How to make a functional screen under the bathroom with shelves

No matter how modern and modern the design of the bathroom is, the unaesthetic appearance of the sides of the bowl and the legs installed on the lining can reduce all efforts to nothing. The functional screen under the bathroom will help not only to mask unsightly communications, but also compactly place the little things needed in the household.

If you are doing repairs in the bathroom and are thinking how to ennoble the bowl, our material will help you solve this difficult question. Next, we will talk about what design options are and how to make them yourself, without resorting to the services of specialists.

Design features of screens

The screen under the bath is an indispensable element of the interior for bathrooms that do not differ in spacious dimensions. After all, they make it possible to use space more rationally.

Opening cavities can have horizontal or vertical execution.

It is easy to place on them:

• household chemicals (gels and powders, fresheners and rinses);
• little things (sponges and cotton napkins for cleaning).

The packaging of most chemicals is rather cumbersome. Due to the concave shape of the bowl body, the free space between the walls can be filled with a drawer or spacious shelves. Boxes and bags with household chemicals of any size can easily fit on them.

It will be easy to hide all communications behind the walls of the structure, protecting them from mechanical damage. Moreover, the installation of such a "screen" will not interfere with access to the pipes.

If necessary, it will be easy to remove.

By its design, the screen resembles a small cabinet in which the side of the bowl is hidden behind an impromptu wall

Beautifully designed bath screen will make a great addition to any interior, giving it a touch of extravagance and unusualness.

Thanks to the variety of finishing materials, giving free rein to imagination, you can create an incredible design that will delight and surprise at the same time.

The protective screen, which fits snugly to the floor, is designed to prevent moisture from entering the bowl, so that neither mold nor fungus pose a threat

If it is not possible to make a sealed screen that does not allow water to enter the space bounded by the walls of the screen, it is necessary to provide ventilation. Everything that is hidden behind the external camouflage should dry out, and the condensate will erode.

Popular Options

Modern screens are not just a blank wall covering the legs of the bowl and the communications laid between them. Almost all designs are equipped with at least one door for storing things and access to communications.

The choice of design depends on the size of the room, taste preferences and financial capabilities of the owner.

Solid tightly closing

Solid screens, which are blind walls, cover all the excess space, hiding from the eyes the system of water and sewer pipes.

For this reason, when installing screens of closed deaf execution, you need to be sure that the piping is in perfect order. Solid walls should only be installed if plastic pipes are used that are not subject to corrosion.

For access to communications for preventive purposes, closed screens are equipped with revision openings

Swing Door Designs

Screens with swing doors are chosen for spacious bathrooms. Indeed, to open the doors at 90 °, additional free space is required.

Depending on the dimensions of the bath bowl, the screen can be equipped with one or two ergonomic swing wings.

Swing sashes in the screens under the bathtub are hinged and open outwards according to the book principle - forward and to the sides

Sliding Door Systems

Screens with sliding doors owners of small bathrooms often choose. Indeed, to open the system does not require additional space. A convenient sliding system allows access to the farthest corners under the bottom of the bathtub.

Thanks to the guides, the doors move easily inside the system, providing a sliding effect of the “coupe” type. The only thing is that if dust and small objects get clogged, the movement of the doors is difficult.

A simple combination system that does not require 90 ° door openings saves the space of a small bathroom

Frame and sash material

The basis for the manufacture of a screen for a bathtub with sashes or shelves can be any material: plastic and MDF, metal and ceramic tileglass and mirrors... The main requirement is that all materials used in the bathroom are not afraid of moisture and temperature fluctuations. In addition, they should not be susceptible to rapid destruction by mold or mildew.

The basis of the screen can be made from almost any building material, which subsequently will be easily finished to your own taste.

But if you are an adherent of natural surfaces and screen doors you plan to make from the same tree, keep in mind - you will have to take care that moisture gets less on the panel. In addition, you will need to regularly air the room.

While some materials themselves have attractive properties, others require further decoration. For example, to drywall organically fit into the design of the bathroom, it is tiled with tiled mosaics.

The easiest way to build a presentable and functional screen is to use plastic panels.

It is a pleasure to work with plastic panels: they are easy to cut and fasten together, the material is able to withstand any temperature changes, it does not require special care

To eliminate contamination and plaque, you just need to wipe the surface with a damp cloth.

Do not like to search for necessary items and things for a long time? Install plexiglass panels. Organic glass, unlike its "ordinary" counterpart, is lighter and stronger, due to which it is widely used as a basis in the manufacture of interior items.

Behind the translucent walls of frosted glass it will be perfectly visible where everything is placed, so you will save valuable time in searching for the necessary item

Do you prefer a non-standard way to isolate the space under the bathroom? An excellent solution in this case is a fabric partition made of nylon fabric. Covering the panels is not difficult to do on their own.

Drywall construction

For construction screen in the bathroom moisture-proof drywall is ideal, attracting by its simplicity in work and affordable cost. The manufacturer of the functional design in the form of a box does not need special skills, moreover, in the construction market you can always get the materials necessary for installation.

The surface of the drywall box can be finished with mosaics, pasted with plastic or ceramic tiles, sheathed with any type of lining or other facing material.

Making a screen for a bathtub with shelves

Making and installing the screen under the bath is not so difficult. If everything is done correctly, such a multifunctional design will last for more than one year.

Stage number 1 - preparation of the necessary materials

The wooden frame is made of a bar with a section of 40x40 mm or a reinforced metal profile PN 27 * 28.

The standard parameters of the sliding screen are: length 148 or 168 cm, the height, depending on the model, varies between 57-65 cm.

To carry out the work, it is necessary to prepare:

• a set of carpentry tools;
• building level;
• hammer drill;
• Bulgarian;
• sealant;
• polyurethane foam;
• "liquid Nails";
• construction knife;
• screws and screws.

When choosing the dimensions of the screws, focus on the thickness of the frame profile so that during the installation to eliminate damage to the bowl.

When planning to build a cabinet with sliding doors, it is also worth purchasing a guide U-profile designed for sliding and hinged systems

When planning to build a wooden frame, the wood blanks before installation should be coated in 2-3 layers with special impregnation. The primer will have a double effect: it will prevent the growth of microorganisms and protect the wood from moisture. In addition to wooden, you can build a frame from other materials.

If you want to build a screen from drywall, use moisture-resistant sheets for work. In places of likely contact with water, they need to be additionally treated with a water-repellent primer or putty.

Stage number 2 - construction of the frame structure

The main mistake made by some craftsmen is to make an error in determining the dimensions of the structure relative to plumbing, and also do not take into account the material of the bath bowl when constructing the support.

So, an incorrectly designed frame support can even raise a lightweight steel and acrylic bowl. As a result, at the first attempt to draw water under gravity, the structure simply deforms.

The construction of the frame is performed in the following sequence:

1. The perimeter of the bath is marked.
2. On the planned lines to the flooring with the help of dowels, the starting profile is fixed.
3. Mount vertical profiles, maintaining an equidistant distance of 60 cm.
4. In the lateral emphasis and places where they plan to place a box or equip a shelf, make an additional rack.

The projection of the frame to the floor is performed using a plumb line.

The marking line for the installation of the frame should be laid along the entire length of the bowl, on a vertical plane it should be at the same level with the edge of the bath

When planning a line for installing the frame, keep in mind that the finish also has a certain thickness. So, planning to veneer the screen with ceramic tiles, it is necessary to “drown” the frame to the depth of the finish layer.

It is much more convenient to wash the bowl of the bathtub or wash the laundry in it, if there is a foot recess on the outside. To provide a recess for the legs, the frame can be deepened under the front edge of the bowl by 10-15 cm. The width of such a recess should be about 30-35 cm.

The starting profile laid along the line is screwed onto the screws, fixing both to the floor and to the adjacent walls. Around the middle of the height of the side posts, horizontal bridges are attached. They will give rigidity to the structure.

When planning to use soft bending material such as “lining” for facing, in order to increase the rigidity of the structure, it is desirable to additionally fix the profile in the middle of the screen

To create a tight junction with the floor and prevent the penetration of moisture, the lower edge of the laid profile is glued with sealant. In order not to damage the bowl with aggressive fittings, it is advisable to blow out the upper profile with foam.

If it is planned to install sliding doors, a guide profile is mounted on the upper and lower side of the frame. Its length must strictly correspond to the width of the opening. The profile is fixed so that there is no gap between the side wall and the rail.

Stage 3 - production of functional shelves

Built-in shelves can be built from chipboard panels left over from disassembled cabinets, the same drywall sheets or plywood.

To determine their location and calculate the size will help a sketch or drawing.

To maximize the rational use of every centimeter of the area under the bathroom, the side shelves are made depth across the entire width of the bowl

The width of the side shelves should correspond to the size of the niche formed between the wall of the room and the outer surface of the bottom of the bowl, minus the thickness of the bounding sections. When calculating, it is necessary to take into account the width of the metal profiles of the frame, which is at least 50 mm with a depth of 27 mm.

The dimensions of the frame and the filling of the structure are determined by the dimensions of the niche. But, the more even the walls of the opening, the easier it is to equip the built-in wardrobe.

Water pipes can be hidden behind the wall cladding, or can be located along the back wall of an impromptu shelving

Along the front wall from the floor to the side of the bowl, a series of low modules of one or two shelves can be arranged. When determining the number of shelves, be guided by the fact that the distance between them is sufficient for placement of high containers and bottles.

Having cut out the necessary fragments from the chipboard, proceed to the assembly of the structure. Connect the shelves of the cabinet in an open way. For this, the upper and lower panels are fixed with screws to the sidewalls. Before drilling the holes for the screws, it is advisable to perform a preliminary marking.

In order to prevent the displacement of the panels and sidewalls in the process of twisting the screws, the connected parts are clamped with clamps or fastened with masking tape

The option of installing shelves can be any. They can be fixed on furniture corners, laid on dowels or made removable by placing them on support rails. The back side of the structure can be left open, or cut it out of a thin sheet of MDF or plywood.

Stage 4 - drawer installation

The width of the drawer should be a couple of centimeters narrower than the internal width of the bounding sections. Otherwise, the retractable structure simply will not enter the housing.

For the manufacture of a drawer, guides will be required. Their length is selected based on the thickness of the walls of the box.

On sale there are two types of systems:

• samboxes - simple roller guides;
• tandemboxes - Advanced systems with a self-winder.

The simplest design of the drawer is when the side walls are inserted between the front and rear. Thanks to this solution, you can make the accessories invisible, and in addition there is no need to process the ends.

The size of the side niche can make a drawer, which is convenient to use for storing bulky boxes and bags with detergents

The dimensions of the bottom should be 1-2 mm smaller than the dimensions of the box box. Such an assembled design will be devoid of protruding ends.

To prevent the bottom from bending under the weight of the load, it is advisable to supplement the bottom with a longitudinal or transverse stiffener

The bottom of the box, most often made of fiberboard, is stuffed with nails of 20 mm in size and "reinforced" with 16x4 mm screws. When connecting parts, it is important to make sure that the diagonals are the same.

The roller system is mounted on the bottom edge: first thin on the drawer itself, and then thick on the bounding sections.

Note that the fastener head must securely fix the guide, but do not rise above the bar

By installing and securing the guides, the system is put in its intended place.

Stage 5 - Installation of Lockable Sashes

Doors do last. They are cut from MDF sheets according to the size of the body. When planning to install hinged doors, you need to purchase two sangs in advance for the upper and lower parts.

Having kept a distance of 7-10 cm from the edge, a hole with a depth of 12 mm is made using a 35 mm cutter for installing a “cup” loop

Having established the "cup" of the loop, screw the screws. To attach the sash to the structure itself, the door is installed so that it does not extend beyond the edges of the hole made under it. Using the adjusting screws adjust the correct position.

When mounting the hinged sashes, it is necessary to achieve a result so that the edges of the sash and the ends of the wall coincide. The gaps should be the same along the entire contour.

Some models use magnets to fix the flaps. The wizard’s task is to unscrew the sash screw and adjust the location of the door so that the magnets coincide.

Covering the screen panels

The cutting of plastic or MDF panels is carried out using a grinder or a construction knife. The blanks are cut according to the height of the screen. Plastic panels are attached to the bars of the frame on the "liquid nails".

Difficulty can arise when fixing the last strip, because when combining parts, it is necessary to ensure sufficient fit

When gluing pieces of panels to the upper profile, do not forget to leave enough space for the subsequent installation of the plastic baseboard. It is fixed on self-tapping screws designed to work with metal products, or glued with "liquid nails". The glue is applied by slightly pushing the wall back, and then sliding it into place.

To refine the joints, under the planks adjacent to the walls they also slip a plastic baseboard.

When working with drywall sheets, workpieces in height are made a couple of centimeters shorter. They are fixed, departing from the floor and the upper edge of the bowl one centimeter.

This solution minimizes the contact of the end faces with water, thereby preventing swelling of the gypsum paintings

The blanks are fixed to the frame, "planting" them on the screws every 15-20 cm.

From the cut blanks of the panels, the surface of the screen is gathered. In the place where the technological hole is provided, a hole is cut.

Through the opening or removable part you will get access to communications for routine inspection and repair work

Presented for sale plumbing hatches made of moisture resistant gypsum fiber sheet or aluminum. They are many times stronger than plastic analogues, and therefore are able to last several times longer.

A worthy alternative to stationary structures are removable panels that are conveniently attached to the front wall of the screen with magnets.

Ready-made plumbing hatch of hinged or rotary design of the required size will not be difficult to buy in any hardware store

As a result, it will be possible to decorate it with a grill, veneered with artificial stone or mirrors. Thanks to this, the hatch will harmoniously merge with the wall, becoming invisible.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

We make a screen for a bath with a niche for the legs:

How to assemble a drawer:

A bath screen with shelves is a practical solution. In terms of spaciousness, it is not inferior to built-in cabinets, but it does not occupy space in the bathroom at all.

Still have questions, discovered inaccuracies or have valuable information to help supplement our material? Please leave your suggestions, ask questions in the block located at the bottom of the article.