When moving into a new space, or revamping an old one, it is fair to say that bathrooms rank rather high on the list of priorities. Every single member of the household will make use of the bathroom space, as well as visiting guests who you will want to impress. An affordable and practical design decision is making use of concrete created concrete mixers to breathe new life into your bathroom. Concrete is a wonderful material for bathrooms, easy to clean and resistant to damage. In just a few minutes, discover the merits of using cement from concrete mixers in your new bathroom, as well as some other helpful bathroom design tips and tricks.
On the matter of flooring
Flooring is one of the most integral parts of bathroom designs, and must be thought of well before you begin the process. Concrete made in concrete mixers works exceptionally well in bathrooms since it cannot be damaged by water. However, there are certain considerations to make, such as choosing the correct finish or surface treatment so that it is not too slippery. Concrete bathroom floors are becoming increasingly popular, as they mesh well with the ever-evolving modern design practices that more and more homes are adopting.
There is no need to worry about a concrete floor looking boring, since concrete slabs can be painted, top-coated, stained, polished, dyed or acid-etched deliberately to achieve a unique look that is impossible for any other type of flooring material. Should concrete be considered for an above-grade floor – a portion of the home that is above ground level – so building considerations will have to be made since concrete can be quite heavy when poured out of the concrete mixer. Hiring professional building companies should lift this burden from your shoulders if you do not feel confident enough to take the DIY route.
There are many advantages of having concrete floors in bathrooms. Concrete, mixed from concrete mixers, was previously donned a stark and industrial-looking material best suited to workplaces and warehouses. Thanks to modern design, concrete has shed these evaluations. Concrete is admired in the bathroom scene for reasons such as the following:
It is incredibly durable
With proper care, concrete floors can appear almost untouched for the lifetime of the home. Due to the material’s longevity, concrete is naturally one of the most cost-effective flooring materials that you can choose to use in high traffic areas of the home such as the bathroom. While most premium floorings need to be replaced ever 10 to 20 years, concrete flooring in the bathroom may never need to be replaced.
It is impervious to water damage
It is widely believed that no amount of water can significantly damage a concrete floor. Therefore, you need not worry about spills from the shower, tub or sin, or even wet feet and damp towels discarded on the floor. However, even though the material is immune to water damage, should cracks occur, water will be able to pass through to whatever material is beneath it. As you can imagine, this may become a problem if the layer the concrete flooring rests upon is plywood or board, since moisture damage will undoubtedly occur. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that you keep an eye out on your concrete bathroom floor for any noticeable cracks and sort them out before they become extreme.
Concrete flooring is cost-effective
It is no secret that concrete is an affordable floor material. For anyone wishing to upgrade their bathroom on a budget, it makes sense that concrete from concrete mixers is an appropriate choice. Fortunately, spending less on concrete flooring does not signify a decrease in quality or style in your bathroom space.
Concrete floors are easy to clean
Concrete is very near the top of the list when it comes to easily cleanable materials. Besides having to keep an eye out for cracks on the surface every now and then, as well as occasionally applying another seal on the surface if need be, concrete is basically maintenance free. You are at liberty to apply almost any cleaning method when tackling your concrete floors, be that wet-mopping, dry-mopping, vacuuming, sweeping or anything else. Concrete, unlike carpet or hardwood, does not degrade faster with regular cleaning. Despite all this, be sure that your chosen cleaning chemicals are appropriate and do not cause discoloration when applied to concrete – especially if it has not been recently sealed.
Concrete floors enhance modern-style decoration
Due to the rise on modern design techniques, concrete flooring or finishing can now stand firm as a huge asset to a bathroom’s design. We have already spoken about how concrete can be acid-etched to bring style into a space, but the material can also be dyed and stamped with stencil patterns to give it more texture. Dyeing concrete is as easy as adding dye to the wet concrete in the concrete mixer.
Creating the concrete shower and baths of your dreams with concrete mixers
YouTube and DIY blogs are littered with tutorials on how to build your very own concrete showers and baths with the use of concrete mixers. When it comes to the bathroom advantages of concrete flooring previously mentioned, the same rings true for showers and baths made out of concrete. Concrete showers additionally lack any grout joints where mildew and unsightly mold tends to grow in many bathrooms. Constructing a bath or a shower out of concrete also opens up a world of opportunity when it comes to shape, styles and designs.
Concrete showers can be stenciled to mimic the appearance of tiles, or alternatively coloured with stains to form an artistic wall mural. If you are a creative at heart, this is your time to shine. Integral pigments can be added to concrete in order to make it look as black as granite, or as white as porcelain, to name only two examples. Existing tile showers can also reap benefits from being resurfaced with a concrete overlay. This saves you time and money using your own concrete mixers, by avoiding the real hassle and mess that is tile removal. Your shower can look brand new with minimal effort – and will last a life time so long as you apply the correct sealants or finishes to ensure that it is completely waterproof and prevent cracks or blemishes over the years.
Bathroom layout tips
Now that you know a bit more about the merits of using concrete from concrete mixers in your bathroom, you may feel ready to tackle the task. However, there are various bathroom layout best-practices to keep in mind. We have compiled a short list of some of the most important ones, that should help you to work out the best design for your new and improved, concrete bathroom:
Measure, measure and measure
Before you begin browsing for design ideas or colour palettes, or mixing concrete in your concrete mixers, it is crucial to check the measurements of your bathroom space and make a scale plan. In this plan, you will need to include the elements that will affect your design, such as external walls (drainage), window positions, wall heights and door openings. After these main elements have been considered, jot down where you would want to see you toilet, shower cubicle, bath and basic storage – making sure it is in scale so that you can have a clear visual representation when you are finished.
Naturally, room size has a huge impact on what you can achieve in the bathroom space. Should you be aspiring to design a bathroom with a basin, toilet, shower and bath, we recommend that the room be at least 1.7 metres by 3 metres in size. Despite this, almost every bathroom requires some sort of compromise, unless you have designed your entire home in advance. If not, you may need to prioritise your preferences and settle for less in other areas.
Take negative space into account
Do not overlook the negative space between the different elements in your bathroom. It is truly important that there is sufficient space between your fittings, for purposes of cleaning, aesthetics and usability. Even if you manage to fit in every single one of your desires in your bathroom space, you may find that you hardly have the space to turn around in your new concrete bathroom. There should be at least 10 centimetres between a vanity unit and a shower screen or wall, and around 80 centimetres of width should be allowed for the toilet to account for elbow room.
Avoid emptiness
Despite what we have just suggested about leaving space, there is such a thing as leaving too much space, especially in very large bathrooms. Many homeowners make the mistake of placing fittings all around the edges of a large bathroom, and in turn making the centre of the space feel empty and cold. If you find yourself with a significant space that you feel you may battle to fill, consider placing something in the middle of the space, such as a large bathtub. Including seating is another option to fill up empty voids in a stylish manner.
Think of storage from the start
It always seems to be the case that there is never enough space to store things in, leaving bathrooms rather cluttered and oftentimes unsightly when shared by many family members. No bathroom can function to its full potential without wisely thought-out storage solutions. Therefore, this needs to be one of your first research task when upgrading your bathroom with concrete from concrete mixers. Shelving over the toilet, niches over baths or within showers or even tall, narrow-storage units to be placed in the bathroom’s corner are some popular solutions.
Top houseplants for your bathroom
Becoming ever-more popular is the use of houseplants to brighten up a bathroom space. Plants have long been considered as useful decorative elements, and some fair better than others in the moist environment that bathrooms provide. Beautiful cement pots can also be created from concrete made in concrete mixers to house your beloved plants and further the concrete aesthetic in your bathroom. Below are 3 houseplants that should thrive in your bathroom:
Bird’s nest fern
Bringing the outdoors in has never been easier with the help of a bird’s nest fern. This leafy, vibrant plant enjoys moderate indirect light – so should not be placed directly on a windowsill. While most ferns are notorious for being hard to care for, the bird’s nest fern sits on the other side of the spectrum, being one of the easiest of its species to keep alive. Since it is native to Southeast Asia and Polynesia, the plant adores the extra moisture provided by a bathroom.
Air plant
Air plants are perfectly suited to bathrooms, since they are able to soak up humidity easily provided from your baths and showers. Since they do not require pots or housing, they can be creatively placed around the bathroom, perfect if you are lacking in terms of surface spacing. Air plants are most happy in a spot with high humidity and bright, indirect light.
Snake plant
Considered by many as “impossible to kill,” the snake plant is perhaps the most durable item on this list. It is perfect for those of us who are forgetful and may neglect to give it a good watering for long periods of time. It thrives in bright light, but does not require it all the time. They are known to require less water, which means that you will not need to stress to find someone to care for it if you are going away for some time.
