DIY bath screen. How to make a screen under a bathtub with your own hands An original screen under a brick bathtub

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In order to qualitatively equip your bathroom, you should not forget about the aesthetic side of the finish. If you think that after renovation it is enough to install furniture and plumbing and that’s all, then you are deeply mistaken. In some cases, communications running under the bathroom remain visible, which, of course, do not add aesthetics to the room. Therefore, the free space under the bathtub should be covered with something, and a decorative screen is ideal for these purposes. Often after repairs there is practically no money left, but to buy ready-made panels is not possible or there are other reasons, so you can make a bath screen with your own hands.

Aesthetics above all

IN Soviet times The free space under the bathroom, as a rule, was not closed, and no one worried about the aesthetic side of the issue. But time passes, technology develops and makes it possible to make a screen for a bath of almost any shape and style. Nowadays, special attention is paid to small interior details, because they can radically affect the overall picture of the renovation.

Screens for the bathtub can be purchased together with the bathtub or separately from it, but it is not always possible to choose the desired size and shape of the structure. Therefore you can create homemade screen for a bath, which will not differ from the factory one either in quality or appearance.

And in this article we will tell you how to make a screen for a bathtub with my own hands, what is required for this, what material to choose and other useful things.

Selecting material for the screen

At the very beginning, before making a bathroom screen with your own hands, you need to decide what material will be used.

The most popular today are:

plastic;
acrylic;
brickwork;
tile.

Product requirements

As well as factory product, a homemade bath screen must meet certain requirements:

After installing the screen, there should be free access to communications. That is, the design must contain a door, window or canvas made in the form of sliding sections;
The material or its protective coating must correspond to the special microclimate of the bathroom. In the bathroom there is almost always high humidity, and sharp changes temperature. Therefore, ordinary finishing materials for the bathroom cannot be used, because under the influence of these factors they will quickly collapse;
After installing the screen, the bathtub should not rest on its plane.

Tip: The free space under the bathroom is often used as a niche for storing small items. household chemicals, detergents, etc. You can also install additional shelves on the inside and outside. This solution is especially relevant for small-sized baths.

Creating a brick screen

Brick is a fairly versatile material. In general, making a screen for a bathtub from brick is a classic option.

Creating a brick screen under the bathroom with your own hands is quite simple, you just need to know and take into account the peculiarities of the work process:

The laying is carried out in a quarter of a brick;
The screen is placed from one wall to another along the border of the bath;
To create a correct and strong screen structure, each row of brick is shifted by half of the previous one (“stitched”), that is, a “chessboard order” is obtained;
The space between the floor and the bathtub is not completely filled; space must be left for a door or viewing window;
The last row of bricks is not placed close to the bathtub. A gap of 1-2 cm is left between the brick and the bathtub; it can be blown out polyurethane foam or install a decorative trim.

When making a screen for a brick bathtub, you need to remember that this is not a completely finished structure. After the masonry mortar has completely dried, a decorative finish is installed on top of the brick; this can be tiles, laminate or mosaic.

Important! It is extremely undesirable to use wallpaper, because high humidity and temperature will cause the service life to be very short.

Making a screen from MDF

Screens made from MDF panels are quite popular, because with careful use and high-quality surface treatment they can last a long time, sometimes 10 years or more.

Before making a screen for a bathtub from MDF, a special frame is installed from a metal profile or wooden beams.

Important! If wood is used for the frame, it should be pre-treated with a special antiseptic.

When the frame is completely ready, you can begin covering it with MDF panels. To properly protect the material from moisture penetration, it is treated on all sides with a primer, and the places in contact with the floor are treated silicone sealant.

The screen must contain technical and ventilation holes approximately 2x5 cm in size. To make such holes look harmonious, you can install decorative grilles or panels for ventilation ducts in them.

Manufacturing of plastic screens

Making bath screens from plastic panels is much more simpler structures from MDF. Since there is no process of pre-treatment of the surface and decorative cladding, installation time is reduced several times.

Note: The undoubted advantages of plastic screens include easy installation and dismantling of the canvas.

Before installing the structure, you need to build a frame; for this, you should use a profile for the screen under the bathtub. Its installation is mandatory because it will fix the panel under the bathtub in the desired position. Thanks to this design, you can create a sliding structure. This solution will allow you to rationally use the space under the bathroom.

The frame is made of several parts. The starting profile is installed first, which serves as a support for subsequent structures. The reliability of the installation will determine whether the structure will warp or not. Subsequent elements are mounted on special slides, along which the canvases will move.

Just like in MDF screens, plastic structures must have ventilation and technological openings.

We must remember! When making a screen for a bathtub yourself, you need to take care of sealing the area adjacent to the floor. This procedure can be performed with sealant. Such actions will prevent water from entering the space under the bathtub.

Decorative tile panel

The process of creating a screen from tiles is very similar to the previous ones, only here the pre-prepared frame is sheathed with moisture-resistant plasterboard, after which ceramic tiles are laid.

Unlike previous designs, the tiled screen for the bathroom is made monolithic with your own hands. Therefore, before starting the installation, you need to think through the entire design of the screen where the communication will take place, ventilation and technical openings will be located. Since access to the pipes will be limited, at the very beginning you will have to take care of creating a window or door for servicing the communications.

Before making a bathroom screen from ceramic tiles, you need to decide on the material for the base. The best would be brickwork or plasterboard construction. The frame for plasterboard can be made of wooden blocks or a metal profile.

Ceramic tiles are laid using waterproof tile adhesive for kitchens and bathrooms, and the seams are sealed with a special grout.

Important! The grout must contain substances that prevent the formation of fungus and mold.

A few words in conclusion

To make your own bathroom screen high-quality and create a cozy atmosphere in the room, use our tips on how to make a bathroom screen, and you can also study video tutorials and photo reports from craftsmen.

In order to rationally use every centimeter of the bathroom, designers suggest using a variety of cabinets, niches and shelves. But what about the space under the bathroom? Today in the article we will talk about bath screens, their types, characteristics and cost.

What to make a bath screen from?

The function of such a screen is purely decorative, namely, to hide all unsightly communications located under the bathroom. In addition, you can use it rationally - as a place to store household chemicals, for this you just need to provide special drawers and shelves.

There are many materials for the screen. Choose according to your taste and cost:

Glass, mirrors and wood - almost any material can act as a screen for the bathroom; today we will look at the most practical of them.

What types of screens are there?

Among the main types of screens are the following:

Regular.
Made in the form of a plastic panel;
Universal. The same plastic panels, but in an aluminum frame
Screens without frames.

The most economical option, installation is carried out under the bathtub End They can be performed with or without a frame. In addition, the design can include sliding or opening doors if you want to give it.

additional functions

storage

household items Laying a brick screen - do it yourself step by step

The process of laying a brick screen with your own hands consists of the following steps:
First you need to prepare tools and materials.
There is nothing complicated here, everything is the same as with regular masonry:
Cement;
Sand
Trowel;

Brick; In order for the tiled screen to be flush with the side of the bathtub, use a plumb line to draw a line on the floor - from the side to the floor.

From the resulting line we retreat a distance equal to the width of the tile itself and the mortar on which it will be glued - this will be the edge of our brickwork. On vertical walls– we hit the line at the same distance – and the marking is ready.
Actually, you can start laying the brickwork itself. It is made in ½ brick using a classic cement-sand mortar: 1:3. As with conventional masonry, each subsequent row is laid offset by half a brick.

An important point: do not forget to leave the technical window - in the future, communications will be accessed through it.

Separately, it is worth stopping at the foot niche. It is not necessary to do this, but such a small nuance will make using the bathroom much easier, especially when you are bathing a child or animal. There are two options here - or simply leave the opening the size of one or two courses of masonry, covering it with steel strips to support the upper bricks.

Or make a slanted wall - this requires certain skills, but it looks more impressive.

Armed with a grinder, of course using diamond wheel, cut out the brick that we will need for the side walls. Next, we lay the brick using the dressing method, and if necessary, using the same grinder, we make the top row flush with the rest of the walls.

An important point: do not place the bath directly on the brick, leave a gap of 1-2 cm - and seal it with mounting sealant.

The cost of materials will be about 700 rubles.

After some time, we cover the screen with tiles, not forgetting to hang a door for our technical window - you can buy a ready-made one, or make it yourself from a piece of aluminum.

Sheathing with plasterboard - do it yourself step by step

When starting to make a screen from plasterboard, you need to decide what material to make the frame from. There are two options: wood or metal.

As with laying bricks, in this option you can provide a niche.

When installing drywall in the form of a continuous screen, as in the first case, we make markings and install a guide profile along the resulting lines. Not close, so as not to transfer the weight of the bathtub onto the structure, but with a distance of 1-2 cm from the side we attach a horizontal profile. Fill the resulting gap between the side of the bathtub and the profile with sealant or polyurethane foam.

To make the structure more resistant to deformation, more vertical profiles can be mounted.

It's time to attach the drywall. To do this, take a solid sheet and treat its edges with a moisture-resistant sealant.

Installation is done using self-tapping screws. Make sure that the edge of the drywall is flush against the edge of the bathtub.

The version of such a screen with an equipped niche differs only in changing the frame in the lower part. If in the first case it was one piece of profile. Now there will be three of them: two along the marking line that we made from the side of the bathtub, and one for the niche. We make vertical guides at an angle on both sides of the niche - the frame is ready.

When the frame is covered with plasterboard, we cover it with tiles, using glue or liquid nails.

Sheathing MDF, OSB - do it yourself step by step

Installing MDF or OSB panels is practically no different from installing drywall. The only thing we pay attention to is that all panels must be pre-treated with an antibacterial primer to avoid the appearance of fungus in the bathroom.

And we remind you once again that you need to choose only moisture-resistant panels.

The cost of the panels depends on the manufacturer and is 300 rubles. per sq. m.

Screen made of plastic lining - do it yourself step by step

If you don’t want to think about whether your screen will become a victim of moisture or fungus, we recommend choosing the option from plastic lining. Firstly, installation of this material will not be difficult, and secondly, it is absolutely resistant to various deformations, and it can also be easily disassembled if you need access under the bathtub.

So, as when installing any other panels, we will need:

Profile (CD, UD; starting U-shaped plastic profile)
Self-tapping screws and dowels
The plastic panels themselves.

Using sealant, we install a starting profile around the perimeter of the screen, and attach the panels to it, not forgetting about the technical window.

Another significant advantage of this material is that it does not need additional cladding, there are a lot of color options, you can choose the one that fits into the interior and immediately use the bathroom. In addition, its cost is very attractive - from 150 rubles. per sq. m.

Conclusions - which is better, cheaper, more reliable?

There are a lot of options and materials for decorating the space under the bathroom. Building a screen for a bathtub with your own hands is not difficult. The cost of materials is not high, but you can save a decent amount on the job. After all, installation of such a screen starts from 1,500 rubles. depending on the selected option.

Our advice is to choose materials that are easiest to work with: plastic or drywall.

In addition, if you do not want to spend time and money on cladding - the best choice- this is plastic, because thanks to the many colors, you can choose an option that not only will not be inferior to tiles, but will also emphasize the design of your bathroom.

August 25, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying a foundation, erecting walls, constructing a roof, etc.). Internal construction work (laying internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobby: mobile connection, high tech, computer technology, programming.

Today I will tell you how to make a protective screen for a bathtub with your own hands. Making such a design is not particularly difficult even for an inexperienced craftsman, so I don’t see any point in involving professionals in the work and paying them money for it.

Choosing a suitable design

Let's start by deciding what to make a screen from to disguise the space under the bathroom. Personally, in my practice I have come across various designs.

The most common were the following:

MDF screen for the bathtub - a construction made of laminated wood fiber sheets, which, however, do not withstand use very well during humid air;
plastic screen for the bathroom – and we're talking about both about conventional polymer lamellas and about various sheet materials (plexiglass, polycarbonate, and so on);
construction made of mineral blocks - I made masonry under the bathtub from foam blocks, bricks and even cinder blocks (I do not recommend this option, especially for beginners, due to the high labor intensity of the work);
steel screen – very unusual design, which I installed only because the owner had a suitable sheet of steel (if you decide to make such a screen, I advise you to choose aluminum, which is lighter, looks better, and is protected from corrosion);
a plasterboard screen is a universal design both in terms of shape (gypsum boards can be bent in any plane) and in terms of design (gypsum boards can be covered with any material - tiles, wallpaper, plaster, paint).

As you probably guessed, I prefer to make a tiled screen under the bathtub - the pros and cons of this design are presented in the table below.

Advantages	Flaws
Strength. A plasterboard structure, installed on a durable frame and protected by tiles, can withstand significant external mechanical impact without changing the appearance.	Low moisture resistance. Regular drywall is not designed for use in humid air. Therefore, for work you need to use only material painted green.
Light weight. The screen under the bathtub will not place significant load on the structural elements of the building. Although, in fairness, it is worth noting that plastic panels weigh even less.	Difficult access to communications. Once the installation of the screen is completed, access to the water and sewer pipes under the bathroom will be impossible. Therefore, you should take care in advance to install the required number of inspection doors of the appropriate size.
Decor. Drywall is covered with tiles that blend as seamlessly as possible with the tiles glued to the walls or floor. Moreover, the design can be diversified with decorative elements, friezes, and so on.	High price. Here we are talking more about ceramic tiles that will be used to cover drywall. As for the design itself (frame plus gypsum board), it will cost you very little.
Easy to care for. Ceramic surface, due to its dense structure, does not absorb dirt. Possible contamination can be easily cleaned with a sponge and household detergents.	Difficulty in self-installation. As in the previous case, the greatest difficulty will be caused by laying the tiles. And the screen itself can be constructed without any problems, especially if you follow the instructions below.
Long service life. If you design the screen correctly, it will last as long as the entire decorative finish of the bathroom. That is, it will only have to be dismantled during the next repair.

I think I've convinced you that the best choice is a tiled plasterboard screen. I will make a structure of a complex shape with a protrusion at the bottom, which makes it possible to comfortably place your feet when washing the bathtub and doing laundry.

Required tools and materials

I will briefly list the main materials that will be needed for the work:

Plasterboard sheets. Depending on the size of the bathtub and its location, you will need one or two standard sheets (usually one is more than enough). Let me remind you once again that you only need to buy moisture resistant drywall(green), which can be used in conditions of high humidity.

Profiles for drywall. You will need guides (UD) and load-bearing (CD) elements. Additional fittings (“pawns” and “crabs”) are not needed. We will do everything using ordinary small self-tapping screws (bugs).
Sanitary sealant. With its help, strange as it may sound, I will mount guide profiles on the surface of the floor and walls (in my case, they are already tiled).
Primer for drywall. The surface of the gypsum board is primed with it before gluing the tiles to them.
Tile. Its purpose is clear - decorative design screen. Of course, it is better to match it to the color of the walls or floor. But it all depends on your preferences, so I won’t dwell on it for long.
Tile adhesive. A special dry cement-based composition (or a ready-made dispersion mixture) for gluing tiles.

This is the main one, but in the process of presentation I will mention other tools and materials.

Installation technology

Well, now I’ll tell you how to make your own screen from gypsum plasterboard, lined with tiles. I have divided the entire process into several successive stages, shown in the diagram below.

I will describe each of them in as much detail as possible.

Stage 1 - Preparation

You always need to start work by preparing the room. In the case I describe, I acted according to the following scheme:

I installed the bathtub in the right place. The matter seems to be simple, but there are several small points that I would like to draw your attention to:

Before installation, I advise you to insulate steel bath polyurethane foam. It will not only increase the cooling time of the water, but will also reduce the noise made by the bathtub bowl while filling with water. I described the process of insulating a bathtub in one of the articles on this blog.
It is advisable to install and level the bathtub using special threaded legs, which are either included in the kit or purchased separately. This way you can achieve maximum stability of the product.
You can place several bricks under the bottom of the bathtub, securing them with polyurethane foam. This will add strength to the structure.
After installing the plumbing fixture, you need to connect the drain, overflow and faucets. And then check the functionality of the system and the absence of leaks at the joints.

I laid tiles on the walls and floor of the bathroom. Instructions for laying tiles on walls (including plasterboard) are described in a separate material. But here I would also like to note a few points:
- The tiles where the bathtub adjoins the wall should hang over the plumbing fixture. Its edge should be cut as close as possible to the surface of the bathtub and treated with a “turtle” to form some kind of chamfer.

On the floor and walls under the bathroom, the tiles should be positioned so that they extend 10-15 cm under the plumbing fixture. That is, it is desirable that the screen be installed not just on enclosing structures, but on tiles. This way your design will have the most harmonious appearance.

That's all I wanted to say about preparation. Now you can move on to the next stage of work.

Stage 2 - Marking

When manufacturing the design in question, the dimensions of the bath screen are very important. Moreover, in my case it will have a complex shape with a recess at the bottom for a comfortable position of the legs.

So I decided to devote an entire section to the issue of markup. Well, let's get started:

I cut out a guide profile for the floor. Usually this is one continuous detail, but in my case there are some nuances:
- The profile will consist of three parts, which are separated by the legs of the bathtub. This is done in order to leave as much legroom as possible. It turns out that the recess will be about 7 cm deep, which is quite enough.

The floor profile (like other galvanized parts) is cut with ordinary metal scissors according to pre-made marks.

I mark the walls and floor for further correct placement profiles. This is done as follows:
- From the top edge of the bathtub, using a water level, strictly vertical lines are drawn along the walls, which connect the end of the plumbing fixture and the floor.

After this, the marks on the walls are connected to each other by a line. This can be done using a rule. To check, you can place a level in the middle of the bath. When positioning the instrument vertically, it must rest exactly on the projection line drawn on the floor.
I make an indent for drywall with tiles. I stack the tiles and drywall together and then apply them to the line I drew on the floor. I'm making a note. Then from this notch I set aside another 5 mm, which will be used for glue and screws (gypsum plasterboard does not fit as tightly as possible to galvanized profiles. Then I set aside another 5 mm (the surface of the screen will be slightly recessed when viewed from the edge of the bath). This will be the final mark. They need to be made both on the wall and on the floor.

Using the resulting final marks, using a level or rule, a final line is drawn, which will be a guideline for aligning the main plane of the screen. But do not forget that you still need to mark the recess.

I mark a line for gluing the floor profile. To do this, I measure the distance from the outer line to the foot of the bathtub (no further, otherwise the gypsum board will rest against the foot and it won’t be possible to screw it on) and make several intermediate marks along which I draw an even line, which in my case is approximately 7 cm away from the first one.

Then on two walls I measure 10 cm from the floor and make two marks. This will be the height of the footwell. There is no need to draw additional lines here yet; we will establish the final guidelines during the installation of the frame.

By the way, it’s time to start this stage of work.

Stage 3 - Frame construction

The frame, as you already understood, will be made of galvanized profiles for plasterboard: UD guides (size 27 by 28 mm) and load-bearing CDs (size 27 by 60 mm). You can also take wooden blocks, but wood, as you understand, is less resistant to use in humid air, so I personally do not support this option.

Therefore, below I will tell you how to make a galvanized frame:

Installing floor guide profiles. As I already said, not “quick installation” will be used for this, but ordinary plumbing silicone. It firmly glues the parts and will not allow the screen to move in one direction or another. The scheme is like this:
- The surface of the floor (we have tiles there) and galvanized surfaces are cleaned of dust and then degreased with an alcohol-containing composition. After this, the silicone is loaded into a mounting gun and used to apply it to the prepared part.

After applying the silicone, the part is applied to the floor along the inner line, which acts as the boundary of the footwell in the screen. It is necessary to press the part tightly and wait a few seconds until adhesive composition will grab. The parts that are adjacent to the walls (the outer ones) must be 1 mm away from the wall tiles so that vertical elements can be inserted there, as shown in the photo below.

I install vertical guide profiles on the walls. They will also be attached to silicone, but if you wish, you can replace it with dowel-nails or “quick installation” screws. The scheme is as follows:
- Two profiles 10 cm long (the height of the foot recess) are cut out of galvanized steel, after which they are coated with glue and applied to the wall. At the junction of the floor and wall parts, they need to be nested inside each other.
- Then, for strength, these two parts are fastened with a self-tapping screw. In order not to bend the part when screwing in the screw, it must be supported with pliers.

The upper vertical part is glued. Its length is equal to the height of the cut of the bath above the floor level minus 10 cm. Then the upper and lower elements are connected by a horizontal guide. All this is held together. The result should be a design that is shown in the photo below.

After gluing is completed, I recommend checking the correct installation of the guides using a tape measure, measuring the distance from the main line. It should be the same.

I install a horizontal profile for the top of the frame. A load-bearing element (CD) will be used for this. The sequence of actions will be as follows:

You need to measure the distance between the two side elements (installed on the walls), and then cut off a part from the profile equal to this length minus 0.5 cm (for ease of installation).
After this, I secured the CD profile in the upper part of the bathtub, screwing it with self-tapping screws to two U-shaped parts glued to the walls (we installed them in step 2). There is no need to attach the profile to the bathtub itself with anything).
For strength, I filled the gaps between the profile and the bathtub with polyurethane foam, which will serve as an excellent seal and prevent the profile from sagging during use. The result is this design.

I install a guide profile that will play the role of the inner corner of the recess for the legs. A UD part is used for it. Here's what you need to do:
- The corner guide in the case I described rests on the nuts of the bathtub legs. So I cut out several small plots to facilitate installation of the frame.

The guide is inserted into the wall structure and then secured with self-tapping screws. Thanks to the recesses for the bolts, the part is positioned strictly horizontally.

Then the internal corner and floor guide profiles must be connected with load-bearing parts (CD). Pieces of the required length (9.5 cm) are cut, and then screwed to the U-shaped parts with self-tapping screws. The distance between them is 30-40 cm.
At the last stage, the profile adjacent to the bathtub must be foamed with polyurethane foam to avoid possible vibrations. The result should be the design shown in the illustration below.

If you want to play it safe and secure the profiles to the walls and floor with dowels, then you need to drill holes using tile drills (with sharp heads), otherwise there is a danger of destroying the decorative finish.

I make the outer corner of the indentation for the legs. I will use two U-shaped guides nested inside each other so that I get a kind of profiled square pipe. So:
- I put two UD parts inside each other, and then secure them in several places with small self-tapping screws. The length of the profiles, as you understand, should be equal to the distance between the opposite wall guides. It is enough to grab these parts in about 4 places just so that they do not fall apart during the assembly process.

I insert the corner guide into the wall profiles. It is necessary to position the part so that the screws with which it is fastened are located at the bottom and top. The profile will fit tightly into place, after which you need to check that it is installed correctly using a building level, and then secure it in place with self-tapping screws. I will show the assembly unit near one of the walls in the photo.

I line the ceiling part of the footwell with plasterboard. This must be done before the installation of the frame is completed, since due to small sizes deepening to do this later will not work for objective reasons. The hemming work is done as follows:
- Using a tape measure, the distance from the outer to the inner profile of the recess is measured, after which a part of the appropriate width is cut out from a sheet of plasterboard. The length should be equal to the distance from wall to wall. You will most likely have to use two pieces of drywall. I got it like this.

Several parts 3-4 cm long are cut from the U-shaped profile. And one part from the CD profile, which will be needed to splice two sheets of drywall. After this, you need to align these parts flush with the edge of the gypsum board at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. To make it more convenient, you can place an entire UD profile under the adjacent edge of the drywall. It should look like this:

After this, all the parts need to be attached to a sheet of drywall using ordinary self-tapping screws. 2-4 pieces for each. Make sure that the cut of the part exactly matches the cut of the main body L. The end result should be the design shown below.

According to the number of staples attached to the plasterboard sheet, another part is cut out with ears that will rest on the profiles on top. The shape of this part is shown in the photograph.

I'm pinning plasterboard construction. To do this, you need to insert it into place and press it from below with scraps more tightly to the frame. After this, insert the parts with the ears into their proper places (see above) and secure it all with self-tapping screws. As a result, the horizontal part of the binder will be firmly fixed. The essence of the operation can be understood from the illustration.

I am installing additional load-bearing frame elements. For them you will need a C-shaped profile for drywall. The work is done as follows:
- I cut out a part from the supporting profile, the length of which corresponds to the distance between the walls minus 0.5 cm. After this, I insert it into the wall U-shaped guides approximately mid-height between the upper guide and the lower corner profile. I secure the part with self-tapping screws.
- From the same C-shaped profiles I cut out parts with ears that will play the role of vertical stiffening elements - two each in the upper and lower parts of the bathroom frame. I install them in the right places and secure them with self-tapping screws. The design should look like this.

Stage 4 - Sheathing with plasterboard

In principle, the main task is to correctly design the frame. But fastening drywall should not be taken lightly. Therefore, I will try to describe the casing scheme in as much detail as possible:

I cut out sheets of drywall to cover the main plane of the screen. The width of the gypsum plasterboard parts should be such that it closely adjoins the upper edge of the bathtub, but does not protrude beyond the border plasterboard sheet at the corner of the footwell. You can cut drywall using a regular utility knife with replaceable blades.

I secure the sheets of drywall to the frame. This must be done using black self-tapping screws that are protected from corrosion. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- The first sheet of drywall is applied to the frame. It must be positioned so that it is flush with the bottom edge of the footwell. After this, I recommend securing the part in several places with self-tapping screws to make it more convenient to further secure it.

After the sheet is tacked and the correct installation is checked, you can crimp the gypsum board using self-tapping screws. They must be screwed into all supporting and guide profiles. The distance between adjacent fasteners is 30 cm. Don't forget to screw the screws into the vertical jumpers.

After finishing work on the first sheet, you should do the same with the second. Remember that at the junction of two gypsum boards there should be a gap of 2 mm to compensate for possible expansion of the material during operation. Later this joint can be puttied or sealed tile adhesive during the tiling process.

Covering the front of the screen ceramic tiles. This should be done precisely at this stage, before the plasterboard is sewn up and the recess for the feet is formed. In my case, I use large and heavy floor tiles:
- Glue is applied to the tile (you need to select a composition that is specifically designed to hold heavy tiles), and then spread over it with a notched trowel.
- The decorative part is pressed against the drywall and then leveled using a level. To prevent the tiles from moving down before the glue dries, you can use spacers made from pieces of wood or drywall.
- The second tile is glued in the same way. In my case, I had to trim it a little, then treat the edge with a “turtle” and remove a small chamfer from it.
- After the glue had set, I rubbed the seam between the two tiles with a fugue of a matching color. It turned out something like this.

I cover the footwell with plasterboard. This must be done after the glue holding the tile to the main part of the screen has hardened. The work flow is as follows:
- I measure the height from the floor to the top of the foot well. It should be about 8 cm if the previous measurements were taken correctly.
- After that, from the gypsum board I cut off the parts of the required height (8 cm minus the thickness of the tiles and glue). Their length should be such that the cuts fall exactly on the transverse strength elements of the frame. There will be an inspection hatch in the central part, so the work in this part should be 1-2 cm away from the adjacent ones.

Stage 5 - Tiling

I have already glued the main part of the tile (see point 3 in the previous section). All that remains is to line the recess for the legs. This is done as follows:

I line the ceiling part of the footwell:
- Several pieces are cut from the tiles. Their width should be such that they fit snugly between the back of the recess frame and the overhanging part of the tile that is glued to the front of the screen.
- Tile adhesive is applied to the workpiece and spread over it with a spatula. You need to use a special ceiling composition. Its consistency should be thicker than usual to hold the part tightly in place after installation.
- After this, the tile is inserted into the recess and secured with spacers made from pieces.

I cover the vertical wall of the footwell with plasterboard. This should be done after finishing the cladding of the ceiling. You need to make sure that the glue is completely dry and holds decorative material on the spot. Further work is built this way:
- Along the edges of the recess, the drywall is screwed to the frame with self-tapping screws. We do not sew up the central part yet, since there will be an inspection hole in this place.
- I glue the tiles to these parts. You need to proceed as described above: cut out the parts of the required sizes (make sure that the corners of the tiles are equal to 90 degrees), process the edge, spread the tile with glue and press it to the drywall.

There must be a seam between the floor and the tile in the recess so that it can be sealed with silicone. You can make it using plastic wedges, which are sold at a hardware store.

I'm making a door for the inspection hole. To make the screen look nice, I will make it from tiles and will not insert a plastic door. The scheme is as follows:

A piece of suitable length is cut out of the tile, which completely covers the inspection hole.
Four holes are drilled along the edges with a crown into which self-tapping screws will be screwed.
After this, the tile is glued to a piece of drywall (we cut it out in advance).
The entire structure is screwed into the frame cross members with self-tapping screws of suitable size.

All that remains is to seal all the seams with silicone.

Summary

If you follow the suggested sequence of actions exactly, you will have a durable and beautiful homemade bath screen. Another simple instruction is described in the video in this article.

You can leave your opinion about the information presented in this material in the comments.

August 25, 2016

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Very often, a screen for a bathtub is made with your own hands for the sole purpose of hiding the not very aesthetic appearance of communication pipes.
But at the same time, this element can become one of decorative ornaments bathroom.

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Main types of bath screens

Depending on the functional load, bath screens can be:

deaf;
with shelves: open or closed doors;
removable;
swing;
sliding;
with retractable sections or drawers.

But, regardless of which option you have to choose, you should take into account three important nuances:

the screen must provide free access to communications for their maintenance and repair, including emergency;
do not use the crane as load-bearing structure for the bath itself;
make a reliable waterproofing seam between the floor and the screen, in order to avoid possible hit and water flowing under the bathtub.

Installing the screen sometimes allows you to slightly expand functionality premises. But this fact is especially relevant for small bathrooms, as it allows you to organize additional opportunities, for example, for storing household chemicals. In this regard, the sliding screen for the bathtub has the greatest functionality, since it does not require additional space to open the doors. From an aesthetic point of view, great opportunities are provided by blind screens, which can be finished with the same materials as the entire bathroom.

The most popular materials for making screens

The main requirement for the materials used to construct a bathtub screen is moisture resistance, and it is based on this criterion that a choice should be made.

Solid screens for bathtubs

If the choice is made in favor of a blind option, then the most practical material is brick, which can then be easily covered with cladding. But it is imperative to provide a technological opening for access to communications, which, however, can also have a decorative design: it can be an ordinary hatch attached with self-tapping screws to the frame, and when closed it does not stand out in any way against the background of the screen and does not spoil its design.

Fixed screens can be mounted from other materials, for example, from MDF, plastic, etc., but most often they are used to make more complex structures with a frame structure that provide greater functionality - such as sliding or swing systems.

Tile screen

Removable and sliding systems

Removable screens are most often used for acrylic bathtubs; they often come with it in the same configuration and are made of the same material. The undeniable advantage of such a screen is its beautiful and presentable appearance, perfect fit to the bathtub, and the disadvantage is the inability to use additional space in the bathroom.

Note!

As a rule, ready-made structures are also made from this material, which are offered in large assortments in specialized stores. If necessary, you can choose the option with an end insert. In this case, it is important to purchase a model exactly according to the size of the bathtub, but you will still have to make an exact adjustment to the location.

In quite rare cases, a mirror can be used as a material for the screen, from which the panels are made or, in the case of a device sliding system, doors.

Installation of frame types of screens for bathtubs

Due to the fact that many types of materials that are highly moisture resistant have appeared on the market, the task of making a screen for a bathtub is not difficult and can be done independently. Often, moisture-resistant plasterboard, plastic or MDF, OSB panels are used for this. But in this case, a frame must be made, the material for which is a metal or aluminum profile. Wood, even specially treated wood, is not recommended for this, although it is allowed.

Making a screen frame

The size of the profile is determined by the width of the material used and the thickness of the decorative finishing - for drywall and OSB it is mandatory, and MDF panels or plastic do not require additional decoration. If you plan to install a sliding system, you should also purchase guide rails similar to those used in sliding wardrobes. To create a convenient approach to the bathtub, you should either provide a special indentation of 5-10 cm from the edge of the bathtub inwards or install an inclined version of the frame.

Access to communications can be provided in two ways: immediately behind open doors or behind an additional internal panel, for example, from MDF - in this case, the external space has a more presentable appearance. But access to communications can also be arranged in an original way, for example, by installing a drawer in the technological window, which, if necessary, can be easily pulled out completely.

Installation of panels

After work on the frame is completed, it is necessary to prepare the panels for installation. First, parts of the future screen are cut out of a sheet of material, they are treated with water-repellent compounds, and they are installed. The blind parts are attached using self-tapping screws, and the doors are mounted on runners or hung on hinges.

Despite the fact that the materials used have good moisture resistance characteristics, you should not abuse this, especially considering the conditions in which they will be used.

Plastic screen

The main advantages of plastic bath screens

Plastic is very often used to make screens and its popularity is explained by the following reasons: good performance characteristics, attractive appearance and low price of the material. At the same time, a plastic screen can be purchased as a ready-made factory design or you can make it yourself. In the second option, it is also necessary to make a frame, making sure to treat its lower part in contact with the floor with sealant.

It is important when constructing a plastic screen to install an additional profile to ensure the stability of the structure, since the material has a special large sizes sag. In order for a screen made of plastic to fit most organically into the bathroom interior, you can choose the material both in color and pattern, and in texture.

Sliding simple screen

Brickwork for screen

This method of installing a screen is perhaps the most traditional and justified, provided that there is no particular need for additional space in the bathroom. To do this, masonry is made along the perimeter of the bathtub in “half a brick”, with mandatory device technological window for access to communications. But before installing a screen under a brick bathtub, it should be borne in mind that such a structure cannot be used as a frame. This especially applies to cast iron or steel, and with acrylic bathtubs Variants are possible, but it is still better to use a special installation frame.

Note!

When carrying out masonry, do not forget about bandaging it, as well as about a gap of 1.5 cm with the bathtub, which is sealed with waterproof silicone sealant or blown in with foam.

Particular attention should be paid to the design of the technological opening for servicing communications. Often this is a small door or hatch that has the same decorative coating as the entire screen, and hinges or special canopies can be used for fastening.

Screen with doors

Bath Screen Brickwork Finish Options

Having installed a permanent screen under the bathroom, choosing the material for its finishing is not difficult. Naturally, the determining point is the overall style of the interior and, naturally, the moisture resistance of the material.

You can begin facing work after the masonry is completely dry; almost any material can be used to decorate it: ceramic tiles, decorative panels plastic and others. But, of course, in the bathroom the most popular and practical type of finishing is the option of tiling, which can repeat the pattern and color scheme walls or contrast with them or with the floor covering. Also, even a mirror can be used as a decorative finish for screens.

DIY bath screen video:

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The screen is an optional part of the bath; it can be installed without a fence. But open communications don’t look at all aesthetically pleasing, do they?

Do you want to hide the communications of your bathtub behind special screen, but you can’t find a ready-made fence due to the non-standard design of your plumbing?

We will help solve this problem - the article provides interesting ideas how you can make a screen for a bathtub with your own hands, what materials are suitable for these purposes and which frame option will be optimal for a particular bathtub.

For clarity, we selected colorful photos with finishing options and presented detailed instructions for installation of the most popular materials.

Moreover, making a nice screen is not at all difficult if you know some of the nuances. And step-by-step installation videos will make working on the screen easier even for a beginner.

Modern acrylic bathtubs are often sold with ready-made plastic screens made according to their dimensions. they are quite simple.

As for steel and cast iron structures, as a rule, screens are not provided for them and you will either have to make them yourself or leave them open.

Open pipes look rather unattractive and spoil the interior of the entire bathroom

Whether or not to close the bathtub is a matter of taste and preference of the owners.. But surely everyone wants to have a beautiful and tidy bathroom. The screen gives the bath an attractive and finished look appearance and closes the sewer pipes protruding from under it.

However, this is not the only reason to install a barrier. The space under the bathroom can be usefully used for storing various household appliances by making.

You can make niches in the fence, install hinged or sliding doors.

The bathtub can be installed without a barrier, if provided. design idea. In this case, it is necessary to purchase a bathtub with a special coating and install it on beautiful legs

With an open structure, water constantly gets under the bathtub during bathing and dirt accumulates. A humid environment promotes the formation of fungus, mold and various bacteria.

The floor under the bathroom also gradually wears out and takes on an unattractive appearance.

To avoid these troubles, it is better to cover the structure with a beautiful screen.

The screen performs not only an aesthetic, but also a protective function, preventing moisture from penetrating under the bathtub. Barrier doors will become a convenient place to store household small items

Requirements for barriers under the bathtub

There are quite a lot of options on how you can make a beautiful and functional screen for your bathtub. When choosing the material for its manufacture and installation method, it is necessary to take into account the requirements for the fence.

There is always a humid environment in the bathroom, so to make the screen you need to use only moisture-resistant materials that can withstand temperature changes and humidity well.

Otherwise, fungus and mold may form on the fence, or it may collapse under the influence of adverse factors.

When installing the screen, it is necessary to make technological holes in it. You can install hinged doors on one or both sides of the bathtub

The fence must be completely sealed to avoid water and dirt getting into inner space. However, you cannot make a completely blank screen.

It is necessary to provide access to communications located under the bathroom. For this purpose, small windows are left or doors are made.

Barrier design options

Before installing the screen under the bathtub, you need to decide on its design. Surely, many would like to see their bathtub not only beautiful, but also comfortable and functional.

Fencing with wide sides

One of the possible options is to make a fence with wide sides. In this case, the bathtub looks as if it is recessed inside the frame. This design is very convenient: the sides act as shelves on which you can put various bath accessories.

A bathtub with sides looks more harmonious and fits perfectly into the surrounding interior. This design is suitable for large bathrooms where there is sufficient space for its installation.

Many people are concerned about the question: will the screen interfere with a comfortable approach to the bathtub? This point is especially relevant for older people.

IN in this case Even at the stage of installing the frame or making brickwork, a special recess is provided for the feet. It is usually made in a rectangular or square shape.

Sloping footwell. A recess of this shape can be made if the frame is made of a metal profile. It is almost impossible to make a bevel in brickwork

Doors and technological openings for access to the sewer can also be made in different ways.

How to make a sliding screen?

Very convenient option– , they also often make hinged doors, or install folding or removable panels.

The sliding screen is convenient and functional. Niches are installed under it for storing various household items and cleaning products. Typically this design is made of plastic

The sliding structure can also be made of plastic. For this you will need a plastic sheet. The guides along which the doors will move must be made of a special aluminum profile.

First done metal carcass, as described above, then guides are fixed at the top and bottom along the entire length of the profile.

The required length and width of the doors are measured, their dimensions are transferred to the sheet and cut out. The doors are fixed on the sides of the screen in the first groove of the profile. A central fixed part is installed in the middle groove.

You can stick a plain or colored film on plastic doors in accordance with common interior baths

If you want the doors to move along the entire length of the bath, then cut two plastic parts. Their size is calculated in such a way that closed they overlapped each other.

The first door is installed in one groove, and the second in the other. Finally, furniture handles are placed on the doors.

Types of frames for screens

Any finishing material must be attached to something. You can assemble it from wooden blocks, a metal profile, or lay out a brick base. Brickwork It is advisable to do this if you plan to lay ceramic tiles or mosaics in the future.

In other cases, you can not make such a heavy structure, but limit yourself to a wooden or metal frame.

Option 1. Frame on a brick base

Brickwork is considered the most reliable and a solid foundation , which will withstand any finishing material. If tiling is planned, then such a base is the best option.

A brick wall is built from one wall to another. The masonry is done in a quarter or half brick. In this case, each subsequent row is done with an offset.

It is necessary to leave a gap of two to three centimeters between the top side of the bathtub and the masonry, and then, after the solution has dried, blow out the empty space with foam.

The brickwork is done in half a brick, do not forget to make a technological hole, and for a convenient approach to the bathtub - a recess for the feet

It is also necessary to provide an opening for access to sewer pipes. If you decide to make a small hole, you can leave it open or hang a door on it. If necessary, make a recess for the feet.

Option #2. Wooden frame for bathtub

The wooden frame also has sufficient strength, but wood, constantly being in a humid environment, can begin to rot. Therefore, before placing a wooden screen under the bathtub, it must be treated with an antiseptic to prevent rotting processes.

You can use moisture-resistant wood from cedar, alder or larch for the frame, but the cost of these wood species is quite high. For the sheathing, timber with a cross section of 40 x 40 mm is used.

To make the frame even, you need to make markings:

from the corners of the bathtub adjacent to the wall, vertical lines are drawn to the base using a plumb line;
retreating 2.5 cm, a second vertical is made, parallel to the first line. A vertical line is also projected from the free corner of the bathtub using a plumb line, and at the point of its contact with the base, a square with sides of 2.5 cm is drawn;
Horizontal lines are drawn from the inner corner of the square to the walls of the bath. This will be the perimeter along which it is necessary to install the wooden block.

The timber is attached along the entire perimeter of the bathtub to the floor using self-tapping screws. Then the corners are installed vertical racks and fixed with self-tapping screws to the wall.

A horizontal block is laid on them and fastened with metal corners. From corner posts Intermediate vertical boards are installed at a distance of 50-60 cm.

The wooden frame should be located under the top side of the bath. For strength, the joints between the sheathing and the sides are processed liquid nails

Option #3. Frame made of metal profiles

To make the frame, it is best to use the PN 27 x28 profile, which is excellent for fastening sheets of plasterboard, plastic and MDF panels.

If facing with ceramic tiles is intended, then it is better to use metal profile pipes that can withstand any weight. But the manufacture of such a frame has its own difficulties - the pipes will have to be welded with a welding machine.

Marking the base is carried out according to the same principle as for wooden frame. The lower guide is fixed to the floor with dowels; side racks are installed on it, which are also attached to the walls using dowels.

For greater strength of the frame, it is advisable to make a middle horizontal bar from the profile approximately at the middle of the height

The upper horizontal profile is laid on the side supports and secured to them. To strengthen the upper guide, you can fold two profiles together and in this form secure them with dowels to the side posts.

Then additional vertical racks are installed in increments of 35-40 cm. After the frame is completely assembled, the space between them with the side of the bathtub is treated with polyurethane foam.

If it is necessary to make a recess for the feet with a slope, then additional vertical posts with a bevel are installed in the middle of the frame

Option #4. Frame for a curved bathtub

The most important thing in making a bath fence Not standard form- this is to try to exactly repeat its curves.

A galvanized metal profile is also suitable for the frame.

For sheathing, it is better to use extruded polystyrene foam of the highest density, which is a very durable and rigid material.

Before starting work, measure the length of the bathtub and cut a profile of the same size.
Every three centimeters it needs to be cut a little.
Attach the profile to the edge of the bathtub and secure it on one side with tape.
Smoothly bending it along the cuts, we bend it around the entire length of the bathtub, attaching it with tape to the sides at small intervals.
To hold the resulting shape, also glue tape along the entire length of the profile.
Unfasten the profile from the sides of the bathtub and attach it to the floor with dowels, moving it inward by the thickness finishing material. If tiling is intended, then in addition to its thickness, it is necessary to take into account a layer of glue and putty, approximately 4-6 mm in total.
Cut two sections of profile to fit the height of the bath and attach them to the walls.
Cut the polystyrene foam into panels 15-20 cm wide; determine the exact size yourself, based on the curvature of the bathtub.
Insert each panel with the bottom edge into the profile, and the top edge under the side of the bathtub and immediately blow it out inner part foam.
Install all the strips in this way, leaving a window under the hatch. It is installed after the foam has hardened well.
Putty the entire surface waterproof putty, and then after it dries, go through it with sandpaper.

After graduation preparatory work You can lay tiles on the finished frame or cover the screen with other finishing material.

When installing cut panels, it is necessary to immediately blow out the space between them and the bathtub with foam so that they are fixed in the desired position

Materials for making the screen

Perhaps the most popular are plastic screens. Although MDF panels, plasterboard and wood are often used. Let's look at the features of each of these materials.

Cladding with plastic panels

Plastic is a hygienic material, it is not afraid of dampness and moisture, and has a long service life. It is inexpensive and installs quickly and easily.

The screen for the bathtub, trimmed with multi-colored plastic panels, looks very original. Drawings are selected in accordance with the interior of the bathroom

Today there are many interesting options for plastic finishing. The screen can be covered with a special film to match the color of the bathroom or with a variety of marine-themed images.

You can decorate the fence with plain or multi-colored plastic panels.

Plastic panels - inexpensive and available material, allowing you to immediately finish the screen under the bathtub.

You can attach a plastic starting strip to the bathroom floor, where you can then install the panels. However, such fastening cannot be called reliable; it is better to use metal profiles

The work process consists of the following stages:

Under the upper sides of the bathtub, at a distance of 15 cm from each other, small blocks of wood are attached with liquid nails. They should be thick enough to fit under the hem of the bathtub;
Using a stapler, it is attached to the blocks starting line;
Strips of the required length are cut with a drywall knife;
The first panel is installed from the edge of the wall and the starting strip is put on it;
The horizontal starting strip is coated with liquid nails from the inside and a panel is inserted inside it;
The plastic is attached to the top with a stapler or glue;
From below, if a plinth is to be installed, the panels are secured with self-tapping screws; if a lower plinth is not provided, they can also be installed with glue;
The remaining panels are attached similarly to the first.

A starting strip is put on the last panel on the side where it adjoins the wall, and then it is inserted into the groove of the penultimate panel.

Features of using MDF panels

Another common option for finishing a bathtub is MDF panels. However, when choosing this material, it is worth considering that it is not moisture resistant and is susceptible to dampness.

Therefore, before finishing it must be treated with a water-repellent composition. The installation of such panels is also not particularly difficult; they are installed as simply as plastic ones.

The smooth surface of drywall is an excellent basis for subsequent finishing with various decorative materials.

Finishing the screen with plasterboard

Many people prefer to finish their bathtub with moisture-resistant plasterboard.

And it is no coincidence that after installing a plasterboard frame, a completely flat surface is formed, which can be faced with any material: tiles, moisture-resistant wallpaper, decorative plaster, paint, stick film.

To finish a bath screen of a standard shape, only moisture-resistant green plasterboard is suitable, but despite this, it must be additionally treated on both sides with a primer before installation.

You can paint the inside of the sheet oil paint. Drywall is cut in accordance with the height of the frame minus two centimeters.

When securing the sheets, you need to retreat one centimeter from the top and bottom edges of the screen. This is done in order to prevent moisture from entering and to prevent swelling of the fabric.

The drywall is secured to the profile using black self-tapping screws with fine threads. They are screwed in at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other along the entire length of the lower and upper profile.

If the frame has a niche for feet, the drywall is cut to its size and attached with self-tapping screws to the guides. Two triangles are cut out for side fastenings

A hole is cut at the location of the technological hatch, onto which, after assembling the entire frame, a door made of the same material is hung.

If you plan to lay tiles on the drywall in the future, then the size of the door must match the tile. Loops are used to secure it furniture fittings.

You can buy a ready-made one with a mount that you just need to insert into the hole. After graduation installation work, the surface of the screen is primed, and then the upper and lower joints along the entire length are treated with silicone.

Features of using wooden panels

Here's an option from wood panels, decorated with transverse slats like “blinds”.

Main details of the wooden screen:

Image gallery

Doors and shields for the screen have such a simple design that you can make them yourself, spending a minimum of money and effort

We choose handles to your taste, but they must have two qualities: be durable and not interfere with using the bathroom

It is better to purchase legs that are ready for assembly at a furniture store. They are necessary to make it comfortable to place your feet when using the bathroom.

The main quality of the selected loops is strength. But the size is also important - the hinges must match the width of the end part of the doors

Wooden ready-made or homemade shields

Metal or plastic decorative handles

Metal legs to support the screen

Metal hinges for fastening doors

When all the parts are prepared or purchased, we proceed to assembling and installing the screen.

You will need the simplest tools: a screwdriver, pliers, a screwdriver, a level, and a set of wood screws.

Image gallery

The support leg will not be attached to the panel, but to a block, so first we connect the long side of the workpiece to a wooden block

We screw the finished metal leg into the lower end part of the block, then pull it along the length

We hang the door, which should open freely, on a static panel using standard hinges

After assembly, the first section - a fixed panel with a door - is installed under the bathtub, on the right side. We repeat the same with the second section.

To keep the doors closed and not swing open every time you touch them, we will install magnets in the upper part. But first we make the markup

To ensure that the magnets hold firmly, we drill holes with a drill and insert the magnets into them, having previously lubricated them with glue.

The result was a protective screen consisting of 1 blind part and 3 doors. Check how freely they close/open

To prevent the wood from quickly swelling from moisture, we cover it with antiseptic impregnation and then paint or varnish

Step 1 - mounting the panel to the beam

Step 2 - installing the metal leg

Step 3 - hanging the doors on the hinges

Step 4 - installing the assembled unit in place

Step 5 - door measurements for installing magnets

Step 6 - installing magnets on the doors

Step 7 - checking the functionality of the doors

Regardless of which bath finishing option you choose, you must first make a frame from wood or a metal profile, onto which the finishing material is then attached.

The base for the bathtub can also be made of brick.

Laying ceramic tiles

The tiles can be laid both on a brick base and on plasterboard sheets.

You need to use special tile adhesive. Start laying the tiles on the side that remains open so that the cut slabs are hidden by the plumbing fixtures.

Tile is the most hygienic and reliable covering for a bathtub screen. At correct installation it will last for decades

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