Image credit: iStockPhoto.com / dit26978 (via Custard Online Marketing Ltd)
So, summer is here and you’ve decided your bathroom needs an overhaul. You’ve chosen your new sink, toilet and even your units, but when it comes to the walls, what is the right choice?
You may be considering fitting your bathroom with ceramic tiles, but this can be a difficult, time- consuming and expensive job. Luckily, there is an alternative which can give you the style you’re looking for at a fraction of the time and cost. Should you use bathroom panels instead of tiles? Take a look at the comparisons for shower panels vs tiles and other alternatives below.

Popular alternatives to tiles

  • PVC wall panels
  • Marble
  • Stainless steel
  • Stone resin
  • Wood shower walls
  • Paint

What are shower panels?

Simple to install and easy to maintain, shower wall panels are made from PVC material. They are attached to your walls using adhesive and screws. These plastic panels come in a range of different styles and finishes, including tile effect, making it even easier to use shower panels instead of tiles and still achieve the finish that you were looking for.

What are the advantages of shower wall panels?

When deciding whether to use bathroom panels instead of tiles, there are many different advantages to consider, from a time, cost and maintenance perspective:

Easy to install

PVC is durable and lightweight whilst providing a high-quality finish. Not only do they look fantastic on your walls, they’re also very simple to install using some screws and adhesive.

Unlike tiles - where you have to lay individual squares, ensure they’re all straight and apply the correct amount of grout - plastic wall panels are simply laid in sheets of up to 1000mm in size. This reduces the amount of installation you actually undertake, and product you have to buy. When looking at the differences between shower panels vs tiles, shower panels are certainly easier to install.

Easy surface preparation is another great benefit to using bathroom panels instead of tiles. Bathroom cladding can be fitted over existing tiles or even damaged walls. There’s no need to remove your current tiling or skim your walls, you simply begin your remodelling!

Waterproof your bathroom

Wet wall shower panels are the perfect fit for your new bathroom as they’re completely waterproof! You can even use shower panels instead of tiles for areas that are constantly getting soaked, such as around your bath tub or in your shower - cladding is perfect as it protects your walls from condensation.

These panels also prevent the growth of dark fungus in your bathroom. Although tiles are also waterproof, the grout around them is a hotbed for mould and even if you clean them regularly, there always seems to be more! As these panels don’t require grout, there is little chance of them becoming mouldy.

So many styles to choose from

One of the best things about using bathroom panels instead of tiles is the huge range of designs available! If your heart is set on having a tiled bathroom, you can still achieve this look using tile-effect bathroom panels instead of tiles. If you have a particular dimly lit bathroom and need to create the effect of brightness, you could consider marble-effect cladding which will reflect light around the room.

What are the drawbacks of ceramic tiles?

As well as the expense of tiles and the skill needed to lay them, they are also quite difficult to maintain. They require cleaning up to twice a week, especially if your bathroom is prone to condensation, which promotes the growth of mould. Using bathroom panels instead of tiles reduces the need for such frequent cleaning.

With a busy lifestyle plus a family, this makes tiles a time-consuming design for your bathroom. Tiles are also far more fragile than plastic cladding. With the average tile from a local home improvement store priced around £2.70, breaking any tile can be a costly thing. Plus, you will have to refit the tile if it’s broken on the wall. Using shower panels instead of tiles can be more cost-effective for this reason.

So, if you’re stuck between shower panels vs tiles, we hope we’ve given you some idea of which product is right for you. Our experts are always on hand to help, so if you need support on which cladding is the best choice for your bathroom, contact us for advice.