Replacing bath panel - what do I need?

SpikyHedgehog

My house is a housing association house, 4 years old, we've been the only tenants.

The bathroom was fitted as tightly as possible, so the bath runs the length of the room, but the pipework is boxed in & the toilet is in front of the boxing, so when the builders went to attach the panel that can with the bath, they had to cut about 10 inches off one end - resulting in a panel that's screwed into place at the top, bottom & one end. As it's a convex curve in a tiny bathroom, over time the panel's ben pushed back & forth (mainly by younger son leaning against it waiting for his bath but also when we have to lean over the bath & round the toilet to get to the taps to turn them on...) and is now cracked.

Housing Association say they won't pay to replace it as it counts as decoration, I can pay one of their contractors to do it but it will be like for like - which I don't want.

So, I want a panel of white 'stuff' (as the suite's white) that I can screw into place to replace the cracked panel. I don't know what I need other than that I don't need MDF, or where to get it from! I don't drive, but have a B&Q in walking distance, plus other places in town where I could bus to or get the parents to take me...) I'll have to cut it to fit round the skirting board at one end, so need something I can cut fairly easily (also suggestions about what I'll need to cut it with...!)

I don't want to prise the screws off the existing panel till I've got the new one ready to put in, but I can see there's a timber frame behind the panel - doesn't appear to be fixed to anything at the end the panel's not fixed as it moves when I push the panel to see what's behind.

MX5huggy

MDF is exactly what I would use and have in my bathroom. It is well painted with gloss paint on both sides. Fitted so it does not touch the floor then there is a piece of skirting at the bottom.

SpikyHedgehog

I have gloss in the shed so that wouldn't cost me any extra, and there is a piece of wood at the bottom already so the cracked plastic panel doesn't sit on the floor. Hmm...

Just had a contractor in from the HA to sort something else & was talking to him about it & he said hardboard would do the trick?

diable

Make your own out of tongue and groove wall panelling then paint it with a watered down paint for a "distressed" look. I'd be careful about using MDF especially if you have children or a shower.

SpikyHedgehog

diable wrote: »

Make your own out of tongue and groove wall panelling then paint it with a watered down paint for a "distressed" look. I'd be careful about using MDF especially if you have children or a shower.

Must admit, that was what I thought after my trawl of the internet, especially as I have both children and a shower.

A distressed look would match the rest of the bathroom...!

Niv

I replaced my bath panel with a togue and grove home made one. All I needed was some tongue and groove (kinda obvious!), a couple of strips of wood (to give the tongue and groove some strength and make it a panel), wood glue and mirror screws.

Niv

scottishblondie

I would agree with tongue and groove. My Dad did my bath panels (side and end) in T&G for me about 5 years back, we used a blue wood stain to match it with the colours in the bathroom.

Dippypud

Well you could use one of these....

http://www.bathroomheaven.com/gloss-white-bath-panels/bath-panel-tongue-and-groove-high-gloss-white---1700mm-6450.aspx


but at that price, you'd be better doing your own.

SpikyHedgehog

Dippypud wrote: »

Well you could use one of these....


but at that price, you'd be better doing your own.

Good grief yes I would! Way more money than I have for this project. Plus I'd still have to cut it down to size anyway, so rather defeating the object.

Dippypud

SpikyHedgehog wrote: »

Good grief yes I would! Way more money than I have for this project. Plus I'd still have to cut it down to size anyway, so rather defeating the object.

:cool: Yes, it does put it into the shade, for that price I'd want a free fitting voucher.

Edinburghlass_2

Can recommend this one from B&Q...

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?isSearch=true&isYmal=true&fh_search=0000003686379