How to install wet area panelling in bathroom?

[lufrai]

Hi community!

I've been reading your posts for quite some time and decided it was time to participate!

We're planning a budget friendly bathroom reno, and we have decided to combine tiling easycraft with wet area interior panelling. A tiler is coming in to do the shower area and floors with tiles and we are going to install the panelling ourselves. A few questions for more experienced renovators:

1. Two of our walls will have half tiles and half panelling, and we're not too sure. how to join these two to make sure no moisture gets trapped behind panels. Do we use silicone where they meet? 

2. Our current bathroom has tiles as a skirting board, but we're going to use panels from floor to ceiling. Should we install a regular skirting board on top of panels? 

3. How do we join panels in interior corners?

4. how do we join panels to ceiling and prevent moisture getting in?

5. Panels will also go around door frame: how do we join these together?

6. We're going to use the panels as splashback. Should we apply panels behind the vanity too and cut holes for pipes, or just do it above and below vanity instead and leave the area behind the vanity just 'naked'?

Hope my questions make sense!

[EricL]

Hello @lufrai 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about installing wet area panelling.

Are you referring to the Wall Art 2400 x 1200 x 3mm Carrara Ice Wet Area Wall / Shower Panel? If you are, the majority of the answers you are looking for are in the Wet Area Panelling Installation Guide. Let me try and answer some of your questions.

• The panels need to be joined using the Wet Wall Art joiners. They include internal and external corners, straight sheet joiners and top/end caps.
   
• The gaps at the base must be filled with silicone sealant. 
   
• The panels can be cut for plumbing access.  

Please allow us to get in contact with our supplier and make some inquiries regarding your other questions. As soon as we have more information, we'll get back to you.

Thank you for your patience.

Eric

[MitchellMc]

Hi @lufrai,

Are the walls currently lined with Villaboard or plasterboard, and will you be installing these sheets over them? In areas outside the shower recess, you can either butt-join the sheets or use the joining strips. Where the sheets meet the tiles, you should treat the area as a butt joint between sheets, and the installation guide @EricL has provided above shows how to do this.

For installation over studs, you need to install a bond breaker tape, and then, when the sheets are installed, a silicone join is added to the tiles. The same goes for the ceiling, once the sheet is install a bead of silicone seals them. For around the door, it would be best to do the butt join installation so there aren't several joining strips.

Depending on the finish you wish to achieve, you could install skirting boards over the sheets, though it's not essential.

If you already have a water-resistant lining behind the vanity, there is no need to add another sheet. However, since you'll have to do a couple of joins, it might just be easier to install a full sheet and cut holes for plumbing.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[lufrai]

Hi Eric, 

Sorry, I should have clarified but didn't know there were many different ones. I was referring to the easycraft wet area interior panels.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/easycraft-9-x-2400-x-1200mm-easyvj100-primed-wet-area-interior-wall-lini... 

Thanks!

[lufrai]

Thanks Mitchell, 

Just to clarify, I was referring to the easycraft wet area interior panels.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/easycraft-9-x-2400-x-1200mm-easyvj100-primed-wet-area-interior-wall-lini... 

Does this still apply? 

Thanks!

[MitchellMc]

Here's the installation guide for Easycraft lining panels, @lufrai. I'm sure it will answer most of your questions, but please feel to let us know if there is anything else. 

Mitchell