Shelves in drywall bathroom: what to consider to create durable structures

Drywall is a popular material that is mainly used for cladding ceilings and walls. However, due to its flexibility in work, it is often used to create partitions and various structures that can fully replace massive furniture. One of the varieties of such products are the shelves in drywall bathroom, which are practical, original and durable.

Shelves in drywall bathroom: design features

Drywall is a finishing material that is used for the rough layer. It is finished with ceramic tiles, wallpaper, paint or other cladding. The material does not have a bearing capacity, reacts poorly to mechanical and shock loads. Drywall can collapse from constant exposure to heavy and wet objects.

Important! For rooms with high humidity, you should choose a material with a blue or green GKVL marking, which is impregnated with special protective compounds against moisture and fungus.

Lined with tiles, mosaics or porcelain tiles, the surface acquires strength, wear resistance, rigidity and aesthetic value. Such shelves can be safely installed in bathrooms for storing various accessories, cleaning products and detergents. Moisture-resistant finishing surface reliably protects drywall from the harmful effects of moisture, contributing to a long period of operation of the structure.

Plasterboard sheets are attached to the frame, created from a galvanized profile, using self-tapping screws. From the material, you can create various multi-tiered storage systems. You can close the drywall pipes in bathroom by fixing stationary shelves under the washbasin and bathtub and covering them with a screen. The material is suitable for creating curved structures that are built into the space between plumbing fixtures, which allows you to rationally use free space without overloading the overall environment.

Shelves in drywall bathroom have many undeniable advantages. The material is environmentally friendly and safe, does not contain harmful components, does not emit toxic substances into the atmosphere. Drywall is characterized by good soundproofing properties. It is quite plastic, so it is easy to work with it.

From drywall, you can easily create shelves in bathroom with your own hands of various configurations and sizes, which, due to their low weight, will not burden the structure, will not create an additional load on the ceiling. The design of the surface of the products depends solely on the preferences of the owner. Properly installed structures are quite strong and able to withstand considerable weight. Drywall products are low cost.

Varieties of shelves for a bathtub from GKL

There are many variations of plasterboard shelves in the bath. A classic product is the cantilever design without side and rear walls. This shelf has a small depth. It is mounted on a steel profile, previously fixed on the wall. Since it is not able to withstand serious loads, the width of the shelf usually does not exceed 20-25 cm.

Such a shelf can be installed in any free space on the wall. Anchors are used as fasteners for shelves in bathroom. The frame is sheathed with drywall on all sides. Next, the structure is finished with a facing material.

Useful advice! To increase the bearing capacity of the cantilever structure, it can be reinforced with tie rods in the upper part and jibs in the lower part.

Do-it-yourself corner shelves in a drywall toilet or bathroom are more durable and rigid, since they are attached on both sides. Such products in shape can be rectangular, convex semicircular with a radius edge protruding outward, concave semicircular, or arbitrary execution. The last version of the products is the most difficult to manufacture, but they are of high decorative value.

The next variety is a shelf with side walls. Such a product can rest on the floor, in which the side parts are elements of the fence and stiffeners, or rest on a horizontal surface. The latter option is characterized by high bearing capacity. It can be implemented in an existing niche or a created false plasterboard wall with shelves.

Beautifully and organically in bathroom look curvilinear shelves made of plasterboard, which simultaneously rest on the floor and are fixed to the wall. In their manufacture, an arched profile is used to create radius sections. Before sheathing the frame, drywall sheets are soaked or cut into narrow elements with a width corresponding to the inside of the bend radius.

Materials for creating shelves in drywall bathroom

The main materials in the manufacture of shelves in bathroom with your own hands are drywall and metal profiles. The structure frame is made of galvanized profiles. Its basis is UW or UD guides in the form of original rails made of thick metal sheets. The elements can be 50, 75 and 100 mm wide and 40 mm deep. The basis for gypsum plasterboards are CD bearing profiles, which are mounted on guide elements.

When creating curved structures, arched profiles in the form of rails with reinforced perforation are used. Such elements can be bent in any direction due to the presence of a large number of holes and cuts in their structure.

The frame created from the profiles is sheathed with drywall. It is represented by a sheet building and finishing material, which consists of a core, protected by a cardboard layer on both sides. Cardboard gives the product the necessary rigidity, helps to reduce the stress of gypsum during installation work and during operation. It also protects the inner layer from abrasion.

There are several varieties of drywall, each of which is used for a specific task. To create shelves, moisture-resistant drywall is used in bathroom under the tile marked GKVL, where the symbol “B” indicates the moisture-repellent performance of the product. Such sheets have a green or bluish tint. Drywall contains special modifying components that reduce the absorption of moisture and prevent the appearance of fungus and mold on its surface.

Drywall has a number of distinctive advantages, which makes it in demand in the organization of the interior space of the premises. The material is environmentally friendly, resistant to temperature extremes, good sound insulation qualities, durability. Drywall is malleable in work. The material is not deformable without appropriate effort. From it you can create elements of various configurations.

Important! Drywall is a fragile material, so it should be handled carefully and slowly.

Shelf above the drywall washing machine

On the wall above the washing machine, you can create several independent drywall shelves by placing the necessary accessories on them. The first step is to construct the basis of the structure in the form of a frame of metal guide profiles. With the help of load-bearing elements, additional reinforcement is created. The profiles are attached in different directions, thanks to which the frame will acquire the correct geometric shape.

How to hang a drywall shelf on the wall? For this, special anchors are used. The fixed frame is sheathed with drywall on all sides. To do this, parts of the required dimensions are cut out of the material. They are attached to the profiles with self-tapping screws. The corner sections of the structure are hidden behind perforated corners.

The surface of the structure is primed. With the help of putty, all joints are sealed, which are previously closed with a reinforcing mesh. The material is applied in two layers. After the putty has completely dried, all irregularities are cleaned with an abrasive mesh. A layer of primer is applied to the finished surface.

Important! In the case of using lighting for a shelf made of profile and drywall, the wires should be hidden in the middle of the frame, laying them inside the corrugations.

The final stage in the manufacture of a shelf on a drywall wall with your own hands is its finishing. The simplest solution is to paint the surface. A shelf lined with mosaics or ceramic tiles looks more aesthetically pleasing and stylish. The material is glued to a special composition, which is designed for wet rooms. It is not recommended to use standard glue, since the glued product may fall off over time.

How to make bathroom shelves with side walls

Often there are situations when you need to close the space between the wall and the washbasin or the side of the bath. It is impossible to purchase such a storage system in a store, since the dimensions of the free space are non-standard, and there are no ready-made solutions. The most suitable and budget option is to create plasterboard shelves on the wall.

The first step is to apply markings to secure the metal profile to all supporting structures. Places for the starting profile are marked on the floor and floor slab. On adjacent walls, designations of vertical lines of racks are applied, taking into account the thickness of drywall and facing material. Lines are also drawn under the horizontal starting profile, depending on the number of shelves.

The drywall construction is created using start and rack profiles. The first type is fixed along the walls on the ceiling. The rack profile is inserted into it, due to which stiffening ribs of the power frame are formed. It is fixed with the help of cutters or self-tapping screws. The frame posts must be additionally fixed to the walls with hangers using two dowel-nails for each element.

The finished frame is sheathed with drywall sheets in one layer if a thick material with a thickness of more than 8 mm is used, and in several layers using thin plasterboard. The head of the self-tapping screws is screwed flush. Long screws should be screwed into the starting profile.

Useful advice! To reduce the thickness of the shelf, pieces of drywall can be inserted into the starting profile, rather than using material to sheath the frame from the outside.

The finished storage system is finished with tiles or mosaics. The first option helps to increase the operational resource of the shelf. Mosaic is preferred for small curvilinear structures. The final step is grouting the seams with a moisture-resistant material.

Drywall shelves on the wall can also be painted in any color. In this case, the surface can be left flat or give it relief. In the latter case, the process is performed at the stage of puttying the structure. When exposed to wet putty with hard bristles, it will be possible to get a kind of ripple. A raised pattern can be created by stroking the surface with your fingers. Rounded decorative fragments will be obtained using a small spatula, when turning it around its axis.

Creating a drywall niche in bathroom with shelves

A box with plasterboard shelves created in bathroom looks original and aesthetically pleasing. It doesn’t take up much space. Such a storage system is characterized by a small depth of shelves.

The first step is to draw the design. Two parallel lines are drawn from the ceiling, denoting the boundaries of the niche, taking into account its width. A mark is applied on the ceiling corresponding to the depth of the structure. It is laid at an angle of 90 degrees from the main lines. With the help of a plumb line, all lines are projected onto the floor. On the wall marks the location of the built-in shelves. According to this marking, the guides of galvanized profiles are fastened, which are fixed to the ceiling and floor with the help of special fasteners.

Further, carrier profiles are attached to the edges of the horizontal rails. Horizontal elements will be fixed to them, which will be the basis for future shelves. Then, sheathing with drywall sheets of vertical racks of the structure is performed. If it is not possible to mount an element of one height, it must be installed with a joint that will rest on the jumper. This solution will eliminate the formation of cracks at the junction.

In the process of sheathing, grooves are created for horizontal profiles. The rails are mounted from the inside of the racks from the bottom up at a distance equal to the size of the shelves. The horizontality of the elements is checked by the level. In accordance with the length of the shelves, the carrier profile is cut. For each surface, you need two elements. One is installed in the groove. Pressing against the wall, the profile is fixed to the posts and the plane. The second element is also installed in the groove, but is attached to the outer edge of the structure.

Important! When creating a wide niche with shelves in bathroom with your own hands, the frame should be reinforced with jumpers, which are located between the supporting elements and screwed to them.

The finished structure is completely sheathed with drywall sheets. All joints are puttied. After complete drying, the surface is polished. A niche with built-in shelves can be painted in any shade, finished with tiles or decorative plaster with a water-repellent effect.

How to make shelves on a curved drywall wall

Creating curvilinear drywall storage systems is a complex and time-consuming process. Before you make a shelf in bathroom of an unusual configuration, you must first prepare a template made of durable material. For this, plywood is suitable, from which a curved part is cut. A plasterboard sheet will subsequently be laid out on it.

To obtain a curved element, a drywall blank is processed with a spiked roller, which makes small holes in the cavity, and is wetted with water using a sponge so that the liquid comes out of each hole. The part should be soaked for 10 minutes, but the drywall should not be completely wet. The wet element is applied to the curved template and left to dry.

Important! The needle roller should not be rolled back and forth several times, but only once to obtain the required number of holes.

A special flexible profile is used to create the frame. The crate is performed according to the principle described above. However, arched elements are used instead of conventional profiles.

Useful advice! If there is no arched profile, the usual guide element can be given the necessary flexibility by cutting its edges into small fragments.

Do-it-yourself fastening of a curved plasterboard shelf in bathroom comes from the highest point, gradually moving towards the edges. In this case, the screws should be located in increments of no more than 15 cm.

Finishing of the finished structure takes place in the traditional way. However, arched plastic corners are installed at the outer corners, which are deformable due to the sections on one side. Ordinary perforated corners for curved structures will not work.

Laying tiles in bathroom on drywall

Before laying the tiles in bathroom on drywall, you should prepare the surface. It is pre-primed in 2 layers. Next, all joints are puttied using reinforced tape, which will prevent the formation of cracks in the future. The finished surface is again primed in 2 layers.

When finishing a plasterboard structure with ceramic tiles, the choice of adhesive composition should be approached with special responsibility. The best option is flexible tile adhesive. The material is produced in the form of a dry powder or a ready mix. It provides reliable adhesion of the surface to the tile, which will not fall off over time. The most convenient to use is the modern composition in the form of liquid nails, which is available in plastic bottles. To work with him, you need a special gun.

Tile on drywall in the bath is laid out according to the chosen scheme. You should start from the place that is most visible. Each tile is pre-wetted. The adhesive composition is applied to the drywall surface and the back side of the finishing material using a notched trowel. The correct position of the product is checked by a level. The next tile is laid in the same way.

Useful advice! Laying tiles starts from the edge of the structure, if there is a gap at the end of the row, more than half the width of the tile, or from the center to the edges, when the gap is less than half the width of the tile.

Crosses are placed between the elements in order to form an even and neat joint. The final stage in the manufacture of shelves in bathroom of drywall and tiles is grouting the gaps between the finishing elements.

Mosaic cladding of plasterboard shelves in bathroom

Plasterboard shelves trimmed with mosaics look beautiful and organic. Such facing material consists of small rectangles or squares. There are also other forms of fragments in the form of an oval, rhombus, honeycomb or circle.

Mosaic can be piece or assembled on a paper, polymer or silicone base, which greatly simplifies the process of laying the material on the surface. Tiles are available in various designs. Ceramic options are the most popular. Products can have a glossy or matte surface, contain a pattern, be in different colors.

Surfaces finished with glass mosaics look spectacular. Shelves decorated with mirror puzzles will become an elegant decoration of the room, contributing to the visual expansion of the space. Salt mosaic in the form of opaque glass has a special property to refract light. Thanks to this finish, a shelf in a tile bathroom can become an accent element of a room.

Due to the flexibility of the substrate material, the mosaic can be laid on any surface configuration. It will completely repeat the contour and bend of the product, so this finishing option is ideal for curved structures. Interesting design solutions are shown in the photo of the shelves in drywall and mosaic bathroom.

Important! Before you put mosaic tiles on drywall in bathroom, you should perfectly level the surface, otherwise all its defects and flaws will be visible.

The laying of modules is carried out according to the same principle as when using ceramic tiles. Products on a mesh basis are attached with a mosaic outside, and a module on paper – with a mosaic inside. After laying, the paper is removed from the surface. The modules should be leveled with a rubber roller. Grouting is carried out 1-2 days after laying the tiles.

Finishing a niche in a plasterboard bathroom with plaster

The storage system in drywall bathroom, finished with plaster, looks stylish and original. There are several types of material that create a different effect.

Structural plaster contains pebbles, which can be of different sizes. The finishing material is applied to a flat, primed surface with a trowel or spatula. The future engraving will depend on the direction and nature of the movement. A different texture is obtained due to the granular structure of the material. Surface hardens after 3 hours. Complete drying occurs after 7 days.

Textured plaster creates a unique pattern on the plane. It consists of binders and special additives that give the material plasticity and slow setting. It is applied with a spatula, with which various reliefs are recreated. The original texture can be obtained by adding pebbles, wood, cotton fibers, mica, fine sand to the mixture. Surface dries after 5 hours.

Useful advice! To create a unique surface texture, special rollers for decorative plaster are used.

A niche with shelves or a plasterboard worktop in bathroom, finished with Venetian plaster, will look spectacular and presentable. The composition contains marble flour, which creates a slight overflow on the surface. The material is applied in a thin layer with a spatula. After complete drying, excess and roughness are removed from the surface. Thus, 10 layers of plaster are applied in stages. The final step in creating a marble surface is the application of white wax and its polishing.

The storage system in the form of a box in a drywall bath, finished with silk plaster, looks especially luxurious. The result is a shimmering, velvety surface in the desired shade. The plaster is applied in 2-4 layers until the desired silky texture is formed. One layer dries within 4 hours.

Drywall, as a material for the manufacture of shelves for the toilet and bathroom, has proven itself from the best side. With it, you can create designs of different configurations. Plasterboard shelves with decorative tiles or plaster finishes are strong, durable and attractive in appearance.