Bathroom Wallpaper

Wallpaper your bathroom you say? Well yes actually, since we are covering the various different methods of redecorating a bathroom we couldn’t leave out the oft ignored bathroom wallpaper!

There are definitely a lot of advantages to using bathroom wallpaper. I think people tend not to consider it because it somehow doesn’t seem like a ‘proper’ way to decorate your bathroom but the bathroom wallpaper you can buy nowadays is very durable and can last for ten years or more.

Firstly it is a great choice for the DIY enthusiast because unlike tiling, as long as you know a brush from a pasting table you should be able to have a go yourself.  Also unlike tiling, it’s very cheap in comparison and it is perfectly possible to paper a whole medium sized bathroom in a day or so.

Things to take into account

As with papering any room, you will need to plan a few things in advance and select the colours and design of the wallpaper carefully. You want to choose bathroom wallpaper that fits in nicely with the existing decor but I also recommend finding paper that is neutral enough to work around should you need to make any changes to the rest of the room.

Make sure you get good quality bathroom wallpaper. As a bathroom is usually damp and humid for a good portion of the day, the wallpaper needs to be able to stand up to this. Standard wallpaper would perish in such conditions very quickly but some bathroom wallpaper is essentially just ordinary wallpaper with a water resistant coating. Be sure to avoid this kind and spend a bit extra on fabric based paper, that’s the stuff that will last for years.

Even with the best quality bathroom wallpaper, it can occasionally suffer at the hands of constant damp/humidity if you have a poorly ventilated or particularly small bathroom. One way round this is to apply a layer of clear varnish over the paper after it’s done. A word of warning though, wait until you are certain the wallpaper is fully dry before applying the varnish as if it’s not the weight of the varnish can pull the paper right back off the wall! I actually recommend that everybody does this with their bathroom wallpaper- it doesn’t take long and it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Different styles of bathroom wallpaper

There are a huge range of different designs available when it comes to bathroom wallpaper, ranging from the garish and tacky to the more subtle. Personally I tend to avoid the excessively embellished stuff like faux marble or fake tiles in favour of a more plain design but it’s obviously up to you.

Borders are also a nice addition to either a freshly decorated bathroom or even a good way to spruce up your existing decor. Again, just make sure you invest in decent quality ones.

So that’s about it I think. As always if you have any questions, feel free to comment below.

Happy decorating!

Why you should use tilepaint

Tiles are often used in a room’s decoration especially for its walls and floors. However, most people tend to avoid them as they perceive them as permanent décor and limited in its remodeling options.
However, remodeling does not have to be a tedious and time consuming job as one can make use of tile paint to bring out different looks in their tiles. Though it is a simple task, it is often dependant on nature of tiles as they may be damaged thus requiring replacement or cleaning before they can be painted.

An individual does not need to have any experience in house painting to use tile paint. However, they need to ensure that they are free from wax so that one can have durable painting on their tiles.

This is because wax will prevent it from sticking to the tiles and this will make it flake easily reducing its durability.  An individual also needs to ensure that their tiles are completely dry and that they use a smooth brush so as to have a smooth paint finishing on their tiles.

An individual needs to decide whether they will use oil based or water based paints for their tiles. Though oils based paints were common and mostly preferred, water based paints are gaining popularity as they are more durable and are also easy to clean.

Though painting of tiles is a good remodeling option, it should not be done for surfaces that are in contact with water for a long time as this will affect the paint’s quality and it will not last for a long time. For application of tile paint, an individual can either use spraying or rolling depending on their preference.

This provides an inexpensive method of remodeling as one can easily change their tile’s color from time to time.

Recently i found myself saddled with the task of decorating a bathroom in my own abode.. Being the ‘second’ bathroom, it was rarely used, but it was certainly overdue a bit of TLC: the main issue being the mildew on the tiles.  Now I initially didn’t tackle the room because I (like many of you probably) didn’t really know what to do to spruce up a tiled room short of ripping all the tiles out and starting over.  With a bit of ‘gentle encouragement’ from the wife though I set about researching all the possibilities and it was then that i discovered tilepaint.

If you have a tiled bathroom and you want to change the decor without spending an arm and a leg, tilepaint can be a good option. Now, there are pros and cons to using tile paint and really it all comes down to budget and time you want to spend on decoration.

Firstly tilepaint is not really supposed to be a permanent solution, it will probably last 3-5 years though if good quality paint is used and the tiles are prepped properly prior to painting. If you want a fit and forget solution, you might want to think about re-tiling. However this can cost several thousand dollars and if you are doing the work yourself can be a major undertaking. For our purposes though, tilepaint seemed like a perfect solution.

Preparation

Now, a lot of brands of tilepaint say you just need to make sure the tiles are clean and dry before painting but i went a bit further and after cleaning them thoroughly with sugar soap, i took some 120 grit wet and dry paper and sanded the surface of the tiles. I made sure i was keeping the paper wet all this time so as to avoid excessive dust.

Note: you might want to be careful with this step if your tiles are very old or cracked.

Priming

The next step is to prime the tiles before the tilepaint is applied. Again, some manufacturers may claim you don’t need primer. I say use it! It’s not a big deal to do an extra coat or two and it might just make the top coat last longer. I used Ronseal primer, but any tilepaint specific primer should do the trick. Make sure the primer is fully dry before you start the topcoat. (normally about 4-6 hours)

Painting

So, you’ve prepped the tiles, painted them with a suitable waterproof primer which is fully dry? Then it’s time to start painting.. This step is not rocket science, just use a medium size gloss roller and try to get an even coat across all the tiles. I find it’s much like painting doors etc with gloss. Just watch out for drips and don’t brush excessively and it should dry smooth.

The drying time of tilepaint is pretty fast. About four hours and it should be fully dry.

So, with a bit of luck you should have a bathroom with a fresh coat of your chosen colour and hopefully it looks pretty good. I was personally surprised by the results, you really can’t tell it’s paint unless you examine it very closely. Only time will tell how it’s going to last but it looks good just now.

Other considerations

There are some things i would say in retrospect:

1: Clean VERY thoroughly!   You really do need them immaculate, particularly if you don’t plan to sand first (though i strongly recommend you do)

2: Make sure you are well ventilated i know this is not always possible in a bathroom, if not i would suggest buying a respirator. May sound a bit extreme but if you’re sensitive to paint fumes like i am the paint will send your head spinning!

3: Use a roller not a brush. I was all set to use a brush as per the instructions on the tin but the guy in the shop recommended a roller and i’m glad he did. I doubt it would have looked as smooth with a brush.

Spanish tiles

If you are planning to renovate your premises, whether home or office, then Spanish tiles are definitely the best choice to go for, especially if you are looking for a classy finish. The fact that each piece of tile has a unique pattern guarantees an exclusive and elegant look for the space you intend to renovate. However, the price of these tiles might put a damper on things since Spanish tiles tend to be slightly pricey compared to their synthetic counterparts. With that being said, why should you opt for Spanish all the same?

First and foremost, Spanish tiles, having originated from natural material, are quite durable. In fact, they are perfect for both indoors and outdoors due to their ability to withstand harsh conditions. As a matter of fact, Spanish tiles are impermeable, making them resistant to a number of elements. Since the surface of these tiles have an inbuilt glaze, they can literally withstand fire and smoke.

Additionally, they are resistant to concentrated chemicals, dirt and any other type of stains. As such, cleaning and maintaining areas that have Spanish tiles installed is a simple task. You do not need to use abrasives and strong cleaning detergents to clean off any stubborn stains.

Spanish tiles are perfect for installation in different places including; staircases, countertops, roofs, porches, patios, floors and corridors. They transform the appearance of the area where they are installed by adding a feeling of class and exquisiteness. Owing to their ability to withstand harsh conditions, they are perfect even for the most delicate areas like the kitchen and bathroom where it’s frequently humid, and outdoors where the weather keeps changing. When it comes to aesthetic features, the tiles posses a natural beauty each having unique hues and patterns guaranteeing a marvelous finish if installed professionally.

As mentioned above, Spanish tiles are slightly expensive compared to other types of synthetic tiles

available in the market. However, the durability of these tiles is reason enough to choose them over synthetic tiles. The fact that they are long lasting means that you do not need to replace the tiles as frequently as you would replace synthetic tiles. For instance, if you accidentally used strong chemicals on synthetic tiles, this mistake would cost you the price of renovating the entire damaged area. Spanish tiles do not incur any damage as a result of exposure to chemicals, sunlight, smoke or saltwater. You are therefore saved the hassle of having to spend on replacements every now and then.