What are the advantages and disadvantages of wall kitchen panels? Can wall panels be installed over tiles? Is the installation cost of panels more favorable than replacing the entire ceramic tile setup? How are wall panels maintained?
For decades, ceramic tiles have been the only acceptable solution for covering kitchen walls. It’s such a universally accepted standard that no one even considers other options. This leads to the problem of delaying kitchen renovations for years because tile replacement is a fairly expensive and messy job. However, today there is a much more elegant solution that can completely transform your kitchen with minimal investment. These are called wall panels.
What Is the Main Advantage of Panels?
The cost of procurement and installation is one of the main advantages. Without any construction work and with minimal investment, their installation can completely transform the appearance of the kitchen. If you’ve replaced lower and upper kitchen cabinets, you might be bothered by old ceramic tiles.
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They may not be due for replacement yet, but they are no longer new, the grout is dirty, and the tiles themselves may have been the wrong choice visually or are now outdated. With wall panels, you can simply cover the tiles, not entirely from the floor but only in the visible zone, from the upper edge of the lower kitchen cabinets to the lower edge of the upper ones.
You can opt for this step even if you haven’t changed the kitchen cabinets, as you can easily and significantly change the look of your kitchen.
Types of Wall Coverings
There isn’t much sense in listing the types of wall coverings because the market today is flooded with various materials, from veneered chipboard, different types of laminates, PVC, to glass panels, even with the possibility of installing backlighting.
Glass panels, for example, are an excellent choice in kitchens where food is often prepared on a gas stove. Cooking with gas disperses more heat, so glass is a better choice than laminate or PVC. The choice of designs is endless.
There are panels that mimic wood, concrete, classic brick, metal, and even ceramic tiles themselves. It’s up to you to choose the design you want. Kitchen worktop manufacturers now offer wall panels as well, so you can choose the exact same color for the wall as for the worktop. Conversely, you can choose a wall panel in a contrasting shade.
How Is the Installation of Wall Panels Done?
Installation can be done in several ways. The manufacturer you choose will best advise you on what is best for you and offer you a cutting-to-size and installation service, especially in better salons. It goes without saying that anyone with a little experience and tools can install the panel independently.
If the wall is flat, the panel can be installed simply by gluing it directly, or it can even be glued over the tiles. Even if the wall is not perfectly flat, certain corrections can be made, the wall can be leveled, and adhesion can be facilitated.
The second option is hanging the panels using rails attached to the wall, which is convenient for several reasons. First, it allows for certain corrections in leveling. Also, this installation method allows electrical cables to be hidden behind the panel, so new lighting fixtures or power outlets can be installed on the wall without any hacking in the kitchen.
Another major advantage of this type of installation is that replacing panels is much easier, so if you’re one of those who change their minds easily, you can always change the look of your kitchen with minimal investment.
How Are Wall Panels in the Kitchen Maintained?
Maintenance is very simple. Higher-quality panels even have antibacterial properties. Simply wipe with a damp cloth, and if the panel is in the splashing zone due to food preparation, grease cleaning agents can also be used.
Maintenance is further facilitated by the fact that the panel, unlike ceramic tiles, has no grout, and a flat surface is much easier to clean.