When designing or renovating a bathroom, the right finish can make a significant difference in both style and functionality. Shower panels have become a popular alternative to traditional tiles, offering a sleek, low-maintenance solution that suits a wide range of budgets and tastes.
However, there are a few different options you can consider when it comes to style and materials. To help you make the right choice for your bathroom. In this guide, we’re going to take you through how these materials compare to each other and explore the different types of shower panels - highlighting their features, benefits, and ideal uses.
Why choose shower panels?
Shower panels have a multitude of benefits for any modern home as they provide a sophisticated, easy alternative to traditional decorating methods. They’re a great choice for those in need of a quick method with easy-to-install features that can be placed directly over existing tiles.
Shower panels are also incredibly easy to clean and hygienic, providing a long-lasting contemporary finish to your shower space and topped off with mould-resistant properties. With so many great benefits, it’s no wonder that they’re becoming an increasingly popular choice for homeowners. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of wall panels, you can read through our blog.
What are the different types of shower panels?
Shower panels come in a range of different materials to suit your needs, and they typically fall into three categories, which include:
PVC shower panels - PVC shower boards are completely waterproof, low-cost and easy to install on a DIY basis. These types of bathroom shower panels are the only panels without a solid core; instead, they come with an internal construction consisting of a honeycomb pattern. At 10mm in depth, these panels are a solid PVC construction board.
Solid core shower boards - As the name indicates, these shower wall panels are constructed from a solid core material, consisting of either MDF or plywood, with a waterproof covering laminate.
Acrylic shower panels - Although more of an expensive option than PVC or solid core boards, these panels offer stunning effects. Boasting many types of print from botanical to geometric. They also create stunning glass-like walls, all in a high-gloss finish due to the nature of their material.
If you’d like to learn more about these types of shower panels, the benefits they offer and the different styles you can choose from, then keep reading to find the best option for your home decor.
PVC shower panels
PVC shower panels are an incredibly popular choice due to their benefits. They are often the cheapest option due to the material they’re made of, but are also the most sensible option for a lot of homeowners as well. Thanks to their PVC material, these panels will not warp or rot like MDF or plywood solid core panels as, although sturdy, if they are not installed properly they can be known to let water ingress in, resulting in blown and warped panels.
PVC boards also tend to be much lighter than solid core and acrylic shower boards. This is because the internal core is not a solid mass; alternatively, it has a honeycomb rigid internal construction.
A lot of our shower panels are available in 600mm & 1000mm widths and are all 2.4 metres in length. A great example of a PVC shower panel is this Large Subtle Grey Marble Shower Panel. Like all our PVC panels, these panels come with easy-to-install and easy-to-clean features, making them the perfect choice for DIY projects or long-term maintenance.
Large Subtle Grey Marble Shower Panel - £47.50
If you’re looking for more great PVC styles with wonderful designs for your bathroom, then you can browse our full shower panel range.
Solid core shower boards
As the name suggests, these panels are made with a solid core construction. Whilst these panels are a very appealing choice for your bathroom renovation, as mentioned prior, it is a must that a reputable fitter installs these panels, to ensure they are sealed accordingly to fitting requirements and avoid any water ingress, which would cause warped and blown panels.
These kinds of panels can come in two different kinds of wood, those being MDF and plywood boards, both of which we discuss below.
MDF Boards
Our MDF boards are available in 600mm, 900mm & 1200mm widths and are all 2.4 metres in length. These panels are produced with a constructed waterproof laminate, and are available in all types of textures from a gloss to a highly textured matt finish. Out of all shower panel materials, MDF are the thickest and heaviest.
This Linda Barker Salvaged Planked Elm Shower Panel is a great example of MFD panels as they feature the lovely textured matt finish of MDF with a stunning wood style that will transform your bathroom into a natural-looking oasis. It’s perfect for those who are looking to bring nature indoors for a calming and spa-like shower experience.
Multipanel Linda Barker Salvaged Planked Elm Shower Panel - £112.83
Plywood shower boards
Plywood shower boards are very similar to our MDF boards, with a solid internal plywood construction, and they are available in 600mm widths by 2.4 metres in length. These Urban Fall Perform Panels are a great example of plywood panels as they’re made with a 5-layer plywood core and are bonded to HPL (high-pressure laminate) at the front face and a backing HPL to reverse - making them suitable for wet rooms, showers and areas with extremely high humidity.
Urban Fall Perform Panels - £150
Acrylic shower panels
Acrylic shower wall panels are one of the slimmest out of all shower panels, at 4mm in depth; however, they are generally heavier than PVC shower panels, due to their acrylic solid core density construction. These types of panels offer a highly waterproof, durable and hygienic surface for your wetroom or bathroom as well as giving a sleek, glass-like finish on your walls for a clean, modern look.
Discover the perfect shower panels for your home with Panel Company
Choosing the right shower panel comes down to balancing style, durability, maintenance, and budget. Whether you’re drawn to the cost-effective and easy-to-install nature of PVC panels, the solid feel and stylish finishes of MDF, or exploring other materials like acrylic, each option offers its own unique benefits.
Find the perfect match for your bathroom and browse our full shower panels collection for a range of durable and high-quality solid core and PVC panelling here at Panel Company.
