Are Bathroom Wall Panels Durable?
Are Bathroom Wall Panels Durable?
Are Bathroom Wall Panels Durable? Are Shower Panels strong enough? Are PVC Wall Panels child proof?
These are all questions I have fielded a lot over the years and the simple answer is yes – wall panels are durable, they are more than robust enough for family life. Some panels are better suited to certain use cases however. I’ll go through all the key details in the guide below…
How Durable are 5mm Bathroom Wall Panels?
5mm Wall Panels were the staple of the industry and many early adopters only know the 5mm panel. Panels have come on a long way but 5mm panels still have their place.
Strength
Better suited to ceilings as they lack the strength for walls, certainly in high traffic areas.
Dimensions
250mm is the max width but they are available in longer lengths.
Should I request a Sample?
Yes. You will get a good idea of how strong a 5mm is but I would advise to check colour. A 5mm can often look translucent so a white can look Grey.
Cost
5mm are the most affordable of all the panels.
How Durable are 8mm Bathroom Wall Panels?
8mm Wall Panels are the most common depth of the 250mm width panels and now have the widest range of decors.
Strength
Generally stronger than a 5mm and can be used in most settings. I would still recommend a 10mm for the shower area though.
Dimensions
250mm is the max width but you can get them in 3M lengths
Should I request a Sample?
Yes. There is a broad variation with regards how rigid a 8mm panel can be…you need a sample to determine if this will match your needs.
Cost
8mm cost can vary. The basic white panels are priced competitively whereas the more decorative patterns are priced higher.
How Durable are 10mm Shower Panels?
Shower Panels are the most popular panel and that popularity has a lot to do with how robust and how versatile they are.
Strength
Very strong and can be used in any room setting. You wouldnt use a 10mm shower panel on the ceiling and that is because of their weight.
Dimensions
1 Metre wide and 2.4 Metres long is the default but there are suppliers who offer 250mm models.
Should I request a Sample?
Yes but more so for a decor / pattern match than to check how robust they are. Very strong panel.
Cost
10mm Shower Panels are more expensive than 250mm width panel sbut are still incredibly affordable compared to tiles.
A PVC Panel for every Room
What is the recommended panel for a ceiling?
When choosing a panel for your ceiling, you dont require strength as there is little risk of impact. Focus on 8mm and 5mm panels in 250mm widths as you dont want a heavy panel.
5mm Panels
Ideal for a ceiling as they are low weight and should be low cost plus have extended length options. The only cautionary note is order a sample and check the depth of colour…5mm whites can sometimes look grey.
8mm Panels
Again, ideal for a ceiling due to their low weight making them easy to fit. 8mm panels are more popular now mainly due to the industry moving to 8mm over 5mm. Order a sample and check for colour, depth of colour is not typically an issue with 8mm.
Grooved Panels
Available in 6mm and 8mm. Very popular and a traditional panel ceiling. The panel will have a groove in the centre and this can be white or chrome effect.
What is the Recommended Panel for a Shower Area?
My default recommendation for a shower area is the Shower Panel. This dedicated panel is built tough for a reason – no issues whatsoever regarding durability with a shower panel.
When you compare a PVC Panel with a tile, the panel is softer whereas the tile is tough but brittle. The Shower Panel does not have that issue and is robust enough for any room in the house, especially the shower.
Not all Shower Panels are Equal!
Shower panels are the toughest PVC panel in the market today but some are stronger than others.
Even with this slight variation in strength and rigidity a shower panel is still more robust than any other panel but I would ALWAYS recommend ordering samples first.
What is the recommended panel for a bathroom?
The bathroom is the room where your design takes priority over choice of panel. Any panel will be strong enough for a bathroom environment but that will depend on volume of activity and potential of impact to the wall.
I would recommend looking at 7mm, 8mm and 10mm options. Choose 7mm or 8mm if the walls you plan to cover will see limited activity, go 10mm if there is a chance of impact and/or a lot of footfall.
The European manufacturers such as Vox and Duma traditionally have the better more contemporary designs but are not typically as robust as the panels manufactured in China.
Always Order a Sample
This is my stock advice when planning a bathroom using wall panels. You need a sample to check colour/pattern but you can also get a good idea hiow tough the panel is and whether it will match the needs of your bathroom.
What is the Recommended Panel for a Kitchen?
This is similar to the bathroom in that technically speaking you can use any panel in the kitchen BUT your choice really does depend on volume of traffic/activity and potential of impact to a wall.
If you have a busy kitchen and you have children I would recommend shower panels as they can withstand knocks better than any other panel.
Using PVC Panels as a Splashback
PVC Wall Panels make a great and affordable splashback for your kitchen, if you expect the area could be busy go with shower panels but generally speaking 8mm panels work fine. Do not fit behind the hob however as they are not heat resistant.
Panels have become very popular in kitchens as they are arguably the easiest wall covering to clean.
What Tools & Accessories are required to fit PVC Wall Panels?
Glen Coulson
Glen is one of our expert bloggers in bathroom design, cladding and all things DIY. If he isn’t fitting PVC panels, he’s talking or writing about PVC Panels and really should get out more.
Read his posts for the latest coverage of style trends and easy to follow guides.