PVC tiles for walls, its structure, types, advantages of the coating and the technology of its installation. PVC wall tiles are a modern finishing material that is used for facing surfaces and is a good alternative to traditional tiles. PVC tiles not only have all the advantages of ceramic tiles, but often surpass them in many ways.
Structure of PVC Wall Tiles
Vinyl tiles are multi-layer coatings based on polymer and polyvinyl chloride. In addition, the material contains quartz chips, which give it additional rigidity and strength.
The middle layer of a tile is a pattern applied using a special technology to the base with special paints. It is high definition and can have vivid patterns.
The top of the pattern is covered with a transparent polyethylene film that does not transmit ultraviolet light and protects the tiles from fading.
The top layer of PVC tiles are polymers that protect them from damage, exposure to chemicals and give the coating a beautiful appearance.
Usually PVC tiles for bathroom walls have delicate light colors. If you need an original drawing, you can use triangular products and their other shapes, in addition to the classic version in the form of squares. The texture of the finished cladding is glossy and matte.
The main varieties of PVC tiles
On the market of finishing materials today there are several types of such tiles that have almost identical characteristics, but differ in the way they are attached to the base surface:
- Locked tiles … The products are interconnected by means of special spikes and grooves provided for by their design. Such tiles are laid on a pre-fabricated crate. In this case, a ventilation gap remains between the cladding and the wall. Installation of material in this way differs from all others in significant laboriousness.
- Tiles with mounting on mounting adhesive … In this case, it is applied with a notched trowel to the back of the products and evenly distributed over their surfaces. The tiles are pressed against the base, rolled with a rubber roller to remove air, and the excess glue is cut off from the front side with a clerical knife.
- Self-adhesive tiles … During the cladding process, they are pressed tightly against the wall surface with the gradual removal of the paper protective layer from the adhesive side of the material.
Advantages and disadvantages of PVC wall tiles
When comparing PVC tiles and tiles, the first material wins in many ways. Thanks to its protective layer, it is versatile in use and has a number of advantages:
- Large selection of design options … The design of the PVC coating is not limited only to the abundance of shades. In addition to color, the final appearance of the cladding is also influenced by the variety of shapes, sizes of products and the methods of their fastening. The use of PVC tiles allows you to create drawings on the walls for every taste, and even lay out mosaics from small piece products.
- Moisture resistance of the material … This is another added plus of PVC wall tiles. The PVC coating is absolutely moisture-proof. Therefore, it shows itself perfectly when used in bathrooms, kitchens and other similar premises in which the influence of water or steam is active.
- Tile strength … Although, in fact, the material is made of plastic, but its strength is quite sufficient to resist shock loads and household damage. And the resistance of the tile to abrasion is such that it is even used as a floor covering.
- Ease of installation … Installation of PVC cladding does not require much labor and a lot of time. In the process, simple tools are used, and the amount of waste and debris is much less than when facing walls with tiles or MDF panels.
- Coating efficiency … She always attracts potential buyers. Compared to ceramic tiles, PVC products are inexpensive, due to their low weight, it becomes possible to independently transport the material, which saves on delivery to the place of work.
- Soundproofing … The tile has a multi-layer structure. Therefore, the walls lined with it have soundproofing properties, which are rarely superfluous.
- Easy to clean … In case of contamination, the PVC cladding can be easily washed using household detergents.
The disadvantages of PVC tiles are much less, but they are present:
- Since it is a synthetic material, such products cannot be called environmentally friendly.
- Relatively short service life of the coating - up to 10 years.
- The tiles are not resistant to solvents, therefore they are not recommended for use when removing random stains from the coating.
Technology for mounting PVC tiles on walls
Before gluing PVC tiles to the wall, you must carefully prepare the base surface. This applies to the installation of products of any of the above types. The preparatory work includes cleaning the base from dirt, dust and old coatings, for example, whitewash or paint. In addition, unnecessary protrusions should be knocked down with a chisel or with a perforator, and the grooves and cracks should be putty. With a significant curvature of the surface, it must be leveled with a continuous layer of plaster.
Fixing PVC tiles to walls with glue
Before pasting, the prepared walls must be covered with two layers of penetrating primer, each of which must be cured until dry.
You need to start finishing the wall with PVC tiles from its center with a gradual movement to the corners, laying one row after another. This order does not depend on the type of tile that is mounted by pasting, whether it is a self-adhesive material or products with a preliminary coating of their backs with an adhesive.
When working, do not forget about removing air from the cladding by rolling it with a rubber roller. This procedure should be followed when fixing each tile.
You also need to ensure that they fit snugly together. The cladding should not have seams, since their presence can cause moisture to penetrate under it, which in turn will lead to the appearance of fungus, an unpleasant odor or delamination of the material. This is especially true when pasting with PVC tiles for kitchen or bathroom walls.
If during the installation of the tiles, excess glue gets on their front sides, this defect can be eliminated with the help of a clerical knife. To do this, the influxes need to be cut off, but in no case should they be removed with a rag, as this can aggravate the situation, but not solve the problem.
Having reached the corners of the walls, the excess material should be cut off. After that, the cladding can be considered complete. The adhesive under the tiles hardens within three days, after this period, the coating should be washed using household detergents.
Fastening PVC tiles to the walls on the frame
In this case, the tiles are attached to a wooden batten made of battens. It should be leveled horizontally and vertically using a building level. To protect wooden elements, you can use varnish or another compound that is capable of repelling moisture.
When installing on a batten, the slabs should not be fixed close to the ceiling or floor. There should always be ventilation gaps that can be masked with decorative corners.
The PVC boards should be cut beforehand. Their fasteners are made using self-tapping screws or a stapler. After installing the first tile, the next cladding element must be mounted on the batten and the lock provided for by the panel design must be clicked. The slab is cut from the front side using a clerical knife.
In general, the whole procedure does not take much time, it is quite simple, but laborious. Accuracy and attention is required from the performer.
Advice! Installation of PVC tiles cannot be performed at temperatures below +18 degrees. A few hours before laying, the material should be brought into the room if it was previously exposed to cold air. How to fix PVC tiles on the walls - watch the video:
Modern wall decoration with PVC tiles can decorate the interior of the kitchen, bathroom and other functionally suitable premises. The main thing in this business is to show imagination, use quality materials and have basic experience with tools. Good luck!
