How Wet Wall Bathrooms Prevent Mould and Mildew in Scotland

Why Scottish Bathrooms Grow Mould

Mould (spelled mold in American guides, which is why you may have searched for it that way) needs three things: moisture, something to feed on, and a surface it can get a grip on. Mildew is simply the name most people give to the early, surface stage of it, the grey or black speckling you can still wipe off.

A bathroom supplies the moisture every day. In Scotland the rest of the conditions are close to ideal as well. The air outside is often damp, so opening a window does less than you would hope. Windows stay closed through a long heating season. Many bathrooms sit on a cold outside wall of solid stone or brick, and steam condenses on cold surfaces first. Plenty of tenement and flat bathrooms have no window at all.

Soap residue, skin oils and dust provide the food. All that is missing is a surface that holds water, and in a tiled bathroom that surface is the grout.

The Problem With Grout

Tiles themselves are waterproof. The cement-based grout between them is not. It is slightly porous, a bit like a very fine sponge, so it takes in water, soap and dirt each time you shower and is slow to dry.

A typical tiled shower area has many metres of grout line. Small tiles, such as metro tiles and mosaics, have far more. Every one of those lines is a possible home for mould, which is why it always shows up there first and why it comes back after cleaning: the surface gets bleached, but the growth is down in the pores.

Over time grout also cracks, especially on timber floors and stud walls that move a little. Once it cracks, water reaches the adhesive and the board behind the tiles. If that board is ordinary plasterboard, it softens, the tiles loosen, and you have damp inside the wall as well as mould on it.

What Wet Wall Panels Are

Wet wall (you will also see it written as wetwall, shower panels or bathroom wall panels) is a waterproof wall covering that comes in large sheets in place of individual tiles. A single panel usually runs from the shower tray or bath to the ceiling and covers a metre or so of wall in one piece.

There are a few types. Some have a tough decorative laminate face bonded to a moisture-resistant board core. Others are solid PVC or acrylic all the way through. Finishes range from plain white and soft stone effects to bold marble patterns, wood and tile-effect designs.

Panels lock together with a tongue-and-groove edge or slim trims, and every joint, corner and bottom edge is sealed during fitting. The result is a continuous waterproof surface from tray to ceiling.

How Panels Stop Mould Getting Started

• No grout. The biggest single reason. With no porous lines to soak up water, mould has nowhere to root in.
• A surface that does not absorb. Water sits on the face of the panel and runs off or evaporates. Nothing soaks in, so the wall dries quickly after a shower.
• Very few joints. A shower enclosure might have two or three panel joints, compared with hundreds of tile joints, and they are sealed.
• Easy to wipe down. A smooth panel cleans with a soft cloth and a mild cleaner in a minute or two, so soap film does not build up. No scrubbing brush, no bleach pen.
• Nothing gets behind. Because the surface is continuous, water does not reach the wall structure, so you do not get hidden damp feeding a musty smell.
• A warmer surface. Panels tend to feel less cold than ceramic tiles on an outside wall, which can mean a little less condensation forming on them.

This is why panels are our standard wall finish in wet rooms and in many of the modern bathrooms we fit.

Where Mould Can Still Appear

It would be wrong to say a panelled bathroom can never grow mould. These are the places to keep an eye on.

• The sealant bead along the tray or bath. This is the one flexible joint that has to stay. Use a good mould-resistant sealant, wipe it after showering if you can, and renew it if it starts to discolour or lift.
• The ceiling. If steam is not cleared, it condenses on the ceiling whatever is on the walls. A panelled or properly painted ceiling helps, but ventilation is the real fix.
• Cut edges on board-core panels. Panels with a board core must have their cut edges sealed when they are fitted. Done properly this is not a problem. Done badly, water can creep into the core and swell it.
• Everything else in the room. Shower curtains, bath mats, window reveals and the silicone around the basin can all grow mould in a room that stays damp.

In short, panels remove the main breeding ground, and good fitting and ventilation deal with the rest.

What Else A Mould-Free Bathroom Needs

1. An extractor fan that works. It should be ducted to the outside and keep running for a while after you leave, on a timer or a humidity sensor. Electrical work in a bathroom is for a qualified electrician.
2. Heat. A towel radiator that comes on with the heating helps every surface dry between showers.
3. The right board behind the panels. Moisture-resistant board or a sound, flat existing wall. Panels can sometimes go over existing tiles if they are firmly fixed, which saves mess and time, but loose tiles or damp plaster must come off first.
4. A dry start. If the old room had a leak or a mould problem, the cause should be fixed and wet material removed before anything new goes on top. Our guide to shower room costs in Glasgow covers what is involved in a strip-out.
5. Simple habits. Door closed while you shower, fan on, and a quick squeegee of the screen and panels.

Wet Wall Or Tiles: An Honest Comparison

	Wet wall panels	Tiles
Mould risk	Low. No grout, few sealed joints	Higher. Grout is porous and needs upkeep
Cleaning	Wipe with a soft cloth	Grout needs regular scrubbing and occasional renewing
Fitting time	Quicker, which helps keep a bathroom within 3 to 6 days	Slower, with drying time for adhesive and grout
Cost fitted	Usually cheaper than full-height tiling	Depends heavily on tile size and pattern
Look	Large, smooth surfaces in stone, marble, wood or plain finishes	Widest choice of texture, pattern and small formats
Repairs	A damaged panel is replaced as a whole sheet	A single tile can be replaced

Plenty of customers mix the two: panels inside the shower, where the water is, and tiles or paint elsewhere. That works well in a traditional bathroom where metro tiles are part of the look.

You can compare panel finishes side by side at our showrooms in Kilmarnock and at Dobbies, Braehead. A full fitted bathroom with trusted installers takes 3 to 6 days, all workmanship is guaranteed, and finance is available from £22 a week, subject to status. See the finance page for details.

Quick Answers

Do wet wall panels stop mould completely?

They remove the main place it grows, which is grout. You still need ventilation and a well-kept sealant line along the tray or bath.

Can wet wall go over existing tiles?

Often, yes, if the tiles are sound, flat and firmly fixed. Loose tiles or damp walls should be stripped back first.

Is wet wall cheaper than tiling?

Usually, once fitting time is included, particularly compared with tiling a shower area to full height.

How do I clean wet wall panels?

Warm water, a mild non-abrasive cleaner and a soft cloth. Avoid scouring pads, which can dull the surface.

Will panels last in a family bathroom?

Good quality panels, properly fitted and sealed, stand up well to daily use. Ask about the manufacturer's warranty on the range you choose.

Is mold the same as mould?

Yes. Mold is the American spelling. In Scotland and the rest of the UK it is mould.