Healthcare washrooms: The pros and cons of choosing bathroom wall panels over tiles
When designing healthcare toilets and washrooms, it’s so important to perfectly balance style with safety. While you need to make sure that all regulations are being met and that they are comfortable to use, there are lots of new designs and approaches that mean you can create a more homely environment.
One approach you might be considering for your washroom refurbishment is bathroom wall panels. These can be used instead of tiles to cover the walls of healthcare toilets and other commercial washrooms.
But why should you choose wall panels instead of tiles for your refurbishment project?
Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to discuss in this guide, looking at the pros and cons of panels over tiles.
The benefits of choosing bathroom wall panels for healthcare washrooms
There are several key benefits to choosing wall panels over tiles as part of your washroom refurbishment project.
They are easy to install
One of the key reasons to choose bathroom wall panels over tiles is that they are easier to install. For one thing, they can be fitted over existing tiles if you don’t have the time or means to remove these.
Not only this, but you can quickly and easily cover larger areas of space, so they are also quicker to install if you're strapped for time.
They are easier to clean
As well as being quick and easy to install, wall panels are also easier to clean. This can be vital in healthcare toilets where cleaners have to tidy and sanitise multiple bathrooms and toilet cubicles every day. The waterproof surface is easy to wipe down and far quicker to clean than tiles.
They are more hygienic
Following on from this, the lack of seams and grout makes wall panels more hygienic than tiles. As we’ve said above, they’re easier to clean, but there is also less opportunity for germs or dirt to hide in gaps or for mould to grow on the grout.
This is vital in healthcare bathrooms, as the cleaners need to make these as sterile and hygienic as possible to avoid the spread of germs and illness among patients and guests.
They are durable
The lack of seams and grout, coupled with the material that they are made from makes these bathroom wall panels more durable than tiles. They are less likely to break, and there is no grout to wear away or become discoloured and need replacing.
These panels are also less prone to marking or scuffing. This is important in healthcare settings where money can be tight and there is no room in the budget for frequent bathroom updates.
There is a range of contemporary styles
Finally, there are lots of striking and contemporary finishes for these wall panels. For example, the panels from Flush offer a range of natural-looking motifs, designs and different tile sizes, so there is something for every style.
This allows you to transform your healthcare washrooms into a welcoming, attractive and clean space that all visitors will feel comfortable using.
The downside to choosing wall panels
It would be remiss of us to say that bathroom wall panels are always the best solution, as every refurbishment project is unique. So, in the interest of balance, we have also pulled together a few reasons why panels may not be more beneficial than tiles.
Quality can vary
The quality of these bathroom wall panels can vary and those that are made from lower-quality materials can be absorbent and flimsy. That is why it is so important to buy quality wall panels from a trusted provider.
There are fewer choices
Again, depending on where you get your wall panels from, there might be less scope for custom design or colour schemes when compared with tiles. You can also get more creative with colours, shapes, patterns and designs with some tiles.
