and combined placement of drawings requires pre-marking.
Ceiling in the bathroom of laminate
To fix a water-repellent laminate for a bathroom it is possible and on a ceiling. After using such laths in decoration, the room will find solidity, because the product that imitates natural wood or stone looks more expensive than plastic. At the same time, the thermal protection and sound insulation of the room improve, the even surface of the material perfectly reflects the light, improving the illumination of the bathroom.
Collecting individual lamellas on the ceiling is easy - thanks to the locking system that connects the dies with each other, and the ability to fasten them with a stapler or kleimer. In order to fix the panels, do not need a bulky frame. It is necessary to make a crate and mount lamellas on it, while the volume of the room decreases minimally. If you build a frame, then in the ceiling area, you can hide all engineering and electrical communications, in the design it is easy to fix the required number of fixtures.
Which laminate to choose for a bathroom?
On the question whether it is possible to put a laminate in the bathroom answer - yes, but for this it is better to purchase a waterproof material. It is produced on the basis of:
- wood chipboard panels with reinforced resin impregnation;
- on a plastic base;
- on a vinyl base.
The first type of coating is cheaper, but it absorbs moisture during prolonged flooding, swells under the influence of liquid, deforms, is rotting. Therefore it is better to use a new generation coating - waterproof laminate for a bathroom on plastic or vinyl basis, it is absolutely non-hygroscopic, not afraid of fungus , environmentally safe.
Vinyl laminate in the bathroom
Innovative vinyl laminate for the bathroom is a practical solution. It is made of polyvinyl chloride, does not undergo deformation when the temperature rises, does not absorb odors, is completely water resistant. The material consists of 4 layers: the first protects from scratches and bumps, the second - contains a decorative pattern, the bottom two - provide elasticity and strength. Cover slightly bends, has a large reserve of fortress. The material is available in the form of boards, tiles, in rolls, there are varieties of lamellas with a self-adhesive base.
PVC laminate for the bathroom
Plastic laminate for the bathroom - completely artificial coating based on cellular PVC, it is absolutely not afraid of water and does not deform from humidity, is not exposed to microorganisms. The air chambers inside the plate provide increased strength, sound and heat insulation of the material. Surface dies visually indistinguishable from traditional. It is a decorative layer for wood, stone, tiles with a protective layer of lamination, which preserves the pattern from abrasion.