Make a bath screen from plastic panels. DIY sliding bath screen

Having completed everything renovation work in the bathroom, you will probably have a need to hide unsightly-looking communication pipes under the bathtub that spoil the entire interior. Great way and all the ugly corners is to make a screen under the bathtub from plastic panels with your own hands.

By making it more functional, for example, by installing various shelves in the created free space, you can easily hide all household and household items - brushes, powders, gels - from prying eyes.

Types of screens for bathtubs made of plastic panels

Depending on the design, screens are made solid or sliding. Everyone is capable of solving some of their own operational problems.

Sliding screen for bathtub

The simplest and most common solution for a bathtub would be a solid screen (pictured). The easiest way to do it yourself is to do it yourself. However, the disadvantage of this design is that it tightly closes the entire space under the bathroom, including the water supply and sewerage pipes. If there is a need for repair or repair, this screen will have to be disassembled.

Important! A solid screen requires the use of plastic plumbing pipes that do not rust. Before installing it, check the serviceability of all plumbing fixtures and the absence of fungus and mold on the wall surfaces.

A sliding screen is somewhat more practical than a solid one, but its appearance is less aesthetic. Making a sliding screen yourself is a little more difficult, but the results are worth it. In addition, niches for things can be attached in the space between the outer wall of the bathtub and the plastic panels. The shelves installed are very convenient vertical way on gas lifts.

Solid screen for bathtub

Shape of bath screens

Before you start making a bath screen, you need to decide on its future shape.

So, there are three types of bath screens:

  • blank wall - this type The screen completely covers the entire space under the bathroom, without providing any recesses for convenience or niches for things. When installing it, you should carefully double-check the serviceability of all plumbing fixtures and pipes, since this will be problematic later. Typically, these types of screens include a small door to check the condition of the plumbing.

Dull screen

  • having a recess for the feet - this type of screen is more convenient to use. The notch will help you stand close to the bathtub without experiencing any discomfort when washing the bathtub itself or bathing children in it.

Bath screen with foot recess

  • a screen with an inclined angle, as in the previous case, is also quite convenient to use and is created purely for the comfort of using the bathroom.

Slanted Angle Bath Screen

  • a curved or angular screen is necessary for owners of round bathtubs. It is impossible to purchase it ready-made in a store. This screen is made only by hand.

Curved bath screen

Making a frame for a bathtub screen

So, you have chosen the shape and type of screen you need, the next step is making a frame for the subsequent installation of plastic panels. To implement this work you will need the following details: a starting strip (usually the same as the screen color range), profile, dowels, “liquid nails” glue and, in fact, the plastic panels themselves. Installation of the frame involves the use of the following tools: stationery or construction knife, electric screwdriver, building level, hammer drill, square and stapler.

Marking

The first thing you need to do is to mark the future load-bearing structure on the surface of the floor and walls. Using a building level, draw a line in a vertical direction at the place where the screen will adjoin the surface of the walls. Starting point consider the top side of the bathtub. From the resulting side lines, parallel to the location of your bathtub, draw another line equal to the thickness of the prepared plastic panels. For ease of installation of the structure, it is necessary to lay appropriate marks from the wall lines along the entire length of the floor surface along the length of the bathtub.

Frame installation

This is followed by the assembly of the front and side frame elements. To do this, measure and cut the beams or profile to the required length, join them along the marks and secure them. To make the frame more rigid and durable, make one or two additional transverse fastenings from the profile. In the case when the frame is made of wooden beams, screws and self-tapping screws can be used as fasteners. The profile uses specialized fasteners.

Attention! Attach the profile to the floor very carefully, without using much force, so as not to damage the tile.

When installing the frame, you should also provide space for a viewing window (if you plan to make one). For it, it is necessary to make additional jumpers in the established place of a vertical shape: on right side awnings will be attached, and furniture magnets will be attached to the left.

Frame sliding screen with vertical shelves requires additional fasteners on which gas lifts are installed.

Curvilinear frame for a bathtub screen

To model the frame of a curved screen on the floor surface building level make markings that exactly follow the curves of the bathtub itself. According to the applied markings, the profile is laid - in places of bend along the side edge, cuts 10 cm long are made on it. Afterwards, a hole is punched in the profile and fastened with dowels and screws to the floor surface along the marked line. The upper profile is glued with glue.

Screen assembly from plastic panels

Technologically, assembling a screen from plastic is sufficient simple task and is as follows. First, along the perimeter of the most established load-bearing frame The starting strip is attached with self-tapping screws. In places where the product will adjoin vertical and horizontal elements, make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees. After this, strips are cut from plastic and inserted into the grooves of the prepared starting strip until the screen is completely filled. Plastic panels of the sliding screen are installed between the guides and with outside glue the handles. Corner joints are covered with plastic corners.

Sliding plastic panel

At the end of the installation, an inspection door should be installed on the fixed jumpers (usually on the side of the drain siphon). Such plastic doors can be bought at any hardware store or made independently from the remaining panels. For additional protection against moisture getting inside the screen, the gaps between the floor surface and the frame fasteners are filled with a special neutral-colored sealant.

Installing panels on a curved screen is somewhat different, because it is also necessary to take into account the bending angle.

Attention! Too wide plastic panels are not suitable for making a curved screen, since it is impossible to bend them at home. Panels up to 250 mm wide are ideal.


Special containers with many different storage shelves will help to properly organize the space under the bathroom, for example, household chemicals and many small things for the bathroom. It is much more convenient and pleasant to store household items in them. Such containers are even produced on wheels, which makes them easier to move under the bathroom.

Under the bathroom you can make convenient shelves for storing various household items.

A sliding bath screen is often equipped with stationary shelves on which brushes, sponges, all household chemicals and bath accessories are also stored.

How to make a plastic screen for a bathtub with your own hands: video

Plastic screen under the bath: photo





The main function of the screen under the bathtub is aesthetic. Agree, if all the pipes, valves and taps are visible, then there is little that is pleasant about it. This is why you need a screen under the bath. Skillfully selected and executed in combination with common interior he will bring a pleasant moment to general form your bathroom. Imagine your screen simulating the seabed. What a pleasure to plunge into such a bath! How can you make a screen for a bathtub with your own hands?

Main functions

You can purchase a bathtub with a ready-made screen, however, this is expensive. It’s quite possible to make the screen yourself. Moreover, modern industry offers a rich palette of materials for its manufacture. The result is both cost savings and exclusivity, in accordance with your own taste.

Another plus is that we can expand the functionality of our screen and turn it into comfortable spot to place the items we need most. Under the bathroom you can place all kinds of cabinets and shelves where you can fit detergents or other household items needed. Therefore, before you begin manufacturing the structure, you need to decide what functions your screen will be designed to implement.

If there are communications under the bathroom that disrupt the harmony in the room and need protection from mechanical damage, then there is no need to talk about the placement of shelves. In this case, the screen should cover communications and perform only an aesthetic function.

Materials

The very first stage of work is making a frame for the bathtub. It can be made of wood from slats or from metal profiles. The wood must be moisture resistant. Be sure to apply a compound that fights fungus and mold. When taking measurements, use a building level. They are very convenient to work with when drawing projections of bathtub corners on the floor and walls.

Measurements to create a frame

If the bathtub occupies a corner of the room, then we will work with its three outer corners.

  1. We place projection points of these angles on the floor and connect them with a marker.
  2. We extend the lines onto the wall to connect with the corners.
  3. We draw lines parallel to those already drawn. The second lines should be drawn inside to a width that is equal to the width of our facing material.
  4. Bars are cut from slats required sizes, making up the frame onto which drywall, plastic or their alternative will then be attached. Two bars equal to the length and width of the bathtub are made for the top and exactly the same for the bottom of the frame. And then the vertical connecting parts are cut.
  5. The fasteners can be connected using self-tapping screws. It is recommended to make holes with a smaller drill than self-tapping screws. In this case there will be no split wooden product. Metal corners can be used as fasteners.
  6. Don't forget to attach the structure to the two walls adjacent to the bathtub. The lower part of the frame is attached to the floor. The fastenings must be reliable.

If the structure is made of wood and the floor in the bathroom is also wooden, then various screws are used for this. And if the floor is concrete, then you can’t do without dowels. When the frame is ready, fill the bath with water to see if the structure will settle. And only then can you begin the sheathing procedure.

Classification by materials

Plastic

To make it you will need plastic panels. The choice of shades is huge, so you can choose a color that fits perfectly into the interior of the bathroom. The frame for such a screen can be made of wood. But if you want the screen to be more functional, then you should make it sliding.

In this case, the screen frame must be aluminum. If it is made of iron, it should first be coated with a primer and then painted to avoid rust. Plus, guides are needed for the free movement of plastic doors.

Procedure:

  1. The doors are easy to make. You need to measure the distance between the upper and lower guides - this will be the height of the door, and make plastic cuts of the appropriate sizes.
  2. To prevent our doors from falling apart during operation, it is recommended to glue the inside of them with tape.
  3. The panels are installed between the guides using the tongue-and-groove principle.
  4. We attach handles, which can be purchased at any hardware store.
  5. Be sure to seal the joints between the bathtub and the screen with sealant. Any plumbing product will do, the excess of which can be removed with a regular rag. This procedure will save your structure from the formation of mold and mildew.

From plasterboard

Drywall is considered the most flexible material in use. The screen frame can be made of either wood or metal. The wooden frame must be treated with antiseptic primer. Otherwise, mold and rot cannot be avoided.

When designing the frame, it is important to take into account that the drywall will be sheathed with some other material, so when taking measurements you need to remember its thickness.

If you marked the tile with the facing, then the second internal parallel line, which we wrote about above in the section on frame modeling, will be moved deeper into another 4-6 mm.

It is necessary to use moisture-resistant drywall. The humidity level in the bathroom is high, so the usual one will swell and collapse. It is important to choose the right length of screws so as not to damage the edges of the bathroom if the screw suddenly pierces the drywall. Self-tapping screws are placed at a distance of 15 cm from each other along the perimeter of the sheet.

Next, the drywall should be coated with a primer and sheathed with the material that was selected earlier for this. This could be the most different colors and textures, plaster, film and moisture-resistant wallpaper.

From MDF

The process of covering an MDF screen is practically no different from covering it with plasterboard.

An important point is the presence of cracks that perform a ventilation function. They can be made small: 5-10 cm in length, 2-3 cm wide. So that these holes do not spoil appearance screen, they are covered with plastic decorative grilles. MDF sheets should be treated on both sides with a special water-repellent agent, then with a primer. After drying, the sheets can be attached to the frame.

From tongue-and-groove slabs

A screen made of this type of material will be very durable, but voluminous due to the thickness of the slab (8 cm). Be sure to check the design with a plumb line.

The places where such a screen will be attached: walls and floors must be thoroughly cleaned and primed. Suitable binding agents are: gypsum-based plaster or tile adhesive. In this case, the tongue-and-groove slabs must be moistened with water. The presence of grooves and ridges makes the process simple. You just need to carefully monitor the correct installation.

A hacksaw is used to cut the slabs. The slabs need additional decor, as they do not look attractive on their own. Various decorative plasters and paints are suitable for this. Or you can use ceramic facing tiles.

If you decide to use tiles as a facing material, you can attach them with liquid nails by applying glue dots to the back surface of the tile. Five points will be enough. You need to start the cladding process from the left top corner.

Types by design features

Screens come in a variety of configurations.

  • If you completely sealed the bottom of the bathtub, then it is a blank screen. The inconvenience of this modification is that if a leak occurs, it will be problematic to look under the bathtub and eliminate the flood. And even more so to do repairs. You will have to destroy your work of art.
  • One of the convenient components of the screen is the footwell. If the family has Small child, then such a niche is just a godsend for mom. You can use such a niche as a place to store washing supplies.
  • Another type of design is a screen with doors. They can be sliding or hinged. Plus sliding doors the fact that they save space. If the size of the bathroom allows, then you can install hinged doors.

When designing your bathroom screen, be guided by its functionality. And, of course, it should not be some kind of eye-catching spot that does not fit into the overall concept and style of your bathroom. Everything should be harmonious.

Design ideas

When making a screen, you can give free rein to your imagination.

  • You can add a pull-out shelf with magnets. It is useful for storing various small things that we use in the bathroom: combs, shampoos, bubble baths and others.
  • Another element is curtains. The most low-budget design element. It is suitable if your bath has non-standard forms and it is impossible to make a hard screen. With skillful selection of curtains in combination with additional elements decor, you can create a rather cozy bathroom. Just keep in mind that curtains should be easy to remove, as textiles require washing.
  • A mirror visually expands the space. It can also be used in screen design.
  • Frosted glass is interesting idea for registration. They come in plain, matte, colored, patterns and various textures. Glass is quite durable, so its use is safe, so feel free to select and combine it with the interior of the bathroom.

The whole is made up of little things, and the appearance of the bathroom is made up of seemingly insignificant interior details. And sometimes such annoying little things as water pipes or a bucket with a mop peeking out from under the bathtub can completely ruin the impression and nullify all your efforts to bring “chic and shine” to the bathroom.

The solution to this problem could be this useful thing, like a screen under a bathtub. If you make an effort and show some imagination, it will not only hide everything that is necessary from prying eyes, but will also become an independent element of the bathroom interior.

Types of screens

You can buy a bathtub screen at any hardware store. They have two types of design - solid and sliding, but the material used for manufacturing is different.

Today, the most common screens are made of the following materials:

  • from plasterboard
  • from tongue-and-groove slabs
  • ceramic tiles
  • mirror
  • plexiglass
  • acrylic
  • from PVC panels
  • from MDF.

Solid

A solid screen under the bath is the simplest and most obvious solution. Usually it is tiled with the same tiles as the entire bathroom, so this screen fits perfectly into the interior of the bathroom.


The disadvantage of a continuous screen is that it does not provide any access to water pipes, no storage options various instruments and household chemicals under the bathroom. If repairs or replacement of plumbing fixtures are needed, such a screen will have to be disassembled.


Sliding

A sliding screen is much more practical than a solid one, although it may not look as aesthetically pleasing.


From plasterboard

Drywall is the most available material for making a screen for a bathtub. It is inexpensive, lightweight and can be tailored the desired design won't be difficult. Solid screens are made from plasterboard, which are then covered with tiles.

DIY plasterboard screen

You can make and install such a screen yourself.

A plasterboard screen is installed on a timber frame, so first you need to build it. To do this you will need a beam measuring 4x4 cm, fasteners and a metal corner.

To get started, do everything necessary measurements and apply markings on the walls and floor, then draw lines parallel to the resulting markings, but offset inward by 2.5 cm

Then divide the timber into slats. You will need:

  • four slats connecting the corners of the bathtub to the floor
  • two slats equal internal line across the width of the bath minus 0.8 cm
  • two slats equal to the inner line along the length of the bath minus 1.2 cm
  • if the bathtub is too long, it is better to prepare two or three slats that will serve as additional supports.

Stages of making a bath screen:

  1. Position the vertical slats along external corners baths in accordance with the markings and secure between them horizontal slats up and down. You will need to make two of these designs for the narrow sides of the bath and one for the wide side.
  2. In those slats that will be adjacent to the wall, pre-drill two holes and attach them to the wall. Using screws, fasten all parts of the structure together. To make the frame more stable, you can also attach the bottom rails to the floor.
  3. Once the frame is ready, you can begin making the screen itself from plasterboard. You will need a sheet for moisture-resistant plasterboard, special metal latch and hinged hinges.
  4. After taking the necessary measurements, cut out the necessary parts from the plasterboard, leaving an overlap of 0.56 cm in width. Then you will need to provide a door that will provide access to the “insides” of the bath. The door can be in the short or long part of the screen, depending on the location of the bath. Having decided on the location, cut a hole in the desired part and install the door using the hinges and latch.
  5. After this, secure the plasterboard strips to the frame using screws. Don't forget to check the stability of the entire structure.

The plasterboard screen is ready!

The screen manufacturing method we described above is only suitable for standard rectangular bathtubs.




Curved screen

If you are the happy owner of a round bathtub, then you will have to install a special, curved screen.

For a curved screen you will also need a frame. It is assembled from a special profile for drywall. Such a profile can take any shape, you just need to make the necessary cuts on it.

  1. Prepare two such profiles that follow the contours of the bathtub - for the upper and lower parts of the frame - and secure them with self-tapping screws, retreating from the side of the bathtub at a distance equal to the thickness of the plasterboard sheet (if the frame is to be finished with tiles, then add the thickness of the tiles and glue).
  2. Next, attach the vertical slats at the corners of the bathtub.
  3. After the frame is ready, moisten the sheets of drywall with water and, gradually giving it the desired shape, secure it to the frame.

Screen made of tongue-and-groove slabs

Tongue-and-groove slabs represent building blocks, interlocking with each other according to the principle of groove connection.

DIY bath screen

Before you begin building the tongue-and-groove screen, treat the installation site with a primer.

Using a plumb line, mark the floor, retreating 0.5 cm towards the bathtub. After this, you can begin laying out the screen from the slabs. The slabs are connected to each other using grooves and ridges, and a binding solution is placed between them (this can be tile adhesive or gypsum plaster).


Such a screen does not look very aesthetically pleasing, so it is better to cover it on top tiles- it was under this that we made a half-centimeter indentation on initial stage installations.


From ceramic tiles



Sliding screen

A sliding screen under the bath allows you to solve problems associated with storing various necessary and not so necessary things left over from renovations, household chemicals, buckets, basins and much more. In addition, it allows you to extra effort start renovating the bathtub, since in order to gain access to the pipes, you will not need to dismantle anything. For especially clean housewives, the sliding screen will also be a real godsend, since it is easy and simple to wash the floor under the bathroom and sweep out accumulated garbage.

You can install such a screen yourself and very quickly. Available in stores big choice bath models standard sizes, and the height of the sliding screen can be adjusted independently.


Most often, sliding bath screens are made from plastic panels, but there are other options.

Made from plexiglass

A sliding screen for a bathtub made of organic glass or plexiglass is a beautiful and modern solution. This material is great for the bathroom. Its only disadvantage is insufficient strength, but this disadvantage is more than compensated for by the advantages of the material.


The plexiglass screen is easy to clean, moisture resistant and durable. In addition, this material has a huge variety of colors and textures. You can choose a screen based on the color scheme of your bathroom. It can be matte, transparent and even mirrored.


Mirror

The mirror is necessary element interior of any bathroom. In addition to its direct purpose, it can visually enlarge the space and also provide extra game Sveta . Mirror elements in the bathroom can be placed in the most unexpected places, for example, under the bathtub.

A bath screen made from a real mirror is fragile and impractical, so manufacturers offer screens made of plexiglass with a mirror coating.

The mirror screen will definitely become the highlight of your bathtub interior and will not cause any trouble, as it is made of durable, moisture-resistant material, which is also very easy to clean.


Acrylic

Acrylic bathtubs are often sold with a screen. Screens that come with a bathtub are usually made of plastic panels with acrylic coating. Such screens are made for a specific bathtub model, so they are universal acrylic screen, which can be installed under any bathtub, is quite difficult to find.

Acrylic screens are very light, inexpensive, look neat and last a long time. But such a screen can only be installed under acrylic bath, since it has a specific fastening mechanism.

Made from PVC panels

PVC panels as a bath screen will help you become an independent element of your bathroom interior. You can choose a color and pattern from those available in the store or come up with your own design.

Colored screens made from PVC panels look unusual, and they are very easy to open and close. In addition, if you do not subject it to strong mechanical stress, such a screen can last for decades.

From MDF

Imitating natural wood grain, bath screens made of MDF o will fit perfectly into the interior of a classic bathroom, or into a bathroom in country or eco style. A wide variety of colors makes it easy to match the screen to the color of the bathroom furniture. The stores have a large selection of screens from MDF various structures - solid and sliding. Despite the low cost, the MDF screen looks expensive and noble.


When purchasing such a screen, you should take into account that the models available for sale are suitable only for bathrooms of standard shapes and sizes. In addition, MDF is not a moisture-resistant material, so after three to four years of use the screen will swell and become deformed. Therefore, buy an MDF screen that will be specially treated with a moisture-proof coating.


Screen shape

You can make a bathtub screen yourself, buy it in a store, or have it made to a professional master. All these options have their pros and cons and, in any case, first you will have to decide on the shape of the future screen.

Bath screens can be of three types:

  1. In the form of a blank wall, it does not imply any open niches; it completely covers the space under the bathroom.
  2. With a foot recess at floor level - the recess will give you the opportunity to stand close to the bathtub. This will make it much more convenient to clean the bathtub and bathe children in it.
  3. Tilt at an angle - also allows you to get closer to the bath and, in addition, protects the bathroom floor from splashing water.


Where to buy or order a bathroom screen

So, you already know exactly what kind of screen you want to install under the bathtub. You have decided on the design, material, shape and even color. All that's left to do is purchase the screen itself.

You can buy a screen in a store. Construction hypermarkets offer great amount bath screen models. There you can talk with professional consultants, compare prices, and also determine the quality and strength of the chosen model right on the spot (fortunately, no one forbids touching goods in construction stores). The disadvantage of this method is that you risk overpaying, as sellers often “inflate” prices very much.


You can also make your own bath screen. This way you will incur less money and will be able to make a design that best suits your ideas about convenience and beauty. True purchase necessary materials, and the screen manufacturing process itself will force you to spend a lot of time and effort.

And finally, you can order a screen for your bathtub in the online store. The advantage of this method is that you can make a purchase without leaving your home and order delivery at a time convenient for you. In addition, you will be able to save some money as it is usually much cheaper to shop online than in stores. The downside is that when choosing a screen, you can only rely on the description and photographs of the product, without being able to touch the product yourself and evaluate its quality.

Bath screens made of plasterboard or tongue-and-groove slabs are usually finished with ceramic tiles. Laying ceramic tiles is very simple.

Start laying tiles from the upper left corner. Grease each tile tile adhesive or apply a few drops on it liquid nails. Use special crosses to even out the gaps between the tiles. If there is a door, you can put the tiles on it too. Upon completion of work, treat the seams with grout.

You can avoid unpleasant surprises by studying all the characteristics of the screen in a hardware store and ordering it online. Then you will be confident in the quality of the selected product.

Special containers with many compartments for storing small items will help you organize your bathroom. These boxes are convenient for storing various household items. You can even find containers on wheels at hardware stores that you can move under your bath without any effort.


Household chemicals, brushes and sponges can be stored in closed shelves attached to one of the sections of the sliding screen with inside. This way, everything you need to clean your bathroom will always be at hand.

IN modern world you can see a lot in markets or shops various designs allowing you to hide the space under your bathroom. You can choose any screen so that it fits harmoniously into your interior. In the article we will deal with the fact that how to build a screen for a bathtub with your own hands.

It is not always possible to buy a high-quality screen for a bathtub on the market or in a store, so it is recommended that when renovating a bathroom, you should worry about making the screen yourself.

Bath screen design and assembly

The screen for the bath can be made of plastic, MDF panels, chipboard and others similar materials. There are also special structures on sale made from plexiglass that you can assemble yourself at home.

Making a frame

Before you start making a screen, you must first make a frame for it. This frame is made only for the front part of the bathroom. To make a frame for the screen, we need to take bars of the required length, having a cross-section of 30x30 or 30x40 millimeters. To give the facade a beautiful shade, it can be covered with a special film for decoration.

First we need to make a mark where the side bars will be attached. Then we cut them to a size so that they match the height of the bathtub. We attach the bars to the wall using dowels. Then, taking the same blocks, you need to cut two pieces similar to each other, the length of a bathtub. The finished blanks need to be fixed at the top and bottom of our structure, on the racks on the side, and we need to use metal corners of the size we need. In order for the bars to hold securely and firmly, we attach the lower bar, which runs across in our structure, to the floor, and coat the top bar with silicone sealant.

Assembling the doors

When further working with the bathtub screen, it is very important to decide on the type and number of doors on it, as well as to correctly mark their location on the screen. To do this, it is necessary to cut the sash blanks from a material that is resistant to water. The height of the sashes should correspond to the height of our structure, and the width should be at your discretion.

Fastening the loops

To fasten the hinges on which the door leaves will be attached, we need to install them in the right places vertical racks. After mounting them, you can hang the doors on existing hinges.

The “blind” walls of the structure are secured using dowels. To make the doors convenient to use, magnetic latches can be installed in the corners of the doors. After installing the magnetic latches, you need to secure the corresponding metal plates to the horizontal bars. This can be done using self-tapping screws.

Screen based on plasterboard

First you need to apply markings. Then make a frame from metal profile or wood. Also remember to take into account that finishing, as a rule, has its own thickness. Use drywall that will be protected from moisture. Drywall sheets are cut in accordance with the height of the screen, minus 2 centimeters.

Frame installation

The sheets are fixed with a distance of about 1 cm from the floor and the edge of the bathtub - this eliminates the possibility of swelling of the gypsum sheet. Remember that even special drywall should not come into contact with moisture.

Black self-tapping screws are used for fastening; look carefully at their dimensions so as not to damage the bathtub.

Frame

Frame

Plasterboard fastenings where the niche should be

Plumbing hatch for tiling and niche

Sheathing

Laying a brick screen

This option is not very difficult. Along the border of the bathtub or from wall to wall you need to do brick wall, the thickness of which is about half a brick. It is necessary to alter the brick, that is, each next row is shifted by half a brick. Also leave room for a window so that communications can be carried out. The door will be attached using awnings.

There is no need to rest the bathtub on bricks, although they are very strong. It is important to leave a gap of about 2 cm and blow out everything with foam. After this you can sheathe brickwork ceramic tiles or use other materials.

The screen serves as a screen for communications connected to the bathroom. Underneath it perfectly hides the legs of a bathtub installed on linings, a drain, sewer outlets, pipes. But in addition to functions related to the aesthetics of space, the screen can also perform other useful work. For example, serve as a support for the stability of the bath or be a cabinet for small items.

Acrylic bathtubs and other representatives of the latest generation of plumbing fixtures are often immediately equipped with a screen, ideal for hiding dark corners and communications. But what to do if the bathtub is old, and you don’t want to see its shabby sides every day? You can purchase a ready-made screen, and if you don’t want to spend money on a store-bought version or you need the screen under the bathtub to 100 percent meet your requirements, you can make a screen under the bathtub yourself. Here are several ways to create a screen.

The screen providing access under the bathroom is made with sliding doors or with a built-in cabinet for household chemicals; may have vertically or horizontally opening cavities. Vertical structures It is advisable to arrange the openings according to the principle of blinds or equip them with gas lifts and other fasteners that are well known to furniture makers.

Requirements for a bath screen


Materials for the bath screen

The materials that you will use in the bathroom should not be afraid of water, moisture, or temperature changes. It is also important that they are not susceptible to rapid destruction from mold or mildew.

You can make the base of the screen from almost any building material, and then decorate the outside to your liking. Plastic panels or tiles are used for cladding.

Homemade screen options:


The fastest way to do this is to cover the frame under the bathtub with MDF panels. Strips of plastic or MDF are biologically neutral and practical. These materials are easy to cut and fasten together.

After construction, the brick base will need to be sheathed and plastered or tiles glued to it. And before installation wooden frame The wood must be coated with a special impregnation to protect it from moisture.

Plastic screen. MDF sheathing

A screen made of MDF or plastic lining will be the most simple option, which will allow you to immediately obtain a finishing surface. The MDF screen is easy to disassemble, and plastic sheathing the most economical - if any part is damaged, it can be replaced.

Plastic for shielding the space is attached to a frame, for the formation of which it is used wooden beam 40 by 40mm or metal profile. A moisture-resistant primer is required for wood.

  1. MDF and plastic panels are cut in advance. To work with plastic, it is convenient to use a cutter or a construction knife. The surface of the screen is made up of panels, and where there should be a technological hole, a slot is made into which a grille or door is inserted.

In the finished plastic screen, it is also necessary to cut ventilation slots (on the side where there is no “window”). The recommended slot width is 3 by 5 cm. Ventilation hole covered with a plastic grill.

Important! When installing a blind screen, make sure that all communications to which the screen will block access are in good condition.

Screen based on plasterboard

The principle of constructing a plasterboard screen is exactly the same as when working with plastic. First, markings are applied to the bathroom floor. Next, a frame is built from a metal profile or wood. But there is a significant difference: when installing a frame under drywall, you need to take into account that the finishing also has a certain thickness. In particular, if it is planned to finish the screen with tiles, the frame must be “recessed” relative to the surface exactly at the distance that the finishing layer will take. If the facing material does not affect the wall thickness, then the projection of the frame onto the floor is plumb.

Second important point: for work in the bathroom you only need special drywall, protected from moisture. In places where it is most likely to come into contact with water, it should be additionally primed. Drywall sheets are cut in accordance with the height of the screen, minus 2 cm.

The sheets must be secured by moving a centimeter away from the edge of the bathtub and from the floor to prevent swelling of the gypsum sheet. Direct contact with moisture or a wet surface is contraindicated even with special drywall (remember, it is green).

To fasten the sheets, use black self-tapping screws, screwing them in every 15 cm along the upper and lower profile. Pay attention to the dimensions of the screws and the thickness of the profile: damage to the bathtub is not the best option completion of work.

After completing the fastening, the base of the screen must be primed entirely and sheathed with any material. It could be ceramic tile or finishing moisture-resistant wallpaper, pasting with film, decorative plaster. The voids near the floor and at the upper edge of the bathtub are filled with polyurethane foam.

To create a screen on a brick base, you need to build a half-brick thick wall under the bathroom. When making initial markings, it is necessary to take into account the thickness of the brick + 2 cm of glue + the thickness of the tiles, deepening the marks accordingly.

The masonry is done with each next brick offset by half (by the way, you can also read about a do-it-yourself brick bath on our website). This will prevent the wall from collapsing. You need to leave a window to access communications. The door is attached to the technological opening using canopies. The wall being built cannot be a support for the bathroom, since the top row of bricks should be 2-3 cm below the edge of the bathroom bowl. They pour into the gap polyurethane foam, which seals the joint between the bowl and the wall.

To cover a brick base, tiles or plaster are suitable.

The screen under the bathtub can be made as drapery or covering made of fabric and other similar materials. The main thing is to choose quick-drying polyester fiber fabrics.

  1. Polyester materials work well in damp rooms.
  2. Fabrics with a membrane structure prevent the formation of fungus, allowing the space under the bath to be ventilated.
  3. Waterproof nylon materials are ideal for covering the screen.
  4. A good solution is to cover the frame with artificial leather.
  5. It is permissible to install panels with any finishing solutions that can withstand dampness.

For triangular or corner bath It is most convenient to use plastic or plasterboard shielding. Complex shapes ideally accept the front mosaic finish, beautifully emphasizing the contour of the bowl. Installation of curved screens also begins with the construction of the frame and then the trim is adjusted in place, in accordance with the smooth lines and curves of the bathtub.

Installation of a finished screen or sliding doors

The finished screen is an acrylic shield or plastic construction with two canvases that slide in different sides. It is best to use the profile that comes with the screen for installation. But homemade foundation frames are also acceptable. Also, don’t forget to look at the screen installation instructions to know what methods you can use to secure it (liquid nails or self-tapping screws).

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