When designing a bathroom from scratch there are a number of things to consider and two of the most important factors are budget and the dimensions of the actual room to be used. Setting aside these two issues, this article will focus on ways to achieve a low maintenance bathroom which is still comfortable, attractive and modern.
A low maintenance bathroom might be ideal for a busy family house or a guest house. The issues to consider will be slightly different for a rented house or apartment where the tenants are unlikely to spend much time cleaning or paying attention to the small details.
Tiles and the Low Maintenance Bathroom
In recent years it has been fashionable to use tiles extensively on the walls and floor. To have a room tiled is relatively expensive including the cost of the tiles, adhesive, grout and labour. Tiles do wipe clean but are not low maintenance. The main problem is that the grout can get very grubby looking and takes quite a lot of care to keep clean. Tiles should be kept to the minimum in a house that is rented out to tenants as cleaning them, renewing the grout and doing repairs to cracked tiles can be costly and time consuming in between tenants.
Bathroom Walls, Backsplashes (Splashbacks) and Paints
Plain plaster and a paint suitable for the wet, humid conditions of a bathroom is the simplest solution for large expanses of wall. Painted walls can be wiped clean and repainting is fast and cheap.
A splashback solution must be applied around the bath or sink and tiles may be suitable used in small amounts in these areas. Alternative materials to consider using include glass, mirror, marble or waterproof wall panels (see showers, below). These materials can come in large panels so that there are minimal joint, unlike tiles. They can come in many colours and wall panels even have a variety of textures.
Easy to Maintain Shower Cubicle
To avoid problems of grout maintenance and potential problems if water gets behind the tiles consider using waterproof wall panels instead of tiles. There are many manufacturers and brands to choose from including, for example, Mermaid, Respatex and Multipanel by Grant Westfield.
It is vital to ensure the shower tray is robust and securely in position. The silicon seal around the tray can be a weakness giving way to leaks, to avoid this a complete shower pod is an option.
Shower doors may take a lot of wear and tear and are surprisingly expensive to replace. If the space is available consider a walk in shower which has no door.
Low Maintenance Sink/ Wash Basin
Ultra modern design has given some beautiful and unusual sinks, not all of them function as well as they should. Ensure that the whole of the sink has a slope towards the plug hole so that all the water will flow away in that direction, it seems obvious, but not all sinks do. Remember that the people who use the bathroom may splash water, lotion and toothpaste far and wide; may not clean up after themselves; and may not turn the tap of completely, so that water tickles down the body of the tap and then on to whatever surface the tap is mounted.
Easy to Clean Toilet
A wall hung W.C. is off the floor so will allow easy floor cleaning as the waste pipe goes out of the back of the wall. When looking at toilets and seats and lids look at how accessible the hinges are for cleaning and whether there are nook and crannies which are hard to get to.
Easy Maintenance Flooring for Bathrooms
By far the easiest floor covering to maintain is Vinyl which is also easy to replace. One of the leading manufacturers of hard wearing floor materials is Altro who also make floor suitable for wet rooms.
A Water Softener for Limescale Problems
In hard water areas limescale can be very harsh on all the bathroom fabrics and clog up the shower. One should consider the benefits and possibilities of fitting a water softener.
Designing the Washroom
It is possible to have a low maintenance bathroom, but not no maintenance. The solutions suggested in this list are practical and can look very appealing but may not be within all budgets and might not fit well in the available space.
Deborah Percy - BSc. MA. Managing Director of a heating & plumbing business. Interest in maths, science & research. Mother of 3, including twins.
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