Drywall box in the bathroom

Engineering communications ─ an integral attribute of the bathroom. They make the room functional and provide the opportunity for hygiene. However, even in the modern design, water supply and sewage networks are often far from aesthetics and violate the harmony of the interior. To hide structures from pipes and make them completely invisible, several methods can be used. One of them ─ the construction of the box in the bathroom from drywall, which is easy to assemble with your own hands. It is only necessary to purchase the material and comply with the installation technology of the structure.

Materials and Tools

To make a decorative box in the bathroom, you will need the following appliances and tools:

• pencil and tape measure;
• long ruler and square;
• hacksaw or jigsaw for wood (in the case of mounting a frame of bars);
• impact drill, which is used as a screwdriver and hammer drill;
• scissors for metal or grinder (when working with a metal profile).

In addition, a level and a knife for drywall cutting. The list of materials that you will need to make a box yourself in the bathroom includes:

• Drywall. Its amount is calculated based on the dimensions of the standard sheet and the dimensions of the planned box. It is advisable to use moisture-proof drywall, since the bathroom has high humidity.

• Material for the frame. In its quality, both wooden bars and a special metal profile can serve. When using lumber, it is necessary to pre-treat them with agents that provide protection against moisture and prevent the appearance of mold and fungus.

The connection of the elements of the box among themselves is carried out using screws and dowels. To work, you need two types of fasteners: for fixing the profile or bars to the walls and drywall to the frame.

Mounting technology

For the construction of drywall boxes, you must first determine its location and approximate dimensions. Then, using tools, make the desired design.

Markup

First, the outline of the box is planned on the floor, along which the profile or bars of wood are to be fixed. Then, using a plumb line, similar lines are transferred to the surface of the ceiling. In the case of a complex shape of the box, markings are made on the walls. The perpendicularity of the lines is checked using a corner.

When marking up, the following should be considered:

• the dimensions of the finished box will differ from the intended parameters by the thickness of the drywall sheets and subsequent finishing;
• the dimensions of the structure must exclude the abutment of the material to the pipes and provide a clearance of 3-5 cm from all sides.

If you plan to do ceramic tile lining, then it is advisable to choose its width multiple in size. This will do without trimming the material.

Frame construction

To make the frame with your own hands, you need to fix the profile or bars along the contour on the floor and ceiling, and then connect them, starting from the wall. After that, racks are installed that form the front surface of the structure. In the case when the height or width of the box exceeds 1.5 m and 25 cm, respectively, jumpers should be provided. When using wooden blocks as the basis for the frame, the places of cuts must be treated with a special compound. This will prevent the creak during operation of the structure.

Drywall Installation

Knowing the dimensions of the box under the bath of drywall, perform the cutting of the material. Sheathing sheets are preferably cut so that there is a minimum number of parts. Drywall is fixed on the frame using self-tapping screws, placing them every 15-25 mm.

Box finish

After fixing the sheets of drywall, you can proceed to finish the box, which can also be done with your own hands. Surface first follows putty, simultaneously forming corners and places of abutment to the wall surface, using a corner made of plastic or metal. It is fixed with a thin layer of putty mixture, and then the box is prepared for laying ceramic tiles. This should be done, taking into account the specifics of the object, so do not erect deaf structures.

The nuances of the construction of the box

When making a box that closes the pipes, you need to not only take care of its appearance, but also pay attention to functionality.

Water pipes

In order to provide access to valves, water meters, gearboxes and other elements of the water supply network, it is necessary to provide for technical openings. To do this, cut a hole in the drywall, which can be done either before the sheets are fixed, or after the assembly of the structure. When masking water pipes, the hatch can be placed on the side surface of the box, so it will not be very noticeable. In the places where communications go beyond the limits of the structure, plasterboard holes are made that must be larger than the diameter of the pipes in size. To prevent transmission of vibration, the gap is filled with a strip of foamed polyethylene or other suitable material.

Sewerage

If the box in the bathroom is built to mask the sewer network, then it is necessary to provide a hatch for access to the audit. It is a sleeve on a pipe with an opening that is closed with a lid, or by an outlet. The audit is intended to clean the blockages of the sewer network. It should also provide access to the junction of the domestic waste water disposal system and the central riser.

In this case, the hatch is better placed on the front surface of the box, and you can close it using plastic doors. You can make a lid with your own hands, cutting it out of drywall and lining with ceramic tiles, which are identical to the finish of the bathroom.