Whenin the bathroom a repair is started, there is a chance to hide unsightly looking communications, making the interior more attractive. However, in order to hide the pipes, it is important to leave the opportunity to check them and repair them. And there are several ways to solve this problem.
Why hide the pipes
The bathroom is an important part of a house or apartment, which is always sought to give a cozy and beautiful view. But even the most high-quality and fashionable repairs will not bring joy if the pipes and other communications remain in sight. In addition, on unmasked pipes, due to the high humidity in the room, water droplets are often collected. The result is a darkening of the pipes with time.
Proper camouflage of pipes is mandatory during repair, it will make the room neat, and its design - stylish and modern.
Which pipes are installed in the bathroom
Depending on its purpose, the pipes in the bathroom can refer to the water supply system, heating, and sewerage. Piping of water pipes is more convenient for installation and replacement, but when working with sewage pipes, always remember the inclination provided in them in the direction of the riser. If there is a radiator in the bathroom, then the questions of camouflage of the pipes will concern those that are related to the heating system.
In addition to the appointment of pipes in the bathroom are different material. It is now rare to find metal pipes, as modern plastic pipes have many advantages. They are convenient to install, do not need to be painted, easy to replace. Such pipes are lightweight, corrosion resistant.
Often used for pipes in the bathroom are sufficiently strong and thick polypropylene pipes. Products made of PVC differ less thick walls, although they attract the price. However, they cope worse with high temperature and water pressure. If you chose them for installation in the bathroom, be prepared for short-term use and do not hide them sealed.
In addition to pipes made of polymers in bathrooms, metal-plastic and steel welded pipes are often installed, but these are more costly options.
What can be hidden and what can not be done
If you plan to tightly close the masking of pipes, you need to understand that not all communications should be concealed in this way. First of all it is not suitable for masking fittings - connections in the form of letters X, T or G. These are the points where the risk of leakage is increased. Also, do not close the places where there are counters, cleaning filters and other connections.
Steel pipes with welded joints and soldered copper pipes can be welded into the wall. All threaded joints of pipes to hide in the walls without the ability to quickly access them is not recommended.
Rules for masking
First, when installing pipes in the bathroom, try to reduce the number of connections. To achieve this will help the competent wiring and thoughtful arrangement of equipment.
Secondly, if the connections are provided, they must be of the same material as the pipes made of. It is important that their safety margin is identical or higher.
Thirdly, for quick access to valves, meters, cranes and other elements, you should leave special hatches.
Fourth, use condensing materials to prevent condensation from forming on the pipes. If the pipes are hidden in the wall, the insulation will allow the pipes to expand( this is especially important for pipes that carry hot water).
Methods of disguise
Various methods are used to hide communications in the bathroom. Horizontally located pipes with the help of additional work are hidden in the walls, performing shtirovanie, and then finishing the surface with tiles or plaster. Also pipes are often hidden in a box, the construction of which is made of plasterboard or plywood, choosing a material resistant to moisture. Such a box can be finished with tiles or other material.
To conceal pipes, structures similar in appearance to furniture cabinets can also be created. Pipes in such cabinets occupy only a part of the place, and the remaining shelf space is used to store household trivia. Also a popular option is to install a roller shutter in the bathroom. Choosing a pretty decor, they even decorate the room. And always there is an option for creative people - paint the pipes, cover with mosaic, apply artificial plants, stucco or other ideas.
Hiding in the wall
In the walls it is recommended to hide only pipes made of copper or polypropylene - firmly welded or welded, without threaded connections. In this way, it is possible to hide aesthetically the pipes passing horizontally. They are preliminarily placed in the corrugation, then after the shtrobirovaniya stacked in the wall and treated from above with a concrete or cement screed. On the dried screed you can lay a laminate, tile and other coating.
It is important that the screed is completely dry before using the pipes. If you turn on hot water with a wet screed, the coating will crack. The method is quite costly both in terms of strength and time( requires a lot of preparation).It is often chosen for new apartments( for repairs from scratch) or in case of redevelopment. To implement it, you need to use a Bulgarian, a chisel, a hammer and other tools.
Before starting the strobing, it is important to make a layout diagram on paper, which will be the most optimal for your bathroom. When designing such a scheme, take into account the route and diameter of the pipes, as well as the features of the walls( are there any thicknesses, whether the reinforcement is necessary, or the thickness of the screed).In the right places( adapters, cranes, counters, carvings) arrange viewing windows.
Remember that the shtroblenie horizontally do not perform in the panel walls. Also, such manipulation is not carried out with a wall width of half a brick.
Gypsum cardboard box
For this method, use a moisture resistant version of gypsum board. The popularity of this method of camouflage is ensured by its simplicity and manufacturability, as well as financial accessibility.
Drywall helps to hide not only the pipes, but the entire sewage system, but a significant disadvantage is the reduction of the useful area, which is an acute problem for small bathrooms.
Most often a plasterboard box is installed in new buildings, where bathrooms are more spacious than similar rooms in "sockets" or "hruschevkas."
The base of the box is a metal profile or a frame made of wooden bars. It is covered with plasterboard, which is then finished to taste.
To access certain parts of the wiring in the drywall, make holes for the inspection hatch doors to be installed.
Masking furniture and screen
A practical option to hide pipes in the bathroom - to create a furniture design. With its help, the interior can look richer and more attractive. Typically, this design is a cabinet with shelves.
For vertically positioned pipes, the option of a ready-made cabinet is used, in which the back wall is taken away, and in the shelves a place for pipes is cut out. However, it is not easy to find furniture that can be in contact with wet pipes for a long time and not spoil it. And the treatment of all surfaces of the purchased cabinet with a means of protection from moisture will spend your money and time.
Therefore, in the case of masking communications with furniture, the design is created independently or on request.
The material for making furniture in the bathroom is often chosen as laminated particleboard, resistant to moisture. The doors in this cupboard are chosen depending on the placement of plumbing fixtures - sliding or swinging. After installing the structure, all slots are treated with silicone for greater tightness.
Another way to mask, which can be called easy and practical - the use of a special screen. This is a frame in which plasterboard or plastic panels are fixed on 2 rails. Such a screen is inexpensive and looks pretty. It is easily removed, simplifying the repair, but the minus is the same as for the gypsum board - the reduction in the area of the room.
Bath Podium
This is an interesting solution for masking communications that does not take up useful space. As most pipes pass closer to the floor, it is enough to make a small step to hide the water pipe. For such a catwalk, chipboard is used with treatment with moisture-repellent materials.
Roller shutters
Their main advantage is the possibility of easy full access to pipes, filters, counters and the rest. The shutters for the toilet and bathroom come in a variety of materials. They are the best option if the pipes are in a niche. Install them when repairing, then you will avoid unnecessary costs.
Pros and Cons of
In the case of concealment in the wall, minus there will be possible restrictions for the work, since horizontal shrouting in a panel building and working with thin walls is prohibited. Also, if hidden in the wall are inappropriate for this and low-quality pipes, there is a risk of breakthrough and flooding neighbors. Even if you make viewing windows, access to communications will still be limited.
The plus option to hide the pipes in the walls is the aesthetics of the bathroom. You can trim the top of the hidden pipes at will, for example, tile. In addition, so you do not reduce the workspace.
The option with a plasterboard box also limits access for repair or inspection of communications. To replace the pipes, the box must be completely dismantled, and after the repair it must be reinstalled. In addition, the installation of the box will take in the bathroom valuable centimeters of the area.
By choosing roller shutters, you, on the contrary, get maximum access. This is a practical and very mobile option. But, since enough soft materials are used for their manufacture, the shutters can easily be damaged( bent or broken) if they lean against or strike.
The disadvantage of camouflaging pipes with furniture is contact with moisture. Even waterproof material deteriorates with time, and to extend the service of furniture in the bathroom, it should often be wiped dry. The places treated with silicone in such furniture must always be checked( that the silicone layer is not broken).Scratches should also be avoided. The advantages of using furniture as a way to hide pipes are an attractive kind of room, as well as practicality, because you can store different accessories in a cabinet.
