Bathroom wall panel moving

[london77]

Hi

We've one of those plastic wall panels, like a commercial bathroom and the sealant has gone. Really not sure the best way to approach this as the panel is now lifting:

https://youtu.be/R6iguwHMVlI

Any ideas? I assume the panel needs to be reglued, but how? or just seal holding the panel in place?

Thanks

[Kev888]

The movement is likely to break any normal seal, in fact I'd guess that is what has happened, so it really needs sorting out. If the panel has become detached from the wall just at the bottom then it may be possible (depending on the clearance) to get some silicone or grab adhesive squeezed up behind it to stabilise things, choosing one thats suitable for applying in damp conditions if water could have got in there. But if not or if it is actually the underlying plaster which has failed (e.g. due to water getting in) then you may need to remove the panel and sort the wall out before re-fixing.

That said, you can get seals that are essentially rigid plastic angles, or else a flexible white rubbery version on a roll. Some of these are designed to accommodate a little movement so 'may' be an easy option to try first if things start to look complicated. But in all honesty I've never used them in that kind of situation myself, so can't be sure. Hopefully someone else has.

[london77]

Cheers

It's recent, and localised so I don't think the plaster is knackered yet.

Think this https://www.screwfix.com/p/geocel-the-w ... 90ml/72264 would do the trick? Pull the panel out a bit and use this to stick it back down, seal with the same product?

[Kev888]

I've not used that adhesive/sealant myself, but in the absence of anyone else commenting it does sound very suitable indeed. Maybe do a test to decide if its visually smart enough for the seal (conducive to being smoothed nicely, for instance) or if you just want to use it for the adhesive part of the job.

In an ideal world it would be best not to pull out the panel too much in case this causes the existing bond to break further. Flexing it forward a tad could be helpful if it wants to, but mostly I'd try squeezing adhesive through the gap that is already present, to accumulate behind and pack out the panel where it flexes (trying to avoid pushing the panel backwards in the process). It may help to make small holes in the existing silicone bead and/or tape each side of the points you are to squeeze adhesive in, to encourage the adhesive to go behind the panel rather than out the sides of the gap. If the gap is too small for this, then the panel could be shaved a little to enlarge it (not too much, you don't want it to show above the new seal).

You'll likely want to mask off the area around where the new seal is to go and especially around & below where you're squeezing adhesive in, as it could be quite messy. And fill the bath beforehand, partly because if the bath settles with the weight it will make your gap marginally bigger and partly because if you let things set with the bath at the lowest point then they won't be stretched when the bath is filled in future.

[london77]

Tar

Turns out I couldn't get anything behind the panel, there just wasn't enough play in it. Plan B is to take the bath away from the wall and gain access to it that way. Just hoping that's easier than having the panel replaced...

[dewaltdisney]

Just thinking laterally, would it be easier to drill a hole through the wall from the back and squirt some adhesive in between the wall and the panel? Thinking about it the drilling would have to be dead accurate to avoid going right through so on reflection I think taking the bath out is a safer option.

Good luck with it

DWD

[darrenba]

Moving the bath would be fine unless it's been fitted to the wall using the L brackets they usually come with. As the bracket will be fixed to the wall behind the panel.

[Kev888]

Turns out I couldn't get anything behind the panel, there just wasn't enough play in it.

That's a shame, it was worth a go before more extensive measures but clearly not enough in this case. How annoying, for such a small/local area.

[london77]

The wall in question is an outside wall so going in from the other side isn't an option, unfortunately. The sealant seems to be holding it all for the minute so hopefully it won't get worse.

The bath should come away I hope, though removing the screen looks to be a pain. It's a ridiculous situation, if the installer had just run the panel 10cm or so under the line of the bath this just wouldn't be a problem!