The bathroom in any apartment and in every house is of great importance. It’s the first place we visit in the morning. The amount of positive energy we receive depends on its elegant and festive appearance.
The bathroom needs to be well thought out in terms of plumbing placements, functionality, and design. Bathroom renovations can be either major or cosmetic. But, in any case, it is better to entrust it to experienced craftsmen.
After all, the result of poorly carried out repair work can be water intrusion, moisture and mold on the walls.
Bathroom renovation should begin with an assessment of the current situation, selection of the style of the future appearance and creation of a design project. Nowadays, there are companies that will gladly develop for you a classic design or, for example, a high-tech bathroom project. Professionals will help you plan the space in such a way that even in a small bathroom it is possible to place a washing machine, sink, cabinets and a laundry basket.
Replacement of water supply, sewage and ventilation
After assessing the condition of the existing communications and removing unnecessary old pipes, you can begin to install new ones. It has a long service life, does not corrode, and almost does not show condensation. Such pipes do not require additional maintenance during their operation, and therefore they can be leveled with walls or covered with plasterboard sheets.
Before inserting pipes into the wall through which hot water flows, one should not forget about an important point: these pipes should expand slightly during operation. Therefore, they are previously placed in special gutters, inside of which there is enough space for expansion, and then the entire structure is fixed to the wall.
waterproof electrical wire extension
After that, you can start laying the electrical network, which must be grounded, the probability of its breakdown increases. It is also not recommended to use a “warm floor” and a washing machine in the bathroom at the same time to avoid a short circuit. But to clarify this issue, it is better to seek the advice of a professional electrician.
It is necessary to equip the bathroom with electric floor heating at the same stage of the renovation. Remember that when using it, your electricity costs will increase significantly. On the other hand, you will save yourself from sliding carpet and touching cold tiles barefoot. When carrying out a major overhaul of the bathroom, the stage of floor preparation should include leveling with a concrete screed, as well as all the necessary waterproofing work.
All power points must be properly planned according to the design project locating the washing machine, shower, water heater and lighting fixtures.
Inside the bathroom, it is recommended to use special models of switches and sockets that are protected from moisture, high temperatures and harmful fumes of detergents. It is advisable to locate the sockets out of reach of splashing water. The illumination of the room should be based on the following calculations: one lamp per square meter of area.
All electrical appliances must be grounded, and lamps and cables must be protected from moisture. Ceiling lights are outdated now. The most common is the use of moisture-proof ceilings, gypsum or panels, inside which lighting is installed. Among the interesting solutions in the bathroom interior, you can also name the lighting of the mirror.
bathroom wall and ceiling cladding
After preparing the floor, laying pipes and connecting electrical wires, you can start facing work. When choosing materials, you should be guided by two criteria: practicality and aesthetics. There is a wide selection of high-quality materials in stores: in addition to coatings, ceramic tiles and washable wallpaper, there are interesting ways of facades with stone (natural or artificial), moisture-resistant wall panels, glass blocks or only natural wood. Depending on your choice, wall and ceiling surfaces will need to be properly prepared. The first stage of preparation will be the same – leveling the walls and cleaning them of old paint.
To do this, you can use a special wash or use a mechanical cleaning method with a metal brush or spatula. If you are going to paint the walls, then they must first be treated with a primer mixture with water-repellent properties. Primer paint improves the adhesion (adhesion) of the paint to the wall surface, and will also give a waterproofing effect. It is also necessary to purchase a paint specifically designed for use in conditions of high humidity. This will increase the service life of the coating and eliminate the rapid appearance of cracks.
Separately, it should be said about wall cladding with PVC panels. It is easy to install, easy to clean and not moldable. If you choose plastic panels that imitate wood, you will get the effect of smooth wooden walls with a beautiful pattern. The main thing is not to confuse PVC panels with MDF panels, which cannot be installed in a damp room such as a bathroom.
You can easily choose the color of the cladding to your liking. Remember that aggressive colors like orange and red excite the nervous system and can be stressful. White, green, yellow or blue are calm, relaxing colors.
The ceiling of the bath is often suspended. It looks very good, and also hides all electrical wires and ventilation elements. Suspended ceilings are installed using steel units, metal fibres, and aluminum beams. All these durable materials do not rust and tolerate moisture well. Using moisture-resistant plasterboard, you can create multi-level ceilings with different lighting options. Especially effective will be a mirror ceiling, created to visually enlarge the room. This bathroom looks very sophisticated and elegant.
Ceramic tile is one of the most popular types of bathroom decor, as it is applied with a special tile adhesive. The renovation of the walls in the bathroom in this case is progressing very quickly – the area of \u200b\u200bthe experienced brick is 20 square meters per day. In addition, the tile is easy to use: it saves time and effort for cleaning, it also looks impressive, and there is a huge selection of them in the store. Also, modern technologies have been invented that allow laying ceramic tiles on drywall. If the installation process is carried out in compliance with all requirements, then the tile covering will serve you for a long time: tile glue and grout for joints are water-repellent. With the help of tiles, you can place a variety of pictures and patterns on the walls.
The use of mosaic will make the interior unique
But the most interesting are the patterns laid out by the mosaic method. In the past, mosaic elements were made of smalt (a type of artificial glass) or marble. Therefore, its cost was very high, and few could afford such luxury. At present, when Chinese manufacturers have entered the market, mosaic production is put on the conveyor, and the cost of products has been greatly reduced. When tiling a bathroom with mosaic, the most frequently used elements are made of artificial glass with the addition of mica, as well as ceramics and metal. This type of mosaic is inferior in surface purity to salt and marble, however, it is ideal from the point of view of “price / quality”. Mosaic has valuable properties: it is a waterproof, durable material that is resistant to detergents.
Most often, there is no need to completely equip the bathroom with mosaics. It can be used to spice up the interior: place it around a mirror, create a large painting on the wall, decorate partitions and other curved surfaces. With the help of mosaic, the designer creates a unique interior. And if the same ceramic tiles can decorate the interiors of different rooms, then mosaic groups are unique and incomparable decorations.
There are cases when mosaic is irreplaceable. For example, if your house has a pool, then decorating it with mosaics will be cheaper than cladding it with a film. At the same time, the mosaic elements are more durable, look more interesting and create a relief on the bottom that you can not slip on.
Plumbing installation and related equipment
At the final stage of bathroom renovation, you can begin to install plumbing equipment. The main element of the bathroom is of course the bathtub. Bathtubs can have different shapes and consist of different materials: enameled cast iron, enameled steel, marble, and even wood. All of them are popular due to their strength, reliability and high heat capacity. The latest types of bathtubs are acrylic – they can have an electronically controlled hydromassage function, lighting and seats. After installing the bath, it must be grounded.
In addition to or instead of the bathroom, a shower cabin can be installed. Such a cabin takes up little space, it is hygienic and comfortable. There is also a large selection of sinks and faucets. There are two-valve or single-lever faucets, and the newer ones are equipped with photocells – just raise your hand and the water will flow by itself.
Sinks are divided according to the type of installation: on pedestals, on stands, on shelves and on stands. For example, a base can be used to hide siphons and water pipes.
Choose plumbing to your liking, but when installing, remember that all joints must be treated with a moisture-resistant sealant. All items must be secured well, and then you can make the most of your bathroom!
