Choosing
Wall panels vs tiles
Panels and tiles both give you a waterproof wall. The difference is what happens either side of that: how long it takes to fit, and what you have to do to keep it looking right.
Where panels win
- Fitting time
- Panels fix with adhesive and lock together with tongue-and-groove joints. There is no grouting and no drying time between stages, so most bathrooms are done in a day rather than across several.
- No grout to maintain
- This is the real long-term difference. Grout is porous: it needs cleaning, it discolours, and it eventually needs re-doing. A panelled wall has no grout lines at all — it wipes clean.
- Fitting over what is already there
- Panels go straight over existing tiles, so a refit skips the strip-out, the skip and the re-plastering entirely.
- Continuous surface
- The 250mm range is rated for ceilings as well as walls, so a room can be finished in one uninterrupted surface.
Where tiles still make sense
Worth being straight about this. Tiles remain the better answer for floors, for small mosaic and detail work, and in period properties where a tiled finish is part of the character. PVC is a plastic surface: it is classified to BS EN 13501 for reaction to fire, but it is not a material for a surface exposed to direct heat.
The short version
If the priority is a fast, waterproof, low-maintenance wall — particularly over existing tiling — panels are the straightforward choice. If the priority is floor tiling or intricate detail, tiles are.
Common questions
- Are wall panels cheaper than tiles?
- The panel itself is only part of it. The larger saving is usually labour and disruption: no tiler, no grouting, no strip-out of existing tiles, and no re-plastering. For current pricing, contact your stockist.
- Are PVC wall panels as waterproof as tiles?
- A panelled wall has no grout lines, and grout is the part of a tiled wall that absorbs moisture and needs resealing. Pannello panels are 100% waterproof and suitable for continuous wet-area use.
- How long do PVC wall panels take to fit?
- Most bathrooms are completed in a day. There is no grouting stage and no drying time between coats, which is where most of the time goes in a tiled job.