In damp places such as bathrooms, we need to cover the wall with any waterproof material to avoid staining, mold growth, discoloration, and cracking of the paint layer. Additionally, fixing any water-resistant material can also enhance the durability and sustainability of shower area walls. In this article, Baniyas Furniture is highlighting the pros and cons of shower wall panels and ceramic tiles. This debate about choosing ceramic tiles vs. shower wall panels for shower areas to add additional benefits is very common nowadays. To wind up this debate, we have drawn a logical conclusion with the pros and cons of each material.
Shower Wall Panels Vs. Ceramic Tiles | A Result-Driven Comparison
Shower walls need water-resistant panels that can be accurately fixed on the walls around the shower area to prevent moisture absorption. These durable panels are manufactured with a wide range of materials such as fiberglass plastic, acrylic, PVC, and MDF. On the other side ceramic wall tiles also offer high durability with variable moisture resistance. These lightweight tiles are prepared with a mixture of sand, talc, dolomite, calcite, water, and clay.
Pros Of Shower Wall Panels
To broaden your perspective about this comparison, we have enlisted here the main advantages of shower wall panels.
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No Need For Grout
This is a major benefit of using the panels for the shower area walls. In fixing the panels on the wall, there will be no need to grout them due to their long, thin, and plain strips. Sometimes, grout material also allows the water to penetrate the wall surface and damage the inner layer.
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Offers Quick Installation
The wall panels for the shower area require very little time for installation due to simple techniques. You just need to clean the wall surface for the application of a moisture-resistant layer and adhesive material. Then you can fix the panel strips or sheets with joint sealing.
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Provides Plain Surface
Installation of panels provides a plain and smooth wall surface that can craft a decent and sophisticated look. Moreover, the plain surface of these panels also reflects the light to illuminate the interior.
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Requires Low Maintenance
The non-porous or plain surface of panels also assists in wiping the dust and stain particles for easy maintenance. In addition, this smooth surface requires very little effort for cleaning and polishing.
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Cost-Effective Wall Treatment
If you’re exploring a budget-friendly treatment for wall covering, shower panels are an excellent choice. These panels come in variable prices from low to high rates, you can choose any material as per your budget.
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Comes With Easy Movement
These wall panels also facilitate you when you’re going to change the apartment or home. You can easily pick off the panels from the shower area walls and take them to other locations. In these situations, acrylic or fiberglass-made panels are highly suitable.
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No Chances Of Water Leakage
In the case of wall paneling, there will be no chance of water leakage from the panel surface. These panels are usually made of non-porous and plain strips that do not require grouting for alignments and fixing. However, the grouting area is prone to water leakage due to moisture absorption.
Cons Of Shower Wall Panels
Besides a wide range of benefits, shower wall panels also manifest multiple cons. We have listed all possible disadvantages of these panels.
- These panels do not give natural or realistic stone-like appearances due to their manufacturing with some synthetic materials.
- It’s very difficult to relocate these panels in small rooms and bathrooms. Because these panels come in long and large-sized strips that cannot be molded or cut.
- For curved wall surfaces, we can’t use these panels for covering due to their rigid and large-sized structure.
- Most of the wall panels are manufactured with synthetic materials that can’t ensure sustainability and eco-friendly wall treatment.
Pros of Ceramic Tiles
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Natural Appearance Of Tiles
If you want to get a realistic appearance of stones on your shower area walls, you should opt for ceramic wall tiles. These heavy-duty tiles are fixed with grout linings that enhance the aesthetics of the wall due to the traditional tile style.
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Customized Sizes Options
To chase your customization options, you can also opt for ceramic tiles because these tiles also offer a wide range of colors, surface textures, patterns, and sizes options. The versatile patterns mimic the personalized design with joining lines.
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Easy Fixing On Curved Areas
The core benefit of covering the walls with ceramic wall tiles is that they can be easily fixed on all types of surfaces. You can install these tiles on curved or bent surfaces easily due to their small size. You can cut these tiles to any required size as per surface design.
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Eco-Friendly Material
Ceramic tiles are manufactured with eco-friendly renewable materials that emit low-volatile organic compounds. This natural composition of these tiles makes them an excellent choice for high sustainability and a green environment.
Cons Of Ceramic Wall Tiles
We have highlighted the basic cons of ceramic wall tiles that would be useful for choosing the perfect option for shower area wall covering.
- Ceramic wall tiles are fixed and aligned with the aid of grouting which requires extra cost and effort.
- The grouting lines are porous and allow the moisture or water content to penetrate the wall surface.
- If you’re going to install the ceramic wall tiles, it requires more time to complete the installation process.
- The ceramic-made tiles require extra effort for maintenance due to their textured surface that allows the soapy stains to stick.
- You can’t relocate or even take off these tiles from the wall in case of changing the home or apartment.
- These wall covering tiles are also prone to cracking in case of fixing on uneven surfaces unprofessionally.
Wind Up!
In this article, we have crafted a comparison between the ceramic wall tiles and shower wall panels. If you want to cover the shower area wall with eco-friendly material that provides a realistic appearance and maximum customization options, you should choose ceramic tiles. On the other side, if you want a wall covering option that can require very little effort in maintenance and installation, you can install the shower panels. Moreover, these cost-effective panels can also be relocated if required. By considering the pros and cons highlighted by Baniyas Furniture, you can surely get a unique and perfect insight to cover the shower walls.
