Is clearance possible and how
It is possible to prevent the appearance of an unclosed space between the bathroom and the wall, if before starting the repair you need to think over the finishing methods and the order of the work.
When installing cast iron or steel products, it is recommended to finish after installation of the bathtub. This method allows you to fit the edges of the bathtub into a tile floor. There are several options for how to close the gap between the bathroom and the wall in this way:
- Tiles are laid out over the edge of the tub. The bath itself is pushed close to the wall, and the tiles begin to be laid from the edge up, while the space under the bath will not be tiled. To provide reliable protection against water seepage, the joint is sealed with silicone, or a grout of a waterproof type is used.
- According to the following technology, tile laying is carried out initially from the floor to the height of the side of the bath, which is placed close to the wall. Next, the wall sheathing is performed as in the previous version. You can cover the junction with silicone or acrylic sanitary sealant or grout. With this tile laying, the master can achieve almost complete isolation of the bathroom by joining floor and wall tiles.
- To ensure a more snug fit of the tile to the edge of the bathtub, a plastic corner is often used. Its lower edge, which has a special wave bend for better drainage of water, is laid on the side, and the second is wound behind a tile, providing perfect insulation of the wall - water will not leak over the finished wall. This option looks particularly successful and neat on plumbing with wide edges, but you need to understand that if you want to replace the plastic part, you will have to remove the tile standing above it.
- A more complex option is to sticker the ceramic border on the side with the subsequent installation of the tiles already above the installed border. This method allows you to apply ceramics that are suitable in tone to the main tile canvas or use traditional white, which successfully combines with other colors. But it should be borne in mind that it will be difficult to stick the border to the edge qualitatively, and in any case, the junction must be filled with silicone or grout.
All these methods are suitable only for cast iron or metal products. Acrylic bathtubs and complex systems, such as a jacuzzi, should be installed in the usual way so that, if necessary, it is possible to repair the equipment.
How can I close the space between the wall and the bathroom
You can close the distance between the bathroom and the wall in various ways. The choice of one or another material for this work depends on the width of the gap to be removed, and on the type and material of the bath. Also, the selected material and method of masking should correspond to the general style of the room. The description of each method described below will help to determine the right finish option. Understanding the differences is especially important for those who decide to do all the work themselves.
PVC baseboard
You can close the gap yourself using a plastic baseboard. They are produced with a ready-made adhesive base or without glue, for work in a room with high humidity it is better to use the second option for the following reasons:
- due to the roughness of the rim, it is not possible to ensure a reliable and tight fit of plastic with the standard adhesive part;
- the adhesive composition is poorly resistant to water;
- after dismantling the baseboard, stubborn stains remain on the tile surface.
To ensure a reliable fit of the plastic baseboard to the side, you will have to purchase a waterproof liquid glue. When choosing glue, you need to pay attention to the drying time. It is advisable to buy a quick-drying composition, otherwise the master will need to hold the baseboard for a long time until it snaps securely.
Installation of the skirting board is possible only after preliminary processing of the gap with sanitary silicone sealant or mounting foam.
Work Technology:
- the surface should be degreased with acetone or another solvent;
- shooting sizes;
- the baseboard is cut to size with a cut of corner joints at 45 degrees;
- adhesive is applied to the fixation site;
- the cut strips are firmly pressed to the base and held until a secure fit is achieved;
- A sanitary sealant is applied around the perimeter of the baseboard so that there are no gaps between the tiles on the wall and the plastic.
Pros:
- the possibility of laying the skirting board with your own hands;
- low cost of materials.
Minuses:
- unreliable fixation with the base of finished skirting boards with an adhesive base.
Silicone sealant
A small gap (up to 5 mm) can simply be filled with silicone sealant. Standard containers with sealant are refilled in a special gun. You can buy both sealant and gun in any store of finishing materials at a low price.
When choosing a sealant should be considered:
- sealant must be moisture resistant;
- must have antifungal protection (plumbing or sanitary products are best);
- traditionally, white silicone is chosen for the bathroom, which is suitable for any tile color.
Work Technology:
- the sides are thoroughly cleaned and treated with white spirit;
- fill the balloon into the gun and cut off the tip of the plastic tip at the required angle;
- silicone is neatly distributed over the gap, after which you can trim its surface with a finger moistened with an aqueous soap solution.
Pros:
- speed of getting the result;
- low cost of material;
- the ability to independently perform all the work.
Minuses:
- over time, even a mold and mildew resistant sealant loses its properties.
Tape
Most often, PVC tape is used for facing already sealed joints, since joints filled with polyurethane foam or cement-sand mortar look unaesthetically. The tape is a product made of elastic plastic, on one side of which a strip of glue on an epoxy base is applied.
Work Technology:
- the wall and edge of the bathtub remove dirt, dust and are washed;
- after removing the dirt, the place of the tape sticker is dried with a construction hairdryer;
- remove the protective film from the adhesive surface;
- the tape is slightly warmed with a construction hair dryer and laid at the junction, tightly pressing to a vertical or horizontal surface.
Pros:
- low cost of material;
- ease of installation;
- a large selection in stores - you can pick up the tape of the required width;
- presentable appearance.
Minuses:
- the tape must be cut exactly in size - it will not work to increase it without losing its appearance.
Ceramic border
The most reliable way to mask the gap between the wall and the bathroom. In stores, you can buy curbs of various colors and match the basic finish of the bath. In addition, manufacturers produce ready-made joints for internal and external corners.
Work Technology:
- the joint surface and adjacent edges are cleaned from dust and dirt;
- at the installation site of the curb, tile adhesive or DSP is laid in a thin layer;
- laying the border;
- remove excess solution;
- after the solution has dried, the joints are grouted.
Pros:
- durability;
- reliability;
- the ability to choose the colors of borders.
Minuses:
- you need skills to work with tiles (in some cases, cutting the border to size is required).
Polyurethane foam
One-component polyurethane polyurethane foam with moisture resistant properties will help to quickly and easily cope with the problem, but even this product resistant to high humidity will have to be additionally protected with suitable finishing materials.
Work Technology:
- masking tape over the edge of the bathtub and tile so as to limit the place for filling the foam;
- the foam is poured into the joint and wait until it gains strength, after which they remove the adhesive tape and carefully remove the excess foam;
- after drying and processing the foam must be covered with, for example, plastic tape.
Pros:
- low cost of material;
- quick result.
Minuses:
- additional processing and protection required;
- you need to work carefully, since the hardened foam is poorly cleaned from the tile.
To finish the seam over the foam, it is recommended to use a plastic tape or ceramic border.
DSP
You can close the space between the bathroom and the wall with ordinary cement. This is an inexpensive and fairly reliable way.
Work Technology:
- the junction is cleaned of dust;
- for better setting of the mortar, the surface is primed with concrete;
- preparing a thick cement-sand mixture;
- large slots and holes are clogged with rags dipped in a DSP;
- along the entire length of the joint, the solution is applied with a narrow spatula;
- for finishing the seam, it is recommended to use ceramic tiles, which are used to cover the wall.
Pros:
- low material costs;
- easy to do by yourself.
Minuses:
- service life - no more than 5 years;
- additional decoration needed.
Drywall
GKL panels are most often used if it is necessary to cover large gaps. Drywall in this case serves as the basis for further tiling or painting.
Technology:
- for the installation of gypsum plasterboard, a framework of a metal profile is prepared according to the size of the opening;
- drywall is cut to size, and the ends are treated with a moisture-resistant solution;
- sheets are fixed by self-tapping screws;
- the prepared surface is finished with paint or tile.
Pros:
- the possibility of building large partitions;
- the possibility of combining work with the construction of a protective screen on the bottom of the bath.
Minuses:
- even moisture-resistant GCR cannot resist high humidity for a long time, so it is important to carefully treat the entire surface and especially the ends with special impregnations.
Recommendations for choosing a method
The method of closing the gaps between the bath and the wall depends primarily on its width. Finishing craftsmen recommend the following options:
- a gap of up to 1 mm is easily sealed with silicone sealant. When buying, you need to choose a special plumbing material that does not rot and is not afraid of fungus. You can also use plastic tape, but we must remember that this is a way to temporarily solve the problem;
- a gap of 10 to 20 mm can be eliminated with a PVC skirting board or self-adhesive tape. A small gap does not require more durable materials;
- a gap of 20 mm should be closed with a ceramic skirting board, which will provide reliable protection against water leakage and will last at least 15 years;
- the gap from 30 mm cannot be closed with a standard curb. In this case, it is necessary to build a frame or a solid base for subsequent cladding with ceramic tiles.
The universal tool for sealing the joints between the bathroom and the wall is considered to be a white curb tile. This material fits perfectly into any color scheme of the walls in the bathroom.
What to do if the distance is large
Often, apartment owners are faced with the question of how to close the joint between the bathroom and the wall, if this distance does not allow the use of traditional methods? It is usually difficult to solve this problem if the gap width exceeds 40 mm.
In this case, the best fit is ceramic tiles with preliminary installation of the base of moisture-proof plywood.
If the hole is more than 100 mm, it is necessary to assemble the frame from a metal profile, fix a piece of moisture-proof gypsum board on it and then close the gap between the bathroom and the wall with tiles.
Such a solution to the problem will not only protect neighbors from leaks, but also help organize a convenient shelf in the bathroom.