Installing a ceramic border on the walls above the bathroom. How to glue a border to a bathtub: sorting out the ceramic and plastic options What to glue a ceramic border
The article tells you how to seal any gap that has formed between the bathtub and the wall surface. The types of ceramic borders and their features are described. It tells how to choose the material that is suitable for your conditions. It describes how to stick tiles and what is needed to seal joints and fight pathogenic microbes.
Pros and cons of ceramic borders
The quality of installation is no less important than the quality of the material itself
Choosing a high-quality ceramic border for your bathroom is easy thanks to the wide variety of materials. Professional tilers do not recommend sealing the joints between the walls and walls with plastic corners if the walls of the room are tiled.
Positive properties of ceramic options:
- Material does not absorb moisture, the surface covered with glaze does not allow liquid to pass through;
- Strength and resistance to mechanical stress These products are a big plus. This allows them to be used for 25 years;
- Immunity to the effects of aggressive detergent compositions . Both tiles and ceramic versions can be washed with any chemicals;
- In addition to practicality, the curb looks attractive, for this reason it fits organically into any design.
Sealing joints inexpensively plastic skirting board undesirable, since it is difficult to securely fix it. Plastic products will last less than tiles.
Disadvantages of tiled options:
- High price;
- Although ceramic border is a durable material, it fragile. Heavy objects cannot be dropped on them; they cannot withstand shock. When damaged, cracks form on the surface of the material, moisture begins to collect in them and pathogenic microflora develops;
- Ceramic borders need to be glued with tile adhesive. For accurate and even gluing, you need to take your time, have enough time and good patience;
- When the glue sets, it becomes stiff, which reduces the possibility thermal expansion, for this reason, ceramic products cannot be used in rooms with acrylic bathtubs.
Varieties
The gap appears due to uneven tiles, errors in work, and curvature of the walls. The ceramic option will hide this drawback and become part of the room’s design.
Decorative ceramic border - an element in color, structure and texture similar to the tiles used to decorate the bathtub. Professionals also call it “fillet”, but this name is rarely used.
There are these types:
- Pencil. This ceramic product resembles a rectangular tile, 30 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. It is used to close small gaps between the wall surface and the bathtub, and how decorative element for visually dividing a room into zones;
- Angular. This variety looks like a narrow tile resembling a corner. They are used to close large and medium-sized gaps between the wall surface and the bathtub;
- Frieze. This is a special tile for finishing the surface of walls; it is used to lay out the first row of the finishing surface above the bathroom. It differs from the usual tiles in that its lower cut has a bead that closes the gap between the wall surface and the bathroom.
The frieze is rarely used; it can be used exclusively for narrow crevices.
If you could not find a suitable ceramic border, you can make it by dividing the tiles into strips of the required width, most often 3-4 cm.
The border can be:
- Tape. This is a polymer tape, with adhesive tape on inside, the adhesive part resembles double-sided tape. It is glued using construction hair dryer, with the help of which the fillet is heated and installed in place. Without this, it will be difficult to place the rigid tape in the desired position without gaps;
- Plastic. This is a triangular plastic plinth with soft edges. Sometimes it is called "dovetail". The gap is sealed with this border using “liquid nails”.
- Ceramic. Made from high-quality clay, which is used in the production of tiles.
Advantages of plastic and tape borders:
- Cheapness;
- Ease of installation - can be done by any master;
- Full resistance to moisture;
- Not afraid of fungus and mold, not subject to rot;
- Withstands temperature changes from minus 50 to plus 15 degrees.
- Can last no more than 2-3 years;
- A flat, even surface is required for gluing, otherwise gaps will appear;
- Plastic from hot water after a while it loses its external attractiveness - it turns yellow and acquires a matte tint;
- Installation on “liquid nails” or sealant is short-lived - especially noticeable when using acrylic or metal baths. When a heavy person is immersed in a container filled with water, the bath is deformed and affects the adhesive joint.
It is beneficial to use these borders due to their low cost - it is easy to remove the peeled products and stick a new fillet in its place. It is advisable to glue liquid nails or sanitary sealant containing antiseptic additives.
Right choice
To understand which border is best to use, you need to take the following parameters into account.
- Decoration of the premises. Bathroom, lined PVC panels, requires the use of a border made of the same material;
- What is the bathtub made of? For example, for acrylic bathtubs you need to use products from the same material;
- The size of the gap between the wall surface and the bathtub. If the gaps big size, then it is advisable to cover them with plastic corners;
- How much money can the owner spend?
When choosing a ceramic plinth, check whether its width is sufficient. It is important to choose a material so that its width is more slit by 2-3 cm.
Step-by-step installation instructions in the bathroom
The ceramic option is installed only after laying the tiles and installing the bathtub. To work you will need tile adhesive, grout, a spatula, silicone sealant.
Calculation of the required amount of border
Calculations are performed as follows:
- Using a tape measure, measure the dimensions of the bathroom around the perimeter, in those places where you need to lay the border;
- After this, divide the resulting size by the length of one product, the result will tell you how many pieces of skirting board will be required.
You need to buy 3-4 pieces more; during trimming and adjusting products, several products can be damaged.
If there are old tiles, remove them, remove any remaining glue or sealant; a wallpaper knife is convenient for this. Often mold can be found under old tiles; remove it with a damp cloth and detergent.
The work is carried out in the following sequence:
- The surface of the wall and sides of the bathtub clean from dirt, degrease, and then dried;
- The gap is filled with sealant, if the gap is more than 1-2 cm, you first need to seal it with moisture-resistant cement;
- Laying the border start from the corners, after which it is glued to straight sections. Trimming is required, use a grinder with a disc for concrete or a tile cutter;
- Excess sealant remove with a clean and soft cloth, after which it is left to set for 10-12 hours;
- The resulting seams are sealed special grout or silicone sealant.
The space between the seams is a very vulnerable place; mold quickly appears in them, for this reason you need to use grout that contains antibacterial components.
Gluing a plastic border
It is advisable to practice first without removing the protective tape.
It seems easy to attach the plastic strip with the adhesive layer. But you need to immediately stick it exactly to the right place, then it is almost impossible to move the plinth.
It is not advisable to remove it if the attempt is unsuccessful - traces of glue will remain on the tiles and the wall.
The mosaic option looks good in the bathroom; it is easy to install anywhere thanks to the small tiles. It makes it possible to make any circle perfectly. Although mosaics will cost more than a regular ceramic border, the job can be done well even without experience.
When finishing renovation work in a bathroom whose walls are tiled, most consumers think about choosing the most suitable ceramic corner. It should not only be a successful addition and completion of the created design, but also protect the space under the bathroom itself from leaks and high humidity.
Selection rules
The choice is based on the selection of a product that can last quite a long time. long time. Therefore, special attention is paid to ceramic corners, and not to plastic products or special tape.
- Since one of the most important points is high-quality and effective sealing of the joint between the wall and the bathroom, you should pay attention to the strict and clear geometry. Curve, no different high level quality ceramic corner It is almost impossible to stick tightly to the wall. It will not be possible to avoid the appearance of differences between individual elements of the border, which will spoil appearance.
- A ceramic corner is a product made of durable, waterproof material. It perfectly withstands treatment with detergents and cleaning agents, and is quite resistant to mechanical damage.
- Such a border or plinth is very resistant to deformation.
- A ceramic corner for a bathroom on tiles is easy to install and in most cases goes well with the covering laid on the walls.
Features and advantages of ceramic borders
The use of this product will not only decorate the room, but also significantly strengthen the structure. The ceramic corner and border for the bathroom fits easily onto the tiles, which makes installation work easier.
Before gluing the border, be sure to pay attention to the subtleties of color selection. After all, the outer ceramic corner can be used for artistic decoration not only of the bathtub itself, but also of mirrors and sinks.
An important point of choice is the thickness of the border. Following the advice of the experts, it is worth purchasing a product one unit thicker than the tile used as the main wall covering. The choice is made easier by the existing markings on each product.
An internal ceramic corner is a border used to decorate corner joints. Internal ceramic corners between the bathtub and the wall, the installation of which is carried out in accordance with all rules, guarantee the absence of leaks. They will protect the room from fungus and mold. The photo shows that in addition to protective function, it also has aesthetic significance. They are used to finish any joints between two planes both in the bathtub and in the shower stall. Such a plinth will become a real decoration, but the main advantage of a ceramic corner is the increase in strength and resistance to mechanical damage to the entire structure created using tiles.
Installation rules
Installing a skirting board requires adherence to technology, according to which a ceramic corner can only be glued to a bathtub using special glue. When purchasing a certain number of elements, you should ensure that you have several spare parts. Installing a ceramic corner requires trimming the components of the structure, so a small supply of elements is required. All work related to installation must be carried out simultaneously with laying the tiles on the wall. This plinth will allow you to hermetically seal the joint formed between the bathtub and the wall.
When deciding how to glue the border to the wall and to the bathtub, you need to choose the right moisture-resistant tile adhesive. However, in cases where we are talking about an acrylic bathtub, it is better to purchase glue for plastic.
An acrylic bathtub goes well with a ceramic corner, but before deciding how to glue the baseboard, you should take care of purchasing a sufficient number of components and reliable glue:
- The surfaces of the acrylic bathtub and the wall at their junction must be thoroughly cleaned of all kinds of contaminants. After cleaning, dry all surfaces thoroughly with a hair dryer.
- Determine the size of the gap formed between the wall where the tiles are already located and the bathroom. Before gluing the ceramic corner, you will need to foam it with construction foam.
- Ceramic corner on acrylic bathtub can be glued tile adhesive, which is diluted in accordance with the instructions.
- The adhesive composition is placed with a spatula on the back side of the ceramic corner and the border is pressed tightly against the surface of the wall and the acrylic bathtub. You can also glue the plinth elements using plastic glue.
- Cut 45° angles using a diamond blade on a grinder. Installation of these parts requires special attention and care.
- Pressing all the elements tightly against the wall and the surface of the bathtub, lay the components, using crosses to maintain the same distance between them. The resulting seams are filled with grout. The result can be seen in the photo.
Gluing a ceramic border and corner for the bathroom is not so difficult. The main thing is to strictly follow the attached instructions and listen to the recommendations of the masters. For greater confidence, you can study the stages of work shown in the photo.
When carrying out renovations in the bathroom, even if you strictly follow the finishing technology, it is impossible to avoid gaps between the font and the wall. Their appearance may be a consequence uneven surface sides. If ordinary tiles are used as a finishing material, then a ceramic border must be used to eliminate gaps. It will not only hide the cracks, but also decorate the room.
If you decorated your bathroom yourself, selected expensive plumbing fixtures and used designer tiles to decorate the walls, then using plastic border at finishing works, you will thereby harm the design of the room and reduce the cost of its appearance. To ensure that the interior elements are in harmony with each other and the appearance of the room is completed, it is worth choosing ceramic borders. Although they are more expensive and their installation is a more complex process, they have a positive effect on the appearance of the bathroom, making the interior of this room more impressive.
Features of ceramic bath borders
When purchasing tiles for wall cladding in a bathroom, you can usually get borders included with them. However, it often happens that they are not included in the package. In this case you have to purchase them separately. When choosing them in a store, you should pay attention to the color and texture of the tiles.
When choosing a ceramic border, you need to focus on the color of the tiles that the owner will use to decorate the bathroom, as well as the texture of this material. By following these recommendations, you can hide the gaps between the wall and the font, and in addition give original look The main decoration of this room is the bath. At decorative corners has its advantages, from which you should know:
- high strength characteristics;
- long service life;
- spectacular look;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- environmental Safety material.
It must be said that for decorative skirting boards, as for any decorative element, characterized by certain disadvantages. The most significant among them are the following:
- in comparison with plastic corners, the cost of a ceramic border is quite high;
- The installation work of these decorative elements is highly complex and requires a lot of time.
If you are during repair work In the bathroom, you decide to decorate the font with a border, then you should know that when installing it, tile adhesive is used, which hardens when hardened and is not elastic. If the installation of curbs is carried out on the surface of an acrylic bathtub, which expands when heated, then in this case the base may not be able to cope with the increased load and a crack will appear on the element. As a result of this there will be the seal is broken.
The ceramic corner also has one more drawback that you should be aware of. It lies in the fact that in case of accidental impacts heavy object this decorative element may burst or a chip may form on its surface. Of course, if the installation of the plinth is done with high quality, then it acquires high resistance to impacts, but still does not lose its fragility.
Types of ceramic bath borders
Manufacturers finishing materials We are constantly expanding the range of products offered, improving them and increasing their performance characteristics. Currently available on the market different kinds ceramic corner, which have wide application possibilities. If we talk about ceramic borders for the bathroom, then based on such a criterion as appearance, they can be divided into three main types:
It is worth saying that ceramic corners, regardless of their type, have a universal design. Their installation can be done both on the finishing material itself and under it.
When you picked for yourself in the store suitable model corner, then it is necessary prepare the surface for its installation and decide on the tools that will be used to secure the borders in your bathroom.
Preparation for installation
To ensure that the work of installing decorative corners in your bathroom goes quickly and you are pleased with the result, you need to prepare in advance all the materials and tools that you will need during the installation of these elements.
Materials and tools
Without correct selection tools and materials quality results cannot be guaranteed.
- sealant. It is advisable to use a composition containing antifungal additives during work;
- ceramic corners in sufficient quantity. It is advisable to purchase a little more than you need, since when performing work you can accidentally damage several elements;
- tile adhesive;
- notched and flat spatula;
- emery block;
- Bulgarian with cutting disc for stone.
During work, not all of the prepared tools may be needed. But if you are installing a ceramic border with your own hands for the first time, and you have no experience in carrying it out, then you should prepare all the tools.
If during your search you did not find a ceramic corner that matches the color and texture, then in this case you should choose ceramic border white , since this shade is universal and harmonizes perfectly with absolutely any design.
How to calculate the required amount of corner
Before you go to the store and buy a border, you need to calculate the required quantity for the work. When calculating it is necessary refer to the following diagram:
Let's pay attention to one important point: It’s worth purchasing ceramic corners 3-4 pieces more than you need. It almost always happens that during trimming and adjusting the border, several pieces turn out to be damaged.
Installation of ceramic border
Before installing a ceramic border, it is necessary to carry out work to prepare the joint. It must be degreased and dried. You should use a home hair dryer for drying. After that everything is filled with sealant. If the width of the gap exceeds 5 mm, then you can refuse to use a sealing compound and opt for polyurethane foam.
While the sealant or polyurethane foam is hardening, you need to start preparing the glue that will fix the ceramic baseboard. When preparing the composition, you must follow the instructions on the glue package, which contains a recipe for preparing the composition. In order to secure the decorative element with high quality, it is necessary that the finished glue resembles thick sour cream in consistency.
During work, the first thing to do is laying a corner border, and then the installation of longitudinal elements is carried out from it.
It is worth saying that some time ago, when creating high-quality joints, craftsmen cut off the edges of the curb at an angle of 45 degrees, for which they usually resorted to using an angle grinder with a cutting disc. After that top part broke off using pliers. Next, it was fixed using an adhesive composition. At the moment, this is not required for laying a ceramic border, since the corners are already supplied with corner blanks, the use of which allows you to create a beautiful joint.
When laying ceramic borders one after another, it is necessary to adjust them to each other in such a way that the created ceramic profile around the perimeter of the bathtub looks monolithic. End joints should be hidden as much as possible. Any glue that appears at the corner joints should be removed immediately with a damp sponge or using a rag.
It is necessary to avoid the situation of its freezing. When all the ceramic borders are fixed, you need to wait until the glue settles. This usually takes 8-10 hours. Then the entire corner is thoroughly wetted, and then again you need to leave it until it dries completely. The need for wetting is due to the fact that it dries faster outer side ceramic border than the inner one. And this is undesirable, since the risk of microcracks is high.
Completion of work
When the ceramic border around the entire perimeter of the bathroom is completely dry, to ensure maximum aesthetics of this design, it is necessary to perform a few more steps. The seams between the tiles and the curb are sealed with sealant acrylic or silicone based. When doing this, you must be careful not to stain the tiles.
The ideal option is when the joints between the borders are covered with the same material that was used for the joints between the tiles. But for this, before laying decorative borders, it is necessary to provide the same gap as between the tiles. This can be ensured if, during installation of ceramic corners, you use plastic crosses. In this case, the plinth will look perfect and will be no different from the tiles on the wall.
It should be remembered that the laid ceramic plinth absorbs the greatest amount of moisture, so when grouting it is necessary use a moisture-resistant composition with antifungal additives. Do not forget about choosing the color of the grout, which should match the design style of your room.
Alternative solution
An excellent solution could be a mosaic border in the bathroom, since when laying it out elements are used small size. Although such material costs more ordinary ceramic corners, but its use allows you to do the job efficiently, even if you do not have much experience in this matter. Mosaic is also used if there are rounded lines. Using this material, you can repeat absolutely any circle.
Conclusion
If the surfaces in your bathroom are made of expensive material, then she will look just great. However, you must not forget about the design of the bath itself. Gaps often form between its sides and the wall, which disrupt the harmony of the interior. At the same time, it will help to decorate the bathroom decorative border. In finishing materials stores you can purchase products of various lengths with different colors and texture. A ceramic corner, selected to match the design of your bathroom, will allow you to decorate the bathroom and thus complete the design of this room.
Bathroom will turn into cozy room , in which performing hygiene procedures will become a pleasant experience. Ceramic corners laid along the side of the bathtub will perform not only a decorative, but also a practical function - they will prevent the penetration of moisture into the cracks between the wall and the side of the bathtub.
Ceramic borders for bathtubs
What are they needed for?
The gap formed between the edge of the bathtub and the wall of the bathroom is one of the most common problems that people encounter when renovating a bathroom. Over several decades, many ways to eliminate this nuisance have appeared - from completely sealing the gap using a tile border to sealing the gap with adhesive border tape, which is more of a temporary solution.
Those who renovate and decorate the bathroom themselves usually prefer a simpler and reliable way, namely, the use of special corners for the bath. They come in two types - plastic and ceramic. If the plastic corners perform mainly a practical function - they prevent water from entering behind the bathtub, then the ceramic plinth also serves decorative purposes. Ceramic edging creates a beautiful transition from the tiles to the bathtub, giving the structure a finished look.
pros
- A ceramic baseboard for a bathtub looks much more aesthetically pleasing than its plastic counterpart. The variety of colors allows you to choose a shade close to the tile, which will make the transition almost invisible.
- Ceramics is natural material, which is why it is chosen by connoisseurs of all things natural in the interior.
- Ceramics tolerates very well high humidity, which is inevitable in the bathroom. Fungus and mold rarely appear on it. Temperature changes are also not scary for her.
- The ceramic corner does not require special care. You need to clean it with the same detergents, which you use for tiles.
- The service life of a ceramic bath corner is much longer than that of a similar plastic product.
Minuses
- Despite the fact that ceramics is a hard material and is difficult to accidentally scratch during use, a strong enough impact can damage the curb.
- Ceramic corners are completely non-ductile, so they cannot be used to seal indirect gaps (for example, if the bathtub is of an irregular shape).
- Skirting for a ceramic bath is a more expensive option than plastic corner. However, the price is justified, because such a product lasts much longer.
Types and sizes
Arriving at hardware store, you will find three types of ceramic bath corners.
- "Pencil". This option will do for filling even the thinnest gaps. He has cylindrical shape, sometimes with several edges. Colors may vary, including metallic effect. The length is 20 cm and the width is 15 mm. It is also used as a border for walls and floors, dividing the room into zones.
- “Corner” is the most popular type of plinth; When people talk about a bath corner, this is what they usually mean. It has a triangular cross-section, which allows you to insert one part directly into the gap, and the other two to install on the edge of the bathtub and on the wall. Ceramic corners can be white or colored, plain or patterned. Standard size– 20x5.5 cm and 25x5.5 cm.
- “Frieze” is a wide decorative border, which is most often used to decorate bathroom walls. However, some people install it as a bath nook. It should be noted that working with this element requires some construction skills, since it is laid according to the same principle as tile. The dimensions of this type of border may vary.
Along with the ceramic corner, do not forget to purchase additional elements– caps for edges and sprockets for joining at corners.
These parts are usually sold as a set, but you can also purchase them separately - finding the right color and size is not difficult.
The ceramic corner is installed on the bathtub using two different methods.
How to install on tiles? The first method is usually considered the simplest, so it is usually used by beginners in the construction business.
- In this case, the border is glued directly to the tiles.
- Clean the edges of the bathtub and adjacent parts of the wall from dirt, degrease and dry.
- Treat the seam with a sealing compound and let it dry. If necessary, cut the ceramic border into pieces the right size . In this case, you need to cut from the back side, and clean up chips on ceramics grinder
- or sandpaper. Experts recommend using liquid nails for ceramic corners. Apply adhesive composition
- on the back of the curb, place it on the gap and press firmly for a few seconds.
When finished, seal the joints with a clear silicone-based bathroom sealant.
Installation under tiles Professionals prefer to lay a ceramic bath border before the tiles. This method is considered more labor-intensive; it takes more time and building materials.
- However, the result is worth it - the border turns out to be very beautiful and durable. First you need to prepare the walls for ceramic tiles
- : clean from old finishing materials, level with plaster or plasterboard panels, prime.
- Then you need to install the bath. Use a level for this, but do not forget to provide the slope necessary for normal water drainage. Now the gap can be filled with sealing compound. It is best to use silicone-based sealant. Before you begin, seal the gap on both sides. masking tape
- - this way you will protect the bathtub enamel and ceramic tiles from sealant and glue.
- While the sealant is still wet, quickly smooth it out with a rubber spatula or a soap-lubricated finger (don't worry, the compound washes off the skin well).
- Prepare tile adhesive according to instructions. Apply to the back of the corner required amount
- glue and press it to the gap.
- After the gap is sealed, you can begin tiling the walls. Upon completion of the work, the seams between the tiles and the border elements should be sanded. Use grout of the same color for this.
Lifetime
The service life of a ceramic bath corner is the same as that of other ceramic products used for wall cladding in the bathroom. According to experts, high-quality tiles, laid in accordance with all the rules, with proper care, “live” from 30 to 50 years. Of course, during such a period of time, changes will occur in your bathroom many times, because many people prefer to do major renovation at least once every 10-15 years. Therefore, you don’t have to worry that the ceramic corner will become unusable before you want to change the interior of the bathroom.
Many people equip their bathroom with curbs, as this is advisable for various reasons. To choose the most optimal decorative element, you need to take into account the dimensions of the space in the room, as well as its design.
Ceramic bathroom borders are mainly used, because this material allows the product to perform the necessary functions.
Under tiles
There are two options for installing a curb on a bathroom. Installation of a ceramic border before the process of finishing the walls with tiles consists of the following steps:
- 1. Using a construction gun, you need to place a continuous layer of sealant in the space between the bathtub and the wall. If you don't have a gun at hand, you can use silicone sealant in a tube.
- 2. To eliminate gaps that could allow water to pass through, the applied substance must be leveled with a spatula or by hand. If there is a distance between the bathtub and the wall of more than 5 mm, polyurethane foam should be used instead of sealant.
- 3. During the hardening of the material used, it is necessary to prepare adhesive for the tiles, the consistency of which is similar to thick sour cream.
- 4.Using laser level, you need to set the angle to 5-8 degrees. Next, apply glue from the corner using a spatula and attach the border to the wall, taking into account that new part you need to place it more tightly in relation to the previous one, and remove the protruding glue immediately.
- 5. After this, the border should be wiped with a slightly dampened cloth, and after 8-10 hours, pour big amount water.
- 6. The space between the wall and the decorative element is filled with either silicone or acrylic sealant and use grout that can repel water.
On tiles
The work of gluing the border onto the tiles requires less effort and energy:
- Clean and degrease the bathroom and adjacent tiles.
- Fill the gap between the bathtub and the wall with sealant or polyurethane foam.
- Adjust the corners exactly to size.
- To attach the border to the surface, you can use liquid nails or silicone.
- It is also necessary to fasten the product starting from the corner.
- During work, it is advisable to use a level to check the installation of individual elements.
- Excess glue is eliminated immediately after it appears on the surface.
- Sealant or grout is used to treat seams.
If all stages of work are carried out correctly, then such a decorative element of the bathroom as a border will not only please the eye for a long time, but will also protect it from the occurrence of fungus and mold.
What is a plinth (corner) for a bathtub, see in the video:
