Kitchen Wall Panels
Kitchen Wall Panels
PVC Wall Panels have been a staple in the bathroom for over twenty years and due to their simplicity, ease of installation and low cost have found their way into every room in the house. One of the more popular applications is to use PVC Wall Panels in the kitchen.
Their intial popularity was for a low cost kitchen splashback but homeowners quickly realised that this was a wall covering built for family life. We will explain why kitchen wall panels are now so popular, which panels to consider, how to buy, where to buy and how to fit kitchen wall panels.
PVC Wall Panels for the Kitchen
Can you use PVC Wall Panels in the kitchen? Its a resounding yes, wall panels have become increasingly popular in the kitchen due to their suitability for handling water, humidity and family traffic.
A big part of the recent boost in popularity is the ever expanding range of decors and patterns. European manufacturers such as Vox and Duma have incredible contemporary styles that offer the aesthetic appeal of tiles but with all the benefits of an easy to install and easy to clean PVC Panel.
Easy to Install, even EASIER to Clean!
A splashback, a feature wall or a full kitchen? PVC Panels are quick to install (see guide) and can quickly create a hygienic work area regardless of the existing wall covering. No lengthy flattening of the wall, no tile adhesive, no grout.
As for cleaning, its a wipe clean surface – no heavy detergents or scrubbing necessary.
Kitchen Wall Panels | Just Less Work
When you consider the needs of food storage and preparation, the Kitchen is the one room in the house where it is crucial to maintain hygiene standards.
This is an area where PVC Panels have no equal. They really are the wipe clean surface that takes little to no work to maintain.
The kitchen is subject to many environmental factors such as humidity, water splashes, the potential of bacteria build up from food preparation and the reality of family life. How many times have you looked at tour tiled backsplash thinking you really need to clean that grout? There is another way, much less work.
This has been a big part in why PVC Panels have become so popular in the kitchen – little to no maintenance. When you add in their ease of installation, you can refresh your tired kitchen in no time.
Kitchen Wall Panels | More Design, Less Cost.
Is your kitchen looking or feeling tired? If you look at PVC Wall Panels as the modern wallpaper the design opportunities are endless. You can replace a splashback with panels in less than an hour and generally speaking it will only take two 8mm x 2.6M panels.
Looking for a new Design?
Fitting Wall Panels is very different to fitting traditional wall coverings such as Tiles, much faster, much cheaper and you dont need a trades person. If you want to change your kitchen style or you like to update often, look at wall panels – it is all just easier.
How to Buy Kitchen Wall Panels
How Many Kitchen Wall Panels do I Need?
When calculating how many kitchen wall panels you may need you will realise you dont need that many to create a stunnig effect.
Kitchen Splashback
PVC Wall Panels make an effective kitchen splashback that is easy to fit, waterproof and easy to clean. A standard height from counter top to upper cabinets is 50cms, if we work on a length of 250cms and a standard wall panel measuring 25cms in width – we will need 10 x 50cm sections. This will be less than two 260cm length panels.
Feature wall
You can fit PVC Wall Panels on any wall in the kitchen and its a great idea to fit a slightly different design on one wall to make a feature wall
Divide Wall Width by Panel Width
To calculate the number of panels required simply divide the wall width by the width of the panel (assuming the ceiling height is under the panel length)
Kitchen Wall Panels | What is a typical cost?
If we take the kitchen splashback in the graphic above as an example – you do not require many panels to create a stunning effect.
We will price these panels using typical prices – please note these prices are based on February 2023 pricing
2 x 8mm panels
We will use Gloss White for simplicity. 2 panels would cost approximately £16 (Suppliers typically only sell in a pack of four – it is worth asking if they will split a pack)
1 x PinkGrip Adhesive – Approx £5 per tube
2 x 8mm EndCap Trim – Approx £18 for two trims
Hopefully this pricing example will illustrate how cost effective kitchen wall panels can be. You would of course need to factor in delivery charges but if you purchase more panels that wouldnt be an issue.
How to Fit Kitchen Wall Panels
Fitting Kitchen Wall Panels – Splashback
You fit Kitchen Wall Panels using the same method you would if you were fitting in a bathroom – a quick and straightforward installation well within the reach of a DIY enthusiast.
We will use our kitchen splashback as an example. In this example we have a height between counter top and upper cabinets of 50cms and an overall width of 250cms. We will assume we are fitting to plasterboard.
Begin by cutting the End Cap trim to the required height (50cms), fit in place to the left hand side using an adhesive and two small screws top and bottom.
Cut the panels to the required length (height in this instance) of 50cms
Apply a bead of adhesive to the rear of panel #1 – fit in place within the recess of the end cap. Check for plumb and push firmly to the wall.
Repeat the process with the remaining 9 (50cm) panels
How long does it take to fit Kitchen Wall Panels?
Fitting Wall Panels is a completely different approach compared to fitting tiles in a kitchen – you are looking at a fraction of the time to fit wall panels in comparison to tiles or skimming a wall with plaster.
This time and resource advantage changes how you look at updating your kitchen, it takes less time, less materials and you can tackle it yourself – in most cases, no trades required.
How long does it take to replace the splashback?
We will use the splashback example above – fitting 10 x 50cm wall panel sections underneath upper cabinets. If we separate the tasks into measuring and cutting the trims and panels, applying the adhesive and then fitting the panels to the wall I would estimate 1 hour for this task. Depending on your skill level and more importantly whether you have done this before that could easily be 30 minutes.
Accessories for Fitting Kitchen Wall Panels
Recommended Accessories for fitting Kitchen Wall Panels
Pink Grip Solvent Free Adhesive
Default recommendation for PVC Panels. A good quality SOLVENT FREE adhesive.
Pink Grip SF is the adhesive that has performed consistently over the years, gets a good grab and never had any issues.
A good all round silicone sealant. There are more expensive sealants with greater elasticity on the market but the Everflex 200 is another reliable performer.
I recommend an anti mould sealant for sealing shower trays or bath tubs.
Forever White is a superior silicone sealant that is permanently waterproof and flexible. It is also ideal for use in kitchens and utility rooms and for sealing around window and door frames.
Forever White is independently tested and certified by an accredited microbiological laboratory to show no mould growth after more than 10 years simulated ageing.
Forever White now also contains an Anti-Bacterial additive which kills germs.