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28th January 2021

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'Ditch the tiles: Use wall panelling for the wow factor in bathrooms and kitchens!' says Abacus...

With superb design the differentiating factor for kitchen and bathroom studios, the wall finish is growing in stature as an important consideration; after all, the wall is the largest part of a room.

No longer is traditional tiling always the natural choice. Instead, the market is moving towards panelling that creates a fresh, modern and luxurious look. Designers demand a wow product that sits well alongside the crisp lines of wall hung sanitaryware, induction hobs and stylish, uncluttered worktops.

Panel products such as Lustrolite from Abacus Manufacturing Group - an advanced multi-layer acrylic sheet that looks just like glass - have applications that include shower walls, bathrooms and kitchen splashbacks. These products come in a range of contemporary colours and minimise the need for joints so, unlike tiles with their regular grout lines, they provide an elegant, unbroken aesthetic. Consequently, they are easy to keep clean and, with their non-stick surface, are more hygienic and less prone to mould growth.

High quality wall panelling products that are co-extruded produce a solid colour with no bleed-through from the surface behind. With a hardened surface coat that will not scratch and does not chip, they rival the durability of tiles and glass.

Whereas good tiling relies on a specialist tiler, and glass must be precisely templated and then sent away for fabrication, panel products are easily cut and quickly fitted by the kitchen or bathroom installer so there are no delays to the overall installation schedule. What is more, changes to the position of items such as electrical sockets may be accommodated right up to the moment the panel is cut and fitted. Panelling also offers more versatility especially for renovation projects where it can be applied over substrates such as existing tiles, saving the need for hacking off and replastering.

While the initial price per square metre of panel products tends to be higher than for tiles, the installation costs are less as the fitting time and skilled labour required are considerably reduced.

T: 0845 8 50 50 40
W: www.abacusdirect.co.uk

9th May 2014