The bathroom is a wet environment...

The bathroom is a wet environment

However, it is a mistake to think that the air in the bathroom is always very humid. The bathroom is only characterized by frequent changes in ambient humidity. Taking into account the peculiarities of the operation of the bathroom, it is necessary to choose the finishing materials, furniture, accessories correctly and to install adequate ventilation.

In a constantly humid environment, the room is necessarily attacked with mold and fungi. Their appearance is especially encouraged by soapy water residues that have fallen on poorly ventilated surfaces. Even the most powerful air extraction system will not be able to adequately ventilate the bathroom if there are many surfaces closely packed together - "overcrowding" of the bathroom space by lot of furniture. As a result of constant humidity, the most unpleasant things happen: bad smells arise, towels do not dry, black growths cover hard-to-ventilate surfaces.

There are three essential things that cannot be ignored when designing a bathroom:

-          properly equipped room ventilation is necessary.

-          it is very important to choose the right interior materials (coverings).

-          is not allowed to overload the interior by making it difficult for the air flow through the surfaces.

Adequate ventilation

Appropriate parameters of the ventilation system must be selected by the design specialist, taking into account the operating conditions of the bathroom, intensity, climatic features and other conditions well known to him.

I would like to talk more about bathroom furniture, its materials and surface coatings.

Washbasin

All ceramic, composite or glass WASHBASINS are well protected against the effects of moisture and can have unlimited contact with water within the limits of the glazed surface only. Wooden washbasins are a separate topic. These are widely found in organic interiors in Scandinavia, but are not common in our area. Wooden washbasins are treated with moisture-repellent technologies, but their level of protection is significantly lower than traditional ceramic bathroom equipment.

One of the simplest and easiest requirements for bathroom furniture is its spacious layout. It is very important that the furniture is not crammed in "altar"-type compounds, which not only aesthetically darkens the bathroom, but also greatly complicates the flow of air through wet surfaces (see pictures below).

Bathroom furniture should be used to decorate the interior, and not excessive altars to solve one's inability of accumulation unnecessary things at home. Bathroom furniture should be easily covered by ventilation air currents, easily accessible for cleaning and not blindly hide the walls of the room covered with expensive technology (see pictures below).

Furniture materials 

Most often BATHROOM FURNITURE is made of wood chip (fiber) based panels. In such panels, wood particles are bound with polymer binders. Under the influence of moisture, such panels swell - hygroscopic wood particles expand. When drying, such a plate shrinks again. However, countless such cycles can break down the binder connecting the wood particles and the panel breaks down and cracks. To protect the structural panel of the bathroom furniture from such devastating effects, it is given moisture-resistant coatings. Surfaces covered with PVC film and lacquered are the most resistant to the effects of moisture. Special moisture-resistant lacquers are expensive, but their coating technology allows you to cover both the surface of the facade details and the edges with a single, homogeneous coating. Lacquered bathroom furniture is the most rational and suitable solution for a room with frequently changing humidity. A wood particle board faced with melamine film is not so moisture resistant, and its edge processing with an additional glued edge tape cannot ensure a high level of moisture resistance. Natural wood swells when exposed to moisture, and shrinks when it dries. Natural wood is a natural material and does not contain a polymer binder, it does not disintegrate during repeated moisture cycles, so its moisture protection requirements are simpler - it is enough to varnish the surface.

If you take into account the above tips, the bathroom furniture will serve you well and for a long time.