MAKING AND FITTING A BATH PANEL

The days of a painted hardboard panel fitted with a chrome-coated corner piece to cover the joint are long gone – thank goodness! Today, the list of materials and styles you can choose from is as long as your arm, so you can select one that suits both your taste and pocket.

Bath panels are available as standard stock items in plastic 1,

wood in various finishes such as teak bath panels, new or old pine, limed oak etc, and even granite. A new idea is to incorporate cupboards and shelving in what would otherwise be wasted space 2.

Alternatively, you can make your own panel. Making one from a substrate like plywood, blockwood or MDF is a straightforward job. For instance, you can make a really good-looking panel from a sheet of waterproof or water- resistant MDF, plus some skirting to match the rest of your bathroom. Adding moulding will make it more decorative. For a more creative approach, plenty of exciting materials can be used imaginatively. These include copper, lead, stainless steel, carpet and other textured materials, marble, tiles and mirror.

If you do make your own wooden bath panel, you will first have to build and fit a proper frame to attach it to. Make sure that, once fitted, the bath panels are easily removable in case you need to access the plumbing.

MAKING A BATH PANEL FRAME

Normally made of 50 x 50mm (2 x 2in) sawn or planed softwood, a bath panel frame fits tightly between the lip of the bath and the floor. To calculate the frame size, measure the height and width of the area below the bath. Bear in mind that the frame’s position must allow for the thickness of the bath panel material, which generally shouldn’t protrude beyond the vertical lip of the bath. This allows for the panel top to be sealed with mastic to prevent the ingress of water. Depending on the material, the bath panel can be fixed to the frame using face fixings or secret (concealed) fixings, but remember to ensure access to the plumbing. Construct the frame as a ladder frame. For the long side, screw the four outside pieces together, then add uprights for strength and rigidity 3.

Screw a three- sided end frame to the wall and offer the side frame up to it 4.

Screw the side frame to the end frame 5

and to the wall at the other end. Screw the frame to the floor 6.

Double check that all measurements for the bath panel and skirting are correct before you cut from the outside, or screw from the inside 4. To add mouldings, draw a line of equal margin all around the bath panel. Cut and mitre the mouldings then glue and pin it along the lines. Finally, paint the bath panels (including the edges) with a coat of primer, two undercoats and a topcoat 5.

MAKING AND FITTING A PANEL

Measure the frame area 1

and transfer your measurements to the bath panel material 2,

here it is a sheet of MDF. You can use a jigsaw to cut out the bath panel – if you do, cut a fraction outside the line, then smooth off the excess using a hand plane 3 for a neat finish.

Next, fix the skirting to the bath panel pieces, having first mitred the corner ends. Use PVA glue and pins if attaching from the outside, or screw from the inside 4.

To add mouldings, draw a line of equal margin all around the bath panel. Cut and mitre the mouldings then glue and pin it along the lines. Finally, paint the panels (including the edges) with a coat of primer, two undercoats and a top coat 5.

FITTING A READY-MADE BATH PANEL

Position the bath panels vertically, using a spirit level or plumbline 1,

then mark a line on the floor along the length of both the bath panels 2.

The end bath panel fits behind the front panel at the corner joint. Remove the bath panels, and mark a second line 3mm (/8in) inside the first. Screw battens to the floor along and inside this second line – a minimum of three battens for the front bath panel and two for the end one. For the batten to take the bottom flange, or turned-in edge, of the bath panels, you need to make a rebate. You can form this by placing a strip of packing the same depth as the flange beneath each batten. The packing will butt against the flange, while the batten above it will butt up to the inside of the panel itself. Reposition the bath panels, then drill 4mm (3A6in) pilot holes through each one into the battens 3.

Secure the bath panels to the battens using decorative mirror screws 4.

TOP TIP – If YOU have a router, cut a rebate in each batten to take the bath panel flange instead of using packing.

PAINTING AND DECORATING

Oil-based paints like gloss and eggshell are suitable for bathrooms, as they seal the walls and ceiling from moisture. Unfortunately, water vapour tends to condense on their shiny surfaces and run down the walls and paintwork, as it does on ceramic tiles. To combat this, paint manufacturers have produced paints with anti-fungal and anti-condensation properties specifically for use in bathrooms. Though it has the same appearance, unlike matt emulsion bathroom paint is a tough finish and does allow for some cleaning of marks from the surface. It is available in a range of colours.

FIRST JOB

Carefully cover the bathroom with dust sheets, then prepare the ceilings and walls. Remove any flaking and loose paint with a scraper 1, and fill any screw holes or small undulations with a proprietary filler. Any major plaster damage will have to be re-plastered. Sand down the walls with medium then fine sandpaper, either by hand.

TOP TIP An electric palm sander is a very useful piece of equipment (left). As its name suggests, it’s a small sander that fits into the palm of one hand. It is extremely simple to operate, and its size makes it easy to get into awkward areas. It’s especially useful for sanding down fixed woodwork.

using a sanding block 2, or with an electric sander. Once the surface is perfectly smooth, apply a coat of diluted PVA adhesive to seal the surface. Thoroughly clean the bathroom of all dust: remove the dust sheets and shake them outside, mop over the floor, and sponge down any surfaces to remove all traces of dust. Replace the dust sheets, then open the windows and door to keep the room well ventilated whilst you are painting. Paint the ceiling first, applying two coats for a professional finish, then coat the walls. The walls should always be cut into the ceiling, rather than the other way round 3. Again, apply at least two coats for the best finish.

PAINTING WOODWORK

Painting woodwork in the bathroom suite is pretty much the same as anywhere else in the home, with the exception that any newly installed wood should be treated on the back as well as the front with either primer or preservative. I know I’m repeating myself, but the quality of the finish depends entirely on the preparation, so spend an extra day or two on the preparation before applying any paint.

Woodwork should be thoroughly sanded down, using a medium-grade sandpaper followed by a fine-grade one to achieve a smooth, professional finish. If you have filled any wood, leave this for 24 hours before sanding.

You’ll also need to seal any visible knots with knotting fluid. When this has dried you can start painting. Apply decorating mastic to gaps or around any joists, removing any excess with a damp sponge. Now apply a good coat of primer, and when it has dried, lightly rub it over with flour paper (very fine sandpaper) to remove any stuck on brush hairs, dust or dirt. Then apply two coats of undercoat followed by one topcoat, lightly rubbing over each undercoat once it has dried with flour paper. Brush along the grain 4, rather than across it.

WINDOW TREATMENTS

For obvious reasons, a bathroom window needs to address the problem of privacy. Where there is no frosted pane already in place, you’ll have to do something about it. Net curtains are largely impractical – any fabric is liable to go very limp in a bathroom’s steamy conditions. You could replace a clear pane with frosted glass, at least in the lower section of the window. Alternatively, you could stick frosted plastic film over it, which would save you the effort and money involved in replacing the glass.

BLINDS

Another option is to put up a blind. Available in a large selection of colours, sizes and styles, blinds are normally cheaper to buy than curtains. They are also easier to install and tend to be made from humidity-tolerant materials. You could try a simple roller 5 or a roman blind. Venetian blinds are notorious as dust traps, but they do have the advantage that you can change from privacy to a view at the flick of a wrist. For a bathroom, a plasticized type would be preferable to a wooden one.

LIGHTING

The lighting in a bathroom plays an important role, and the wrong type can make it stark and soulless. Choose fittings to complement your bathroom’s overall style.

Steam in a bathroom can cause bulbs to shatter, so from a safety aspect, all bulbs must be housed in moisture-proof, enclosed light fittings. Many bathroom cabinets now have an integral light and shaver socket 1. Light switches within the bathroom must be ceiling-mounted pull-cords; a wall-mounted switch may only be positioned outside the bathroom.

TYPES OF FITTINGS

Safety regulations severely restrict the choice of bathroom light fittings to basically three types:

• A self-contained central light fitting. Like the traditional glass or plastic globe which screws into a base plate, this protects the bulb and holder.

• Mains-voltage recessed spotlight. These work off the existing lighting circuit.

• Recessed spotlights (down lighters are the common name). These low-voltage lights are great for general lighting. They are powered from a 12-volt transformer that may be linked to the main power circuit by a spur with a 5-amp fused connection unit. Alternatively, and preferably, the lights and transformer can both be powered from the existing lighting circuit.

BATHROOM ACCESSORIES

Accessorizing is a very important part of bathroom design,
and it’s something that can be done easily to transform a fairly unexciting but functional bathroom into something to wonder at. Where you position accessories can make a world of difference, and it’s surprising how many people put their fixed accessories in the wrong place entirely. The toilet roll holder, for example should be positioned at a comfortable height near the pan, for obvious reasons, but not so that it causes an obstruction; it may look really nice on the opposite wall, but that’s not very practical. A fixed soap dish should be fixed directly over the hand basin, to the right if you are right handed, the left if left handed; any water draining through the dish can then drip onto the hand basin rather then the floor. Towel rails should be positioned close to the bath or shower, while a smaller rail next to the hand basin can hold the hand towel 2. Ideally, the Robe Hook should be fixed above a radiator, or you could fit a towel rail radiator instead In my shower, I have hung up a three-layered chrome basket to hold all the different shampoos and conditioners everybody uses. It also holds various sponges and a back washer, all at high level, away from the shower spray.

Mirror-fronted bathroom cabinets have been around for years, but they have changed a great deal and are still very useful, especially positioned above the hand basin 3. They provide perfect storage for much-needed items that are better kept unseen. Buy a solid, well-made cabinet that will stand up to a lot of use, and choose one with a built-in light and shaving socket, so that it can charge the razor and electric toothbrush out of sight.

FITTING A GLASS SHELF

Permanent accessories like a shelf need to be firmly fixed to the wall due to the weight placed on them and the amount of regular use they will get. Offer the shelf up to the wall, mark its position, and check it is level 4. If you are fixing through ceramic tiles, stick masking tape over them, then mark the fixing positions. The tape will help to stop the drill sliding off course and scratching the tile. Fit a masonry bit and, with the drill in the drill (not hammer) position, drill through the masking tape and the tile, then change to the hammer setting to drill into the masonry.

TOP TIP Match the drill size to the plug size; red plugs are normally drill size 6, brown plugs drill size 7.

Remove the masking tape and insert the plugs provided with the shelf. When fixing to plasterboard, or into a void, use the correct type of anchor to get a firm fixing. Screw the shelf holders home 5. Don’t over tighten the screws or they can snap; once they are tight, an extra half turn is all that’s needed. Take your time to avoid slipping with the screwdriver and scratching the tile. Position the shelf 6.