Let’s Talk Bathroom Feature Walls
Feature walls are certainly more popular than they have been in the past and they present an easy way to upscale your bathroom, or any room, without a lot of effort or skill required.
Typically a feature wall involves some kind of design elements like board and batten or simple vertical and horizontal boards of some kind and a colour that is different than the main wall colour.
Lets have a look at the most common options and the step + tools you will need to get it done.
Board and Batten
True board and batten means that you are putting flat wood, usually some depth of plywood or MDF onto the wall and then adding the design elements on top. The board is either painted the same colour as the wall or a different colour.
The batten part of the design is the more intricate parts that go on top of the board to create blocks, or sections. These can also be painted in a variety of ways.
As you can see from the images there are more advanced methods of doing this that create a nice look but take more time and skill on the saw. The bathroom above has a simple square design using trim pieces ontop of the board.
If you go this way you want to make sure that you are using kitchen + Bath paint as it has additional moisture and water resistant qualities that will protect the board and the trim/battens from absorbing water over time and warping.
Time and Tools
This kind of project can usually be completed in a weekend and shouldn’t take too much effort.
Step 1 – You want to clean out your bathroom and if necessary remove anything that will be in your way. You may need to remove towel hooks or electrical cover plates. If you are doing board overtop of an electrical outlet you will likely need to do some electrical work to move the electrical box so the cover plate lines up when you put it back on. At this point I would recommend picking a different wall unless you know what you are doing. This blog post isn’t about electrical and you should either hire an electrician or get help from someone who knows what to do.
Step 2 – You want to make sure that your wall colour is the colour that you want. If it isn’t paint the wall BEFORE you put the board on. Trust me it’s just easier.
Step 3 – Attach the board over the whole area that you are covering. This step assumes that you have measured, purchased the material, cut it and its ready to attach. Yes you can paint it before attaching but you can also do it after. You need to use kitchen and bath paint for this.
To attach the board you can simply use a nail gun but I would recommend using 2-3 screws into studs just to be extra sure it’s not going anywhere especially if it’s a big piece. Make sure you couter sin the screws and nails.
Step 4 – Fill the nail and screw holes with wood putty.
Step 5 – Sand the Wood Putty
Step 6 – Paint the board
Step 7 – Put your battens on. This is where you use trim or baseboard to create your square look or design. I would recommend painting your battens before you cut them and attach them. Then paint again when they are on.
Step 8 – using caulking or dap fill in all the seams and gaps. Then paint what you need to.
Tile Feature Wall
Another common option for a bathroom feature wall is tile. This works especially well behind a vanity or on the wall inside a shower where you want a more finished look that can also handle moisture really well. Tile gives you a lot of options from simple subway tile to larger format tile or something with more texture and pattern depending on the look you want.
This kind of feature wall can make the bathroom feel more custom without needing to redo the entire room. It also tends to be a good choice if you want something durable and easy to wipe down over time.
Time and Tools
This type of project can also be done in a weekend, depending on the size of the wall and your comfort level.
Step 1
Clear the area and make sure the wall surface is clean, dry, and ready for tile. If there is existing damage or uneven spots you will want to deal with that first.
Step 2
Measure your wall and plan your tile layout before you start sticking anything to the wall. Trust me this will save you a headache later and help you avoid awkward cuts in obvious places.
Step 3
Make sure you have your tile, adhesive, spacers, level, tile cutter, trowel, and grout ready to go before you begin.
Step 4
Apply your adhesive and start placing the tile using spacers to keep everything even. Check your lines often with a level because small mistakes can get worse as you move across the wall.
Step 5
Let the adhesive dry fully based on the product instructions before moving on to grout.
Step 6
Apply the grout and press it into all the joints. Then wipe the excess away with a damp sponge and let it cure.
Step 7
Caulk the edges and any transition points if needed to give it a cleaner and more finished look.
Step 8
Clean the tile and put everything back in place.
Endgame
At the end of the day adding a feature wall to your bathroom can make a nice little addition. It can give you a lift on your space, and create a bit of a vibe if you are going to sell it. Don’t get too fancy with it, or too specific just keep it nice and easy.