Specialization: Capital construction works (laying of foundations, erection of walls, construction of a roof, etc.). Internal construction work (laying of internal communications, rough and final finishing). Hobbies: mobile communications, high technologies, computer technology, programming.
The best way to disguise utilities in a plumbing room is to design a duct in a tub for pipes. I recently renovated a city apartment and constructed a similar plasterboard structure there. The result is a fairly simple and functional design.
Features of the box for the bathroom
A plumbing room is a room with a specific microclimate, in which public utilities - water supply and sewerage - take place.
On pipes in the bathroom, control devices (hot and cold water meters) and control (shut-off valves) are also usually installed. And the engineering system itself requires periodic maintenance - monitoring the integrity of the connections, cleaning filters, replacing damaged areas, and so on.
In this regard, the box for the bathroom must meet several important requirements:
- Take up a minimum of space. Given the small area of the sanitary room, the structure must be made of such a size that it does not take up free space. But at the same time, the sheathing and profiles must be at least 3 cm away from the pipes.
- Provide free access to engineering systems. The design of the box should be such that you or a plumber can easily access pipes, meters and taps for inspection or repair. It is better if the box is removable, but in extreme cases it is necessary to install a sufficient number of revision doors.
- Be safe.
- To harmonize with the decorative finish of the bathroom.
You can name many more requirements, but these, in my opinion, must be taken into account without fail.
Choosing the right material
Now let's figure out what to make the box out of. Most often I had to design it for pipes made of plastic panels and drywall.
A plastic box is more suitable for a riser in a sanitary room, the walls and ceiling of which are finished with a similar material. Then the bathroom interior will look holistic and harmonious.
I prefer to use drywall. This material, when compared to plastic panels, has more advantages, which I have listed in the table:
| Characteristic | Description |
| Ease of installation | Plasterboard sheets are easily fixed on a frame made of galvanized profiles, so they can be used to design a box of any shape and size. At the same time, you do not need to have any special skills or use complex engineering equipment. |
| Light weight | Plasterboard sheets weigh a little, so they do not exert additional stress on the structural elements of the building. And to hold them, thin and lightweight galvanized parts are enough. |
| Flexibility | When wetted with water and pruned on one side, the gypsum board can be rounded by building an effective and unique box in the sanitary room, which will become the central design element. |
| Smooth surface | Plasterboard sheets have a perfectly flat surface, which facilitates their subsequent decorative processing of the box. You do not have to perform additional leveling with lighthouse plaster. |
| Variety of finishes | The surface of the box made of plasterboard sheets can be decorated with any finishing material. Most often, tiles are glued to the gypsum board, but you can use wallpaper, paint, and lining (plastic or wood). |
| Fire safety | The described material consists of hardened gypsum and thin sheets of cardboard, therefore it is difficult to ignite in a fire and does not support combustion. Under the influence of an open flame, it does not emit poisonous smoke and combustion products hazardous to health into the air. |
| Environmental friendliness | The material has a zero formaldehyde emission level, therefore it is completely safe for the human body both during installation and during further operation. |
| Affordable price | The cost of drywall sheets is low, so any person can afford this method of sheathing the box, even if the amount planned for repairing the toilet is small. |
Immediately, I note that for the design of the box, it is necessary to use moisture-resistant drywall, which is painted green. It tolerates operation better in high humidity conditions and is specially designed for installation in sanitary facilities.
By the way, it is possible to construct an excellent box for linen from sheet panels assembled from galvanized profiles. Including portable. If you choose the color of the panels to match the tiles or the color of plumbing fixtures, such a container for dirty things will look quite natural in the bathroom.
Tools and additional materials
In addition to drywall, you will need other tools and materials. Personally, I use the following set for work:
- UD profiles for constructing frame parts along walls and ceilings.
- CD-profiles for mounting the frame racks of the future box, as well as the manufacture of stiffeners of the future structure.
- Dowel-nails or screws with plastic dowels, with which the wall profiles will be fixed to the surface.
- Building level. It is best to use a laser, but a regular water one is also quite suitable. A long tool is more suitable, as you will have to mark the walls.
- Reinforcing tape for reinforcing joints between drywall sheets. It is called serpyanka.
- Knife for cutting drywall sheets. A regular utility knife with replaceable blades or a specialized tool will do.
- Rotary hammer for drilling holes in reinforced concrete bathroom walls.
- Screwdriver for fixing drywall sheets on a constructed galvanized frame.
- Self-tapping screws for drywall. You will need ordinary (with a sharp tip) and special (their tip looks like a drill for metal). The latter are useful for mounting drywall sheets on the installation frame.
- Plasterboard putty. Used together with serpyanka for sealing joints between sheathing sheets.
- Acrylic primer. It is used for surface treatment of gypsum boards in order to reduce their absorbency and increase adhesion to tile adhesive (or other decorative material).
- Scissors for metal. With their help, parts of suitable size are cut from long galvanized profiles.
- Spatulas. They are used for filling drywall seams and gluing tiles.
Box mounting technology
This time I will tell you how to install a box in a plasterboard bathroom, with which you can not only close the pipes, but also hide the installation for a wall-hung toilet (since the plumbing room in the case I am describing was combined).
I divided the technology for installing such a box into several sequential stages, which are shown in the diagram below:
Markup
I will start by marking the walls for the installation of the U-shaped galvanized profiles. As I already said, I will sheathe the installation along with the pipelines, to which the toilet is subsequently attached. Initially, the future battlefield looks like this:
Let's start with the markup. Despite the seeming simplicity of this process, the technology has several secrets, which I want to tell in more detail:
- I mark the walls near the vertical pipes. This is done as follows:
- First you need to find a section of the pipe that protrudes further than others, then measure a distance of 3-5 cm from it (the minimum allowable) and make a mark on the wall.
- Using a laser or water level, a strictly vertical line should be drawn that starts from the ceiling, passes through the mark made and ends at the floor.
- The same should be done with the adjacent wall. First, a mark is made indicating the surface of the future box, after which a strictly vertical line is drawn through it.
- I mark the boundaries of the future box on the ceiling and floor. These will be guidelines for fixing the profiles to the mentioned surfaces. The scheme of work is as follows:
- Near the ceiling, a square is applied to the line on the wall so that its long part is perpendicular to the bathroom wall.
- After that, the square is set flush with the vertical line drawn on the wall.
- With the help of a pencil, a line is drawn on the ceiling along which it is subsequently necessary to fix the U-shaped profile.
- Similarly, a line perpendicular to the wall is drawn from the adjacent wall. You should get the following markup.
- After that, in a similar way, you need to mark the floor, on which profiles will also be installed to secure the frame of the future box.
- I mark the installation locations of the profiles near the toilet installation. At this point, the box will occupy a minimum of free space in the bathroom, therefore the profiles will be installed flush with the border of the installation frame. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- A square should be attached to the frame, focusing on which to beat off a mark on the bathroom wall, which will be on the same level with the frame.
- According to the marks made, you need to draw lines on the wall.
- Check the correctness of the marking using the water level. The marks should be strictly vertically and horizontally.
- When marking, you can focus not on the dimensions of the pipes, but on the geometric parameters of the tiles. In this case, the marking of the boundaries of the structure is done as follows:
- In the corner opposite to where the box will be placed, it is necessary to retreat from the junction of the walls about 1.2 cm (the thickness of the tile with the adhesive) and mark with a pencil. Then, through this risk, draw a vertical line along the entire wall - from ceiling to floor.
- The distance from this mark to the intended location of the box is measured. After that, the resulting value is divided by the width of the tiles used for facing, plus 2 mm for the seam between each.
- Then a mark is placed for the box so that after laying the tiles, there is no need to cut them. Or so that the cut tile is wide (that is, the cut part is narrow). Thus, the box will look as organic as possible.
After finishing the marking, you can proceed to the installation of galvanized profiles, on which drywall will subsequently be attached.
Installation of profiles
Let's start with the installation of frame profiles, which will sheathe vertical water and sewer pipes. The installation sequence is as follows:
- I install galvanized profiles on the floor of the room. Dowel nails will be used to secure them:
- First you need to cut the U-shaped galvanized profile so that its length is equal to the length of the mark on the floor. You can cut the part using metal scissors.
- After that, the cut piece is tried on to the place of its installation. If, for some reason, protruding parts interfere with its installation, a small section of the profile can be cut with scissors and bend with pliers.
- Then the fitted part is pressed to the floor and a hole 5 cm deep and with a diameter that corresponds to the diameter of the selected dowels (usually 6 mm) is made directly through it in the concrete surface using a perforator.
- After that, a plastic dowel with a metal core is hammered into the hole, which will firmly hold the metal part in the place intended for it.
- Holes are drilled in the same way and the rest of the dowels are hammered. The distance between adjacent fasteners is approximately 20 cm.
- I install galvanized UD profiles on the ceiling of the room. The sequence of actions is described in the previous paragraph. It is very important to ensure that all profiles are installed strictly according to the markup. Otherwise, then there will be serious difficulties when installing intermediate profiles and fixing drywall sheets.
- I install vertical details on the walls. This also requires UD profiles and dowel nails. The scheme of work is as follows:
- A part is cut from the profile using metal scissors, the dimensions of which correspond to the distance from the floor to the ceiling.
- After that, the profile is inserted into the parts that are already fixed to the ceiling and floor.
- Then the profile is nailed to the surface using dowel nails. First, it is better to drill a hole and hammer in fasteners near the floor and ceiling itself so that the part is firmly held in place, and then make intermediate fasteners at a distance of about 20 cm from each other. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the galvanized profile is installed strictly along the line drawn on the wall.
- After that, the vertical and horizontal parts must be fastened together using small self-tapping screws ("klopiks"). To do this, it is necessary to squeeze the two parts together with pliers, and then screw the self-tapping screw into this place. If this is not done, the surface of the inner part may bend when the fasteners are screwed into it.
- If the length of the profile you have is not enough, then you can build a suitable part from two. To do this, they are embedded in each other at a distance of 15-20 cm. On the wall, this section must be reinforced with a separate dowel with a screw.
- I install a corner piece for the vertical part of the box. For it, not UD is used, but a CD profile, which has the required strength. The installation scheme is simple. It is necessary to cut the part to the required length, then insert it into the profiles on the ceiling and floor, and then fasten it together with small self-tapping screws, as described in paragraph 3.4.
- I install intermediate stiffeners. They are made from CD profiles. The vertical distance between adjacent elements is approximately 30 cm. They connect the profile against the wall with the central part and provide the required rigidity and strength of the structure during subsequent sheathing and operation. Make sure that the stiffeners are installed strictly horizontally. As a result, you should get something like this (1 - wall profile, 2 - central profile, 3 - stiffener).
- I install galvanized profiles for the box covering the installation. The scheme of work is even simpler here:
- First, UD profiles are attached to the wall according to pre-made marks using dowel nails or screws.
- Then the corner of the installation is connected to the profiles on the wall with one more detail. All of them are fastened to each other using self-tapping screws (in the figure below, node number 1).
- Please note that in the case I am describing, the frame for cladding the installation was fastened after sheathing the vertical box with plasterboard. However, I am describing this process here so as not to violate the logic of presentation (in the figure below, node number 2).
This completes the process of making the frame and you can proceed to its sewing with drywall.
Securing drywall sheets
How to attach drywall to the made frame:
- I cut the gypsum board into parts of the desired size. Despite the seeming simplicity of this operation, it has several nuances, which I would like to dwell on in more detail:
- First, using a tape measure, you need to measure the width of each surface of the resulting frame, and then transfer these dimensions to drywall sheets.
- Then, along the resulting lines, the sheets are cut into parts. To do this, an aluminum rule (or level) is applied to the line, after which a cardboard layer on the gypsum board and part of the gypsum are cut with a knife. Then the part is turned over to the other side and broken. It remains only to cut off the second layer of cardboard and trim the end.
- If necessary, technological holes must be made in the sheathing sheets before screwing them to the frame. For this, drywall is applied to the installation site, after which the areas to be removed are marked. Then they are cut out using the same knife or a piece of cloth from a metal saw (you can't think of better for round holes).
- Holes are required for installing inspection doors. Usually they are cut in those places where meters or valves are located. You also need to provide access to the inspection holes in the sewer pipes for cleaning them in case of clogging.
- I screw drywall sheets to profiles and guides. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- To fix the gypsum board on the frame, black self-tapping screws with sharp tips are used.
- You need to screw the fasteners with a screwdriver that can rotate at low speeds.
- The profiles are attached to both side and intermediate guides. The distance between adjacent self-tapping screws is 20 cm. Thus, it is necessary to sheathe all sections of the constructed frame. I got this design.
- Plasterboard installation for a wall-hung toilet. There are several important features that deserve special mention:
- I started designing the box and cladding the installation only after finishing work with the vertical part of the box, since part of the guide, according to my idea, is attached to drywall.
- The upper and side parts of the installation are sheathed with plasterboard sheets in one layer, since during operation it does not experience increased loads, and the front side of the structure must be sheathed with two layers of drywall.
- To fix the gypsum board on a metal installation, you need to use special self-tapping screws (in the figure below under number 1), the tip of which has the shape of a drill for metal. If you do not have such, then before screwing in an ordinary self-tapping screw (in the figure below under number 2), you need to drill a hole with a diameter of 3 mm in the installation.
- First, the first drywall sheet is screwed to the front side of the installation, and then, on top of it, the second. All necessary technological holes must be pre-cut in both parts.
On this, the process of fixing drywall to the frame of our box can be considered complete. I ended up with this design.
Now you can start decorating the box surface.
Finishing
I chose ceramic tiles as the finish for my installation box. Although, as I said above, the beauty of drywall is that it can be trimmed with any decorative material - wallpaper, paint, and, if you want, plastic.
The scheme for gluing tiles is as follows:
- I putty the gaps between the gypsum board. For this, a joint putty is used. For example, Knauf Fugenfüller. To further strengthen these areas, you can use fiberglass tape - serpyanka. The work is done in this order:
- Seams are treated with a drywall primer. It will remove dust from these areas of the box and improve the adhesion of the surface to the putty used.
- Pre-mixed with water or a ready-made mixture must be applied with a spatula to the seams between the sheets, and then carefully press it inward.
- Glue the serpentine on top of the seam, then apply a small amount of mortar on top and level it with a spatula.
- Grunt drywall surface. It is better to process the gypsum board twice. You can apply the putty with a roller or a regular brush. Processing in two layers increases the adhesion strength of the glue and, accordingly, it is better to keep the tile on the surface of the finished box.
- I carry out the laying of tiles. This process is described in detail in my articles posted on this site, so those interested can refer to them for the necessary information. I will not dwell on this process here.
After finishing laying the tiles and drying the glue using silicone
If you want to get a beautiful bathroom as a result of the renovation, then you will need to try not only with the choice of ceramic tiles and sanitary ware, but also with the preparation of the room itself. For example, it is worth hiding not too beautiful pipes that are unlikely to fit into the design of the room. How to make a pipe box in the bathroom and what it can be made of, you will learn from this article.
Is it possible to build a box?
The structure of the box is usually quite rigid and does not imply easy dismantling for pipe repair. Therefore, before erecting a structure, it is necessary to check their condition. If you have old communications, then it is advisable to replace them with plastic. When replacing, try not to use soldering, mount solid pieces of pipes.
The fewer connections in the communications, the less chances that you will have to break the box to fix the leak. It may never be necessary.
How to make a pipe box in the bathroom: 2 options
You can close the pipes with a box, building it directly around them, or close the entire wall with communications, including pipes. The first option creates a small sill if the pipes run parallel to the floor or the column if they are vertical. In addition, you can save on the material from which the box will be mounted. The second option reduces the space of the room, but this can be partially corrected by making a storage niche and niche shelves closed with doors.
Materials for creating a box
The bathroom is a special room in your home, so the materials for mounting the box should be:
- moisture resistant;
- environmentally friendly.
To mount the box, you will need these materials to be, moreover, not too thick and not heavy. Given the parameters, you can use the following materials:
- moisture resistant plywood;
- plastic.
It is more convenient and reliable to use drywall or plastic to create a box.
The advantages of using drywall for a box in the bathroom
It is worth making a box of moisture-resistant drywall, because:
- good indicators of resistance to moisture. It has been used in such premises for many years;
- it is easy to cut;
- all construction stores sell moisture-resistant drywall - there will be no difficulties in buying it;
- on top of drywall, you can lay tiles, paint or apply any other decorative coating.
The advantages of using plastic for the box in the bathroom
Plastic panels are also a good option for mounting a box:
- quick installation that does not require a lot of tools;
- excellent moisture resistance if you coat the joints with sealant during installation;
- immediately get an attractive surface with which it is easy to use;
- the material is not afraid of temperature changes;
- simple and quick repair or dismantling.
Plasterboard pipe box in the bathroom
To begin with, we will consider all the nuances of creating a duct for pipes in the bathroom, mounted from drywall. If you have ever twisted drywall with your own hands, then take a quick look at the most important tips in this section and its last part about collapsible construction. You already know the rest.
To mount a drywall box, you will need the following tools:
- scissors for metal;
- screwdriver or screwdriver;
- self-tapping screws and possibly dowels;
- roulette;
- pencil;
- level.
Surely most, if not all, of the essentials you already have.
Instructions for building a drywall box
- The walls around which the pipes are located should be measured. Make a detailed plan for the placement of connections (possible leaks) for the future. Doors should be located opposite the meters and valves. If you want the box to look uniform, then make removable parts of the structure instead of doors.
- Make markings of the future structure on the walls, on the floor and on the ceiling (for vertical structures).
The distance between the pipes and the box walls is at least 2.5-3 cm!
- Using a galvanized profile, make a frame for the box according to the markings. To do this, you need self-tapping screws and a screwdriver if the walls are made of plasterboard. You can get by with a screwdriver, but the work will take longer. If the walls are brick or concrete, then use dowels and screws.
If you are installing a box for vertical pipes, then first make guides along the walls. Then the front edge is attached using hangers or a bent edge, and only after it - the galvanized profile is mounted on the ceiling and on the floor.
In the case of installing a vertical box, non-standard designs with several edges (corners) are quite possible.
If the vertical box is more than 1.5 meters, then when installing the frame between the guides, it is necessary to make jumpers from the profile. The maximum distance between jumpers is 1 meter.
- Prepare drywall sheets for installation so that there are as few joints as possible.
- Use self-tapping screws to attach the drywall sheets in place. Do not forget to make a hole for further access to communications.
- Fill the corner or corners of the structure and the joints between the sheets.
- Decorate the box in the same way as the rest of the walls in the room, including the installation of the skirting board.
- Insert the communications access door.
At the beginning of the article, we talked about the fact that even a full-wall box can be made a useful structure. See how you can create a niche in a video:
Collapsible construction of a plasterboard box
Installation of a collapsible plasterboard structure is possible when building a pipe box in a bathroom. To do this, fix the sheets along the very edge and do not putty them. Finishing work on the edges is not carried out - they are closed with corners. Thus, when you need to disassemble the structure, you simply remove the corners and unscrew all the screws. It will not be difficult to assemble such a box after repair work with pipes - it will take at most 20 minutes.
Plastic pipe box in the bathroom
The easiest option for a box in a bathroom is to mount it from plastic panels. Even if you have ceramic tiles everywhere, this material will perfectly fit into the interior. The main thing is to choose the right color and not overdo it with the pattern. The best option would be plain plastic panels.
Tools for mounting plastic panels
For installation you will need:
- a drill or screwdriver with a drill on the tile, if you have finished finishing with ceramic tiles;
- self-tapping screws or dowels for the box;
- plastic cutter, grinder or jigsaw;
- roulette;
- level;
- silicone.
As you can see, there are much fewer tools than in the case of installing drywall. And if you also add the tools for finishing the tiles and the time for laying it, then it becomes clear that a box made of plastic panels is an ideal option!
Instructions for building a box from plastic panels
Let's take a step-by-step look at how to make a box from plastic panels:
- Make a layout for the box. How to do this, see above, in the instructions for drywall construction.
- Install the box from the profile. It can be made the same as for drywall, or you can abandon the front edge.
- Prepare plastic panels according to the dimensions of the structure.
- Use silicone to glue the panels to the profile.
- Glue the corner between the panels with silicone.
Options for communication access doors
It is imperative to leave for yourself the ability to access meters, pipe connections and taps. To do this, you need a door or several opposite these elements. It can be bought (sunroof, blinds, built-in door) or made. If you make a door with your own hands, then make it from the same material as the rest of the structure. It should be decorated in the same way as the box itself. To make it convenient to use it, glue or screw on a small furniture handle (these are usually installed on kitchen sets). In order to prevent the door from opening spontaneously, it must be equipped with magnets. You can make an inconspicuous door. How it is mounted is shown in the video below.
Speaking of pipes in the bathroom, it should be noted that they do not look very attractive. Therefore, the question of how to make a pipe box in the bathroom worries many people. more aesthetic appearance.
Installing the box is the most common method. Just before installation, it is necessary to calculate everything so that there is unhindered access to the distribution of the line.
Otherwise, repair work cannot be carried out without dismantling the box.
Necessary tools for work:
- ticks;
- electric drill;
- square;
- marker;
- hacksaw;
- a hammer;
- scissors for metal;
- screwdriver;
- level;
- roulette.
Initially, you need to make a frame
Regardless of the sheathing material and the location of the box, the frame is always made in the same way. Consider this using the example of a vertical box.
They begin with the installation of two guide profiles. If the box is placed in a corner, then they are mounted on one and the other side of the corner. And in areas where the pipeline runs straight, it must be installed on both sides of the pipe.
It is necessary to strengthen the guides with a level, and they should be fixed with dowels or self-tapping screws.
IMPORTANT! In order not to lose a lot of space in the bathroom, you need to make sure that the profiles are located as close to the pipes as possible.
Next, proceed to the installation of guide profiles in the bathroom on the ceiling and floor. From the edge of the wall profile, lines are drawn on the wall parallel to the wall.
The place where the lines intersect will show the length and direction for mounting the guides. The necessary blanks are cut (two for the floor and two for the ceiling).
Then they are fixed with dowels, and they maintain the direction indicated by the lines. This is necessary in order not to violate the vertical of the angle that is formed later.
First, it is necessary to do the installation on the ceiling, and then, using a plumb line, transfer the docking point to the floor. In this place, the floor profiles are brought together.
They must be fastened with self-tapping screws with a diameter of 3.5 mm and a length of 9 mm (tex).
This corner piece is trimmed according to the height of the room and inserted into the rails on the ceiling and floor. The whole structure is then bound with tex.
The next stage of work will be the connection of wall and corner guides with blanks of bearing profiles.
They are placed every 5 cm, otherwise the frame will not have the required rigidity. And now you can move on to the cladding.
What material is better to choose
Most often, plastic or drywall is used for cladding. The main difference between these materials is that the plastic construction is more convenient.
If necessary, it can be easily and quickly disassembled. And it also folds very easily. A box made of plastic panels does not need additional finishing, but drywall does.
Plasterboard sheathing
A plasterboard box in a bathroom is not difficult to make. Sequence of work:
- Sheets of drywall are cut into pieces of the desired size.
- Then these pieces are screwed to the metal profile. To do this, use self-tapping screws 27 mm. Fasteners are made at intervals of 30 cm using a screwdriver or screwdriver.
- A small chamfer must be removed from the place where the drywall sheets are joined, and the resulting gap is sealed with putty.
The finishing of this material is done in the same way as the finishing of the walls. To do this, use plastic panels, paint, wallpaper, or ceramic tiles.
Access to communications is an important detail when installing the box
It should be borne in mind that someday the network needs to be repaired, so you need to provide convenient and quick access to it. For such purposes, a hole must be made in the structure.
The small dimensions of such a hole make it difficult to access, so consider this point in advance.
The hole is closed with a special hatch. In hardware stores, the selection of these designs is extensive. Buyers can choose any color, size and model modification. The device is fastened with magnets.
Blinds are also used for the hole. Not everyone likes this solution, but the pipes can be reached in a couple of minutes.
Removable plasterboard and tile box
The removable tubing box in the bathroom is suitable when it is necessary to sew pipes inexpensively and neatly. In this case, the advantage is that if the pipeline breaks through, it is easy to get access to the problem area.
Video 1
For a removable structure, they take moisture-resistant drywall and metal guides. The entire structure is made of attachments, which are installed one on top of the other.
All sections are corner elements and are attached to the wall using simple hinges, which are used for hinged shelves.
The structure is hung on screws, and at the same time it rests on the floor. This design is shear resistant. As an additional fastener, a metal corner is used from its inner part.
Access to communications becomes possible through the hatch and after the upper part is removed. Handles are attached to the sections from the inside. This is done for easy movement during installation.
It is better to make the final covering of the removable box from a tile mosaic, which is glued with liquid nails. In the middle section, a hatch is mounted for access to ventilation and meters.
The seam between the sections can not be rubbed, but you can use a rubber seal or silicone.
Removable pipe boxes are not lightweight, but they are easy and quick to disassemble, which makes them very convenient to use.
Finishing the box with plastic panels
This design is considered a good alternative. This material is not particularly inferior to tiles, which occupies a leading place among finishing materials.
Plastic is easy to care for, it can be easily cleaned from dirt and grease stains.
This material is not afraid of temperature changes, and this is very important for the bathroom. The popularity of this material is also based on the fact that its installation is a simple process that does not require a lot of time and money.
If you decide to make a box of plastic panels in the bathroom, then you don't have to think about leveling the walls. Plastic panels are mounted like a laminate (using a puzzle).
The installation process itself takes a couple of hours. A distinctive feature of this material is resistance to deformation.
If the box is tiled in a new house, then it may shrink over time. At the same time, the tile is destroyed, but this does not happen with the panels.
Plastic panels have another advantage. They are much cheaper when compared to tiles. In addition to its high cost, it is necessary to add the costs of glue, grout, corners, and leveling of walls to the costs of its installation.
For plastic panels, none of this is needed. Likewise, replacing tiles is difficult. A damaged panel is much easier to replace. For these reasons, the plastic pipe box in the bathroom is used more often than others.
IMPORTANT! In order for such a structure to last longer, the places where the panels are attached are coated with a silicone sealant.
Plastic paneling of pipes in the bathroom
- In this case, it is advised not to install the entire profile at once. At the beginning, only the wall-mounted starting element is placed.
- Begin to sheathe one side. The plastic is cut into small pieces and inserted from bottom to top (do it horizontally). No fastening is required for them. In those places where you need to control the highway, cutouts are made and the door is mounted.
- Decorative element for the corner. The plastic corner is put on the protrusion of the collected plastic. When it falls into place, it must be secured with planks to the frame.
- The second side of the structure is sheathed in the same way as the first.
- The purl shelf is removed from the last starting profile. It is covered with silicone and glued into the corner.
- The cracks and joints of the box with the tile are filled with sanitary silicone. The excess is gently removed with a damp cloth.
Video 2
Whichever box you choose, the main thing is that it fully cope with its functions. He must close the ugly pipes, and make it possible to comfortably get to them.
With all this, this design should be in harmony with the overall design of the entire room. Using the above information and watching the video, you will learn how to make a pipe box in the bathroom yourself. This kind of work will not be problematic for you.
RecordingsYou cannot do without communication systems in the bathroom. However, plumbing and sewer pipes are unlikely to give your space an aesthetic appearance. Therefore, most of the residents, during the renovation process, try to hide all communication. There are several ways to implement the plan: hide the pipes with furniture, boxes, roller shutters, or brick them up in the wall. When choosing a camouflage option, it is worth considering the possibility of maintaining communications. So that in the event of a breakdown, you do not have to break the decor of the room. By installing a pipe box in the bathroom, you can make a collapsible structure or build small doors to access communications.
Depending on the location of the highways, the box can be installed in two ways: by covering only the pipes or the entire wall on which they are located. In the first option, by closing only those sections where there are pipes, you save on material. Sewing the entire plane on which the highways are located looks more aesthetically pleasing, but reduces the usable area of the bathroom. In order to at least somehow use the space in the box not occupied by pipes, small storage facilities are built there for various things.
What is the best way to make a box?
Before closing unsightly communications, it is necessary to choose the right material for the box, behind which the pipes in the bathroom will be hidden. It must meet several requirements:
- have sufficient moisture resistance;
- have low weight and thickness;
- made from environmentally friendly ingredients that do not emit harmful substances.
According to these criteria, from the commercially available materials for the manufacture of the box in the bathroom, you can use: MDF, moisture-resistant plywood, moisture-resistant drywall or plastic.
Preparatory stage
Most often, problems with the pipeline occur at the joints. Therefore, the fewer, the better. If the duct is installed after laying new pipes, care must be taken to ensure that the line has as few connections as possible. If the replacement of the pipeline is not part of your plans, before hiding the pipes in the bathroom, you need to carry out a thorough inspection of them. Inspect all lines for defects and, if any, eliminate.
It is believed that sealed and welded joints can be closed without fear of leaks. But to fittings with threaded connections, there should be free access. It is necessary to periodically inspect them. Therefore, screw connections must not be bricked up. It is also necessary to provide free access to valves, sewer inspections, meters, filters.
Making a box step by step
The installation of the box in the bathroom consists of several stages. Let's consider each of them in more detail.
Measurements and sizing of the structure
Before sealing the pipes, it is necessary to make the necessary measurements and clarify the location of the box. In places of unreliable connections, to meters and valves, a removable part or door must be provided. A plan of the room on a scale, on which all structural details will be marked, will not interfere. In the process of measuring, do not forget about the thickness of the finishing material.
Having determined the contour of the future structure on the floor, using a plumb line, transfer it to the ceiling, and then make markings on the walls.
Installation of the frame for subsequent sheathing
Before stitching the communications into the box, it is necessary to install the frame around the pipes. It is best to make it from a galvanized profile. Since the air in the bathroom is constantly humid, the use of wooden blocks is undesirable. If you do decide to use them, choose bars made from decay-resistant rocks. And before use, treat all wooden parts with an antiseptic.
The adhesion of the frame elements to each other is carried out with self-tapping screws or using a cutter. To fix the profile to the wall, use dowels and euro screws.
It is necessary to mount the profiles to the wall taking into account that the finishing material subsequently does not adjoin closely to the pipes
The first step is to mount the profile on the walls. Then the racks are installed forming the front face.
Depending on the design of the future box, there can be several or only one front struts. They are fastened with their own folded edge or hangers.
Then the guides are mounted on the ceiling and floor.
It is convenient to fasten vertical and horizontal profiles to each other using a cutter
If the length of the racks is more than 1.5 m, it is necessary to make jumpers between them. They will also be needed for the frame, the width of which is more than 0.25 m. The distance between the jumpers is no more than a meter.
For the strength of the structure, jumpers are attached to racks with a height of more than 1.5 m
When using a wooden frame, treat the cut with construction mastic. This will protect the box from damage and prevent its deformation during temperature and humidity fluctuations.
Sheathing of the frame of the box with sheet material
When cutting out the parts for the box, try to make solid elements, and not from pieces. First, the side parts are cut. They are cut in such a way that the edges do not protrude beyond the frame profiles, but are flush with them. After that, the front part of the box is cut out. It should cover the side elements.
After cutting the material, it is mounted to the racks. This is done with self-tapping screws (3.5-4.5 cm). The distance between them should be no more than 2.5 cm. Such a box will have sufficient strength, so it is not necessary to attach the material to the jumpers. To control the weak points of the pipeline, inspection holes with doors are left.
A hole must be left in the box for free access to valves, meters and filters. It can be closed with a door purchased from a hardware store.
They can be built independently or purchased ready-made. For the hand-made manufacture of access points to the pipes, a door is made from the material that is used for the box itself. To prevent it from opening, furniture magnets are fixed on them.
The door for the inspection hole can be finished with the same material as the entire box. This will make it less noticeable.
A completely collapsible box can be made. For this, sheets of finishing material are attached to the very edge with self-tapping screws. For the final finishing, they are not covered with tiles.
In conclusion, plastic corners or a baseboard are fixed. When you need to dismantle the box, remove the baseboard, untwist the screws and remove the finishing material.
Self-tapping screws, closed with a plastic corner, can be easily unscrewed to dismantle the box in case of emergency. After that, the box remains intact and can be mounted in place.
Final decorative finish
The final stage of the box installation is its finishing. It depends on the material from which the structure is made. Plywood, drywall and MDF can be tiled or painted. Plastic panels do not need any further finishing. They look pretty attractive by themselves. Unlike drywall, plastic does not reduce the floor space.
To decorate the bath, a frame is built from a profile
In the same way, the pipes are closed under the bath itself. First, the frame is mounted, and then it is sheathed, leaving the control doors.
A moisture-resistant drywall is mounted on top of the frame from the profile and tiles are mounted on it. Be sure to leave the door for pipe maintenance
Now, knowing how to mount the box, you can decorate any pipes in the bathroom and make the room more attractive from an aesthetic point of view. Hiding communications in the bathroom improves the design of the room. In addition, after the pipes are closed with a box, the noise level emanating from them is reduced.
Video example of carrying out these finishing works
A modern bathroom cannot be imagined without communications. But sewerage and water pipes will not add attractiveness to the room. Therefore, in the process of renovation, the owners of apartments and houses hide these systems under the boxes. It is quite possible to carry out such designs independently, without the involvement of professionals. Just first you need to pick up the material. To accomplish the described task, you can use one of several methods and complete the installation:
- boxes;
- furniture;
- roller shutters;
- pipes in the wall.
When choosing an option, it is worth considering the possibility of pipe maintenance. In the event of a breakdown, the decor of the room should not be damaged. As soon as the box can be installed, you can mount a collapsible structure or make access doors.
The tubing box in the bathroom can be installed depending on the location of the lines. You can only cover the pipes or the entire wall. The first option involves decorating individual areas, so there is an opportunity to save on materials.
If the entire plane is sewn up, then the room will look more attractive, but this design will reduce the usable area. You can use the space partially occupied by pipes by storing various things there.
Preparation of tools and materials
Like all other rooms in your home, your bathroom should look attractive. The indoor pipe box can be made of different materials - it can be drywall, plastic or wood. However, before starting work, you should take care of the availability of some tools, among them:
- roulette;
- hammer drill;
- construction knife;
- plumb line;
- building corner;
- a hammer;
- bubble level.
To make the boxes, a standard sheet of drywall with dimensions of 2500x1200 mm will be enough. The thickness can range from 9 to 12.5 mm. It is better to purchase a moisture-resistant material, because the sewer riser and water pipes are covered with perspiration, so the humidity will be significant.
The frame can be made of wooden square bars with a side of 40 or 50 mm. An alternative solution is a galvanized profile designed for working with drywall. The latter option is more practical, because the profile does not require special training, and it is much easier to install it.
Material selection
Before making a pipe box in the bathroom, you should select the material. It must be moisture resistant, have a small thickness and weight, and also be based on environmentally friendly ingredients that do not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere. According to these requirements, you can choose plywood, plastic, MDF or moisture resistant drywall.
Preparation
Before installing a pipe box in the bathroom, you need to think about where problems will most often occur. Problems with the water supply or sewerage system occur at the joints. If you plan to install the box after laying the pipes, then you should make sure that the line has fewer connections.
If the replacement of the pipeline is not planned, then before hiding the pipes, it is necessary to inspect them. Without fear of leaks, you can close welded or sealed connections. Fittings should be easily accessible. Their inspection should be carried out periodically. This indicates that screw connections must not be bricked up. Access must also be guaranteed to valves, filters and meters.
Box making: sizing
The pipe box in the bathroom should be carried out only after it has been possible to determine its future dimensions. The distance from the walls of the box to the pipes should not be less than 3 cm.
Installing the frame
Before backfilling the communication system, the frame should be installed. It is better to make it from a galvanized profile, because the air in the room will be constantly humid, so wood is not suitable. If the latter option is still preferable for you, then you should pick up the bars made of rocks that are resistant to decay. Before use, the elements are treated with an antiseptic.
The components of the frame are fastened together with self-tapping screws or cutters. To fix the profile to the wall, you can stock up on euro screws or dowels. The box covering the bathroom pipes must first be fixed to the walls. At the next stage, the racks are mounted, which will form the front face. Next, guides are installed on the floor and ceiling.
If the length of the racks is more than 1.5 m, jumpers should be made between them. They are required for a frame with a width of more than 0.25 m. Between the jumpers, you need to leave a distance of no more than a meter. How to make a pipe box in the bathroom so that it will serve for many years? You must treat the cut with mastic if you are using wood. This will not only protect the material from damage, but also exclude its deformation.
Frame sheathing
When preparing parts for the box, it is necessary to form whole elements. The side walls should be cut first. They are cut so that the edges do not go beyond the frame profile. Then the front part of the box is cut out, which should cover the sidewalls. After cutting, the material is mounted to the racks. To do this, use 3.5 cm self-tapping screws. The step between them should be 2.5 cm. This will provide the frame with strength, so there is no need to fix the material to the jumpers.
For the manufacture of doors, you can use elements that will be fixed with magnets. Sometimes the box for pipes in the bathroom is made completely collapsible. For this, sheets of material are fastened with self-tapping screws at the very edge. The final finishing does not imply their decoration, this is necessary if ceramic tiles are used at the final stage. In order to make the box complete, you can use a plinth or. If you need to dismantle the box, the plinth is removed, the screws are unscrewed, the finishing material is removed.
A pipe box in a plasterboard bathroom is the most common solution for decorating communications. For sheathing the frame, drywall should be prepared, the thickness of which will be 9.5 mm. The joints should be putty, and then the surface is painted or revetted with another material as desired.
Manufacturing of a plastic box
The first thing to do before getting in the bathroom is to close the pipes with a frame. This was discussed above. However, if you want to use polystyrene panels as the cladding of the box, then the cladding will be done in a slightly different way. The advantage of this solution is the ability to adjust the structure in height.
The panels have legs, which makes it possible to level the unevenness of the floor. With the help of these legs, you can close irregularities up to 10 cm. Installation of panels will look like this. An end support is mounted on the wall. The top and side edges must be coated with glue and reinstalled. A wrench will allow the panel legs to be tightened. The plastic pipe box in the bathroom is not only easy to install, but also durable and reliable.
Specialist's recommendations for sheathing the frame of the box with PVC panels
After installing the starting profile, in order to avoid deformation, it is necessary to fix it with beads on the guide profile. On the plastic panel, you need to measure the desired size, then cut it off with a sharp knife. In the starting profile, the first panel is fixed, while the other is attached to the corner profile.
To connect, you must use bugs or fleas. The second side of the box is assembled according to the same principle. On the last panel, you need to fix the starting profile. By using silicone, you will ensure ease of disassembly when an emergency arises. In those places where it is necessary to provide unhindered access to the pipeline elements, it is necessary to cut inspection holes. Special hatches are installed using silicone sealant.
Conclusion
Before making the box, you need to think about what material the frame will be made of. If you plan to use a profile, you should purchase UD and CD guides. If you prefer wood, then to connect the elements from it, it is better to purchase hardened self-tapping screws, the length of which will be twice the size of the timber used.
In each of these cases, to secure the drywall sheets, it is better to stock up on hot self-tapping screws, the dimensions of which are 35-45 mm. It is important to select fasteners that have a piercing tip. It will be easier to work with it, and it will not damage the material.