Those laminate (?) boards for bathrooms - has anybody used them?

[ImDoingThisNow]

I’ve got two small toilets and a kitchen splashback that need work doing.

I don’t want tiles due to wanting to avoid grout problems. I’ve seen these large board panels in a few places and they seem ideal (like you get in wet rooms, but not shiny and bathroom like).

I wondered if anyone had any experience?

Mermaid board.. used quite a few times in rental properties as quicker and easier than tiling. Do the job.

I had them when the bathroom was done ten years ago, mainly because I hate dirty mouldy grout. That are as good as new, and really easy to clean.

We have them in our shower. Absolutely brilliant, no grouting and stay clean.

This is positive!

Do you have patterned of plain? Thinking of a lasting style.

We put them on 2 walls round the bath when we had the family bathroom done last year.

They've been perfect for being low maintenance, but not sure I'd want them round a whole room - I've seen other threads where people say they remind them of being in a caravan which has sort of stuck in my head!

Good point 😬😬

It’s for two small toilet rooms - one en suite and one under the stairs (so not the main bathroom). Both rooms only have space enough for a toilet and sink, so not massive. Neither room is 'special' enough to tile. Currently, they are wall papered and I was going to paint, but I would prefer something I could clean better. I was looking at a matte finish - wonder whether this makes a difference.

My in-laws have them, and tbh, I don’t think they look good. You can tell it isn’t marble. Have you considered getting very big tiles? Would significantly reduce the amount of grout involved.

I wasn’t really aiming for fake marble, just a smart finish of some sort.

Husband has fitted these a few times for customers but now refuses as they damage easily especially in restricted places

I think they're a bit institutional - they have them in hospital bathrooms don't they?
OP I'd try a really good wipedown paint - they're much better than they used o be. Check out decorator's forum for recommendations.

They are brilliant, no way would I have tiles in future. So easy to clean. So many different design options.

I’ve got Hydropanel in mother-of-pearl and it looks fantastic.

I love mine. Had them in my shower for 4 years now and they still look brand new.

I'm not a fan (and we have connections with the higher end of the bathroom industry plus both of us are trained designers, so feel we know a bit about bathrooms/design), probably because my parents installed something very similar in their 1920s bathroom during the late 1980s.

I get the hate for too many grout lines but I'd rather go for large scale tiles personally. Actually we have no wall tiles in our bathroom and cloaks (just floor tiles in the main bathroom) as I wanted to avoid a typical bathroom look and to treat the space more like any other room.

No tiles around the shower or bath?

I think they look fine so long as theyre not pretending to look like anything else (eg, stone, tiles, wood, etc). We have a "marble effect" in ensuite shower (we didnt choose it!) which imo looks a bit silly as it wouldnt fool anyone. Its great to clean, etc. When we redo bathroom Ill probably go for a plain colour one in the shower area for practicality and cost.

We have them in the shower. They look ok. I like the no grout but ours wouldnt win a design award. They were really difficult to fit.

I'm not sure why a small toiket and sink isnt special enough to tile. Surely small soaces are ideal for splurging on the tiles you could afford in a big space.

I have the Nuance Bushboard panels in my shower. They were quite pricey but they have a matt finish and look like natural stone. So easy to clean and I really like the look of these. Some of the panels can look a bit caravan or lift interior.

I'm debating on whether to replace the tiles around the bath with them as I want to install an over bath shower.

I'm going for them in my new walk in shower instead of tiles. Went for plain & matt as the fake tiles, marble etc. did not float my boat.
Fortunately I like a caravan vibe 😄