Shelf in the bathroom: types, materials, choice

The bathroom is one of the smallest rooms, but it takes a lot of time and money to equip it. The main problem in the choice of materials – they must tolerate high humidity. In this article we will talk about shelves for the bathroom. About what they are by design, shape, what materials are made of and how, after all, to choose them.

Types of shelves for the bathroom

To begin with, let’s understand what shelves for the bathroom are. According to the method of installation, there are only two of them – floor and suspended. Floor shelves do not always have a place to install – not everyone can boast a large area. Most people try to rationally organize a small space and therefore floor shelves are not too common.

Shelves that are attached to the wall are more popular. They can be angular and linear. Corner ones are convenient above the bathtub – utilizing the part of the space that is usually left empty. In addition, located near the shower head, such a shelf allows you to store everything you need at hand. Below is a brief classification.

• Floor-mounted. These are more like floor shelves for storing towels, household chemicals and other things.
• Hanging:
  • Wall-mounted:
    • single-tiered;
    • two or three tiers;
  • angled:
    • on a common rod;
    • individually mounted.

In addition, a separate category should be distinguished built-in shelves. Their base is made of plasterboard at the stage of repair. Then they are finished with waterproof materials: ceramic tiles, mosaics. They are practical, but after the repair is over, it is impossible to make them.

With a mirror

It is hard to imagine a bathroom without a mirror. It can be separate, or it can be part of a shelf. Shelf with a mirror can be cabinet – this is one of the types of furniture for the bathroom. The base is made of water-resistant MDF, covered with either a layer of paint or laminated PVC film and to this base attach a mirror, shelves.

The second option is a mirror shelf beskorpusnaya. In this case, the base may not be at all. The mirror is taken thick and shelves are attached to it.

Hulled shelves with a mirror are more often called a mirror cabinet for the bathroom. They can have shelves on the sides and at the bottom. Often make a built-in backlight. In this case, there is also a lintel on top, in which small in depth lights are built in. The upper part can also be used, but you can not store something heavy there. Shelves can be open and closed. Usually they are made of the same MDF, but you can find options made of glass or mirror.

The mirror can be attached to the base. Then it is in the frame of the surrounding shelves. The second option – on the door of the cabinet. Ways of opening the door two – as usual to the right or left or up – with a lifting mechanism.

Hull-less mirror shelves often have a frame, to which the shelves are attached. There are few of them, most often one at the bottom. There are also those in which the shelves are attached to the main mirror. It is not recommended to load them too much.

Wall and corner hinged shelves

Describe the options of shelves in the bathroom with attachment to the wall – on the plane and in the corner – can be long. Design options are very many. This applies to the choice of shape and material. But there are a limited number of designs. About them and we will talk about them.

To begin with, let’s talk about the number of “floors”. There are single-tier shelves, there are two or more levels. If we talk about single-tier, each of them must be attached separately. And this means additional holes in the walls. Since our bathrooms are mostly lined with ceramic tiles, each hole is like a wound. Therefore, if one plane is not enough for sure, consider the options of tiered.

On the other hand, several single shelves can be hung at the distance you need from each other. In the case of non-corner ones, you can still choose any position relative to each other. In general, more freedom of action. With this, hopefully, it is clear.

The second point: the presence of a fence. Both corner and wall-mounted can be with and without fences. The lack of edges is not so critical, if you hang evenly. Yes, you can accidentally push some tubes. But, if there are no children, it does not happen so often. But it is much easier to put everything.

Shelves with edges are not quite convenient in operation – it is harder to put and take out items. Especially high ones must be tilted carefully at a certain degree. In general, it is also a hassle.

Another modification is found in wall-mounted shelves. At the bottom there may be a crossbar or two for towels. There may also be hooks. Here you can hang not only towels, but also some accessories. Such models make sense to place not in the “wet” zone, but very close, so that you can reach out to remove the towel.

Corner shelves on a rod

Corner shelves can be mounted on a single vertical rod. And they can be plastic, metal, glass. Fastened shelves can be with the same step (more common), but you can find models with installation at different distances from each other. What are they good? The fact that they require less fasteners. In the classic version, the rod is fixed at the top and bottom, and the shelves are held on it, and also due to the stop in the walls (in the photo, the extreme right).

There are variants of corner shelves with installation without drilling holes. Two ways – with a spacer bar and with suction cups. The more reliable is the spacer bar. It is installed in the desired location, sliding to the stop in the floor and ceiling, fixed in this position with a special clamp. The design is quite reliable.

What is worth paying attention to. On the material of the bar. The shelves themselves are most often made of plastic, and they are attached to a metal pipe. This is a bad thing: metal quickly begins to rust. Therefore, it is better to look for a plastic rod. The load from cans-bottles is not hundreds of kilograms or even tens of kilograms, so that the safety margin of the plastic pipe will be more than enough.

Materials

With the material from which the shelf is made, it is difficult to decide. As usual, we want, high-quality, beautiful and inexpensive. You probably realize that only two out of three requests can be satisfied at the same time. Everyone has their own concept of beauty, but if your taste is not so refined to deny plastic, then it is quite possible to combine all three requirements in plastic. But “inexpensive” – this is relative to, say, stainless steel. And quite cheap is difficult to call durable.

Plastic

Plastic shelves for the bathroom are good in that they can be hung without fear in the shower cabin. They feel great under the jets of water. At least in the bathtub with water lower them. But just so that there are no problems with cleaning, make sure that there is a possibility of moisture drainage. There are various models – floor, corner, and wall. And it is available mounting on suction cups. Few people, unfortunately, they hold normally. But, if the tile is smooth, without relief, there is a chance that you are lucky.

If we talk about special constructions, then, perhaps, only from plastic and stainless steel make shelves on the sides of the bathtub. But the price of stainless steel as an airplane wing. They can not find them in our country, and so, a very convenient thing. There is another option – hinged. These are such models that can be hung on the partition of the shower cabin, if it is not up to the ceiling (in the photo on the left below). Such options can still be found among metal ones, but the word “cheap” to quality models does not apply.

A couple more practical points. First. If your water is hard, it is better to take light colors – on them salt deposits are not so visible. The second point – also concerns the choice of color of the shelf, but the approach from the point of view of design. If the design turned out boring, colors can be added just bright plastic accessories – get a “cheerful” bath. If you are closer to a more restrained style, choose gray, brown, black. Play on contrasts.

Glass and mirror

Many people consider glass shelves to be dangerous. Maybe so, but think about it, have you ever heard of someone hurting themselves with a glass shelf. Simply shelves in the bathroom are usually located in places where it is problematic to damage them. Above the washbasin, in the corners of the bathroom. In addition, thick glass is used, which is difficult to damage. Of course, if there are children who are experimenters, then it is probably not worth it. But if everyone is out of the age of unrestrained exploration of the world, you can hang glass shelves in the bathroom without problems.

What makes them so good? Because they look good in both large and small spaces. In small they give an additional plus, as they do not clutter the visual space. They are almost invisible. Only the holders stick out of the wall, and the shelves themselves are “weightless” and transparent.

When buying a glass shelf can be without fear of looking for stainless steel holders and “swing” to good companies. Stainless steel there is not too much, so that the beauty will cost a small amount. If the shelf in the assembly of you, after all, the price will shock you, look for holders for glass shelves in furniture hardware stores. There you can also find stoppers if you want to install them.

Ask the shelf itself to be cut out in a glass workshop. There you will also process the edges and make holes. Just be sure to specify that you need it. By the way, there are colored glass, there are frosted. So “transparency” is not necessary. You can apply and mirrors. Or patterned glass, and for less problems with cleaning, “patterned” side to turn down.

From the point of view of care, glass is a normal material. But only if the water is hard, there are traces and streaks. In this case, do not take “transparent”, it will be easier with frosted.

Metal shelves

The most popular and, perhaps, the most difficult to choose a type. It’s not about the shape, but about the choice of manufacturer. Metal shelves for the bathroom can be:

• stainless steel;
• chrome plated (ordinary steel or brass with a layer of spraying);
• enameled;
• powder sprayed.

The most durable are shelves made of stainless steel. But quality ones are very expensive, and there are no “average” in price. In the range there are cheap, and then – very expensive with a sharp price difference. Prices differ by a factor of 5 or more. Cheap – it is stainless steel, which rusts. First in the places of welding, then – further, because there are few alloying metals, and when welding they also burned out. Well, and expensive – it is made of metal with normal properties, and even welded in a protective environment.

In the middle of the price range are chrome-plated shelves. Everything is not bad for the first six months. And then, if the quality is not too high, the sputtering fades, rust comes out. This is if steel is covered with chrome. If brass, then over time there is a greenish tint, which is not removed by anything. These suffer from shelves of domestic production. European manufacturers do not have such a misfortune, but the price is almost as good stainless steel, so there is no point in buying them. Unless you like the model.

Enameled and powder-coated metal shelves – this is an economy option. They cost very little, but they do not live long either. Ideally, powder coating should hold up well, but somehow so far normal ones have not met. It peels off literally after six months.

If we talk about the manufacturers of metal shelves in the bathroom, expensive ones can be taken without much doubt. In the sense that they are usually of good quality. If you need already tried and tested, here they are:

• SMEDBO (Smedbo) medium price range (as for quality), good quality and wide range (the catalog is so definitely wide).
• Groe is more expensive, but beautiful and lasts a long time.
• Hansgrohe – very beautiful and high quality, but very expensive.

Of course, there are other manufacturers of metal shelves for bathtubs, but there is no reliable experience of operation, so we will not name them. If you have some proven brands, please write off in the comments. Or, on the contrary, there is a negative experience of operation. In any case, it will be useful for everyone.

Wooden

Wooden shelves are practically not considered by us. We are used to the fact that wood in the bathroom is impractical. But it is used on the street, from it they make a decking around the pool. There, the operating conditions are much worse. Just now there are means that allow you to make wood insensitive to water. And it’s not varnish. Or rather, not only them.

Wood treated with a special oil is not covered with a film, remains “rough” to the touch, but no longer absorbs moisture. It is not afraid of water or steam. The texture of wood remains, the color is optional. You can leave the “native”, you can make it darker / lighter, add some shade. In general, there are options.

Artificial stone

Another unusual material for shelves in the bathroom – artificial stone. Here there are no questions – it is definitely not afraid of water. But only heavy, so that such shelves require walls with good load-bearing capacity. They can be installed on brackets or embedded studs.

They are not on sale, but you can order according to your size and desire in those firms that make sinks. Just ask them about the technology. Normal operation will be artificial stone, in which the mineral component (crushed stone, quartz sand, etc.) will be at least 80%. The remaining 20% is a synthetic binder. And it is good if it is acrylic resin (copolymers).