Over Bath Shower

If you are looking to use your bath for showering then the walls will need to covered in a suitable waterproof material. For many the first thing they think of is tiles but there are downsides in using these as can be seen in the following photo.



The main concern is the grout. Bathroom tiles frequently get wet and the grout used to fill the gaps between the tiles can retain moisture enabling mould to grow. Many customers are opting for our waterproof panelling as an alternative to tiles for this application as they use no grout in their installation and there is therefore nowhere to harbour moisture - no moisture equelas no mould.

The following image shows the same bathroom after the tiles have been replaced with our Bali Grey cladding:



The result is a bright, light, attractive surface that requires no maintenance and will look good for years to come after the installation.

Showerwall Panels

We have just added the Showerwall range of laminated panels to our inventory.



These panels can be used in all but the largest shower cubicles to cover the wall without any joins. They are constructed from an MDF core with a decorative laminate face and come in a range of attractive finishes. There is also a range of trims available for finishing off the edges and corners as well as adhesives and silicone to get the job done.

Advanced Notice of Closed Days

The Bathroom Marquee will be closed on Monday 7th June 2010 and will also be closed at the end of July, closing on Thursday 22nd re-opening on Monday 2nd August. We will put reminder notices up on the main website nearer the time.

Bathroom Ceilings

When remodelling a bathroom the ceiling quite often gets overlooked. Our wall panels offer a maintenance free opttion for the walls but they can also be used, very succesfully, on the ceiling. Most customers tend to opt for a white panel on the ceiling or sometimes one of our woodgrain effect panels but a recent customer chose to use the same panel for the walls and ceiling - in this case Spaceline Bali Grey.



The end result can be seen in the image above, where both the walls and bathroom ceiling utilise Bali Grey. There are some more shots from this installation on our Customer Gallery

New Panel - Spaceline Black

We have just added a new panel to our range of waterproof wall cladding.

Spaceline Black is a black, marble effect panel, 2.7m long, 250mm wide and 10mm thick with a striking gloss finish.



These dark panels are ideal for use as a highlight "colour" within an overall refurbishment - the most common use being to line a shower cubicle with the black effect and then opt for a lighter contrasting colour around the rest of the room.

It is also possible to use it to line all of the bathroom or shower room walls but this is a bold move and could make a small room feel a litttle more claustrophobic as lighter colours tend give more of an impression of space. The finished result though will certainly catch the eye.

Mosaic Effect Wall Panels

As reported previously, Decos had announced that two of the colours in the mosaic effect wall panel range were to be discontinued. Production has now finished of both Jade and Onyx Rose.



At the time of posting there was very little Jade Mosaic left in stock with the importers but the manufacturers have a large quantity of Onyx Rose to sell off and have slashed the price accordingly.

While stocks last Mosaic Onyx Rose is just £6.99 per panel.

The panels must be bought in multiples of 4 and the price does not include carriage.

Outasight Shower Curtains Back In Stock

We have just been informed that Outasight shower curtains are back in stock with the manufacturers - a week earlier than initially thought. After working through the back orders normal deliveries should resume week commencing 01.02.10



Appolgies to any customers who have had to wait for the curtains - this was due to a delay in the supply of curtain material from the German manufacturer.

Christmas Opening Hours

We will be closing for Christmas at midday on Tue 22nd Dec and will re-open on Mon 4th January.

Any orders placed via our website while we closed will be processed on our return. We would recommend Thursday 17th as the last order day.

Not all of our suppliers re-open on the 4th so some products might take an extra couple of days in the first week back - please check with the sales office for details.

Can The Wall Panels Be fitted Horizontally?

We have been asked if the panels can be fitted horizontally a few times so thought we'd provide our thoughts on the subject.

The panels can be run horizontally but the manufacturers do not recommend this method as both the tongue and groove sides of the joint design have recesses that could hold water. In living rooms or outside of the bathroom or shower room this is not so much of an issue but obviously is not ideal in wet areas.



Fitting the panels horizontally also makes installation a lot more difficult as you have to maintain a horizontal line around the room, even if the walls are out-of-true, and you don't have a variable grout gap as you would do with tiles to help compensate for any discrepancies.

Panel Range Changes

As has already been posted, the Tinto range is to be phased out and we have also been informed that Mosaic Rose and Mosaic Jade are to be discontinued.

The rest of the Mosaic range will remain, which is good news as this is one of our most popular panels! The great advantage of mosaic effect panels over ceramic tiles is that there is no grout - and mosaic tiles tend to use a lot of grout.

There is also news of a new tile-effect wall panel that will be available very soon - details will be posted as soon as we have them.

Tinto Range

The Tinto Range, which is currently on special offer, is to be phased out and a new range brought in to replace it. We do not have definite information on the exact dates but Tinto Sahara stock has been exhuasted and will not be run by the manufacturers again.

There is still stock available for the rest of the Tinto range at present.

As soon as we have details of the new range to replace Tinto we will post details here.

Panels Used With Shower Bath

The last number of years have seen a marked increase in popularity of the shower bath.

Many people find showers more convenient than a bath but tend to shower over the bath rather than removing the bath and installing a shower cubicle in its place. One of the drawbacks of showering over a bath is the limited amount of width available - standard baths are 700mm wide which is smaller than the majority of cubicles.

The shower bath attempts to overcome this problem by incorporating an enlarged shower area at one end of the bath - this limits the amount it cuts into available space compared with installing a much larger bath or even a corner bath.

The following image shows a typical shower bath installation (click to enlarge):



The customer has opted to panel around the bath/shower area with Mosaic Jade waterproof wall panelling. As the panels stop short of the bathroom ceiling they have finished off the edges with Decos Capping Trim.

The bath has a curved glass shower screen to contain the shower water when in use. This tends to work well with a low pressure showering system or an electric shower but can prove slightly less effective in use with a power shower (we have had quite a few customers who have fitted an Outasight in place of the glass screen as they found the screens were too small and didn't cover enough of the bath leading to water escaping onto the floor).

Wet Or Dry?

We quite often get asked if the curtain of the Outasight needs to be put away wet or dry.

The answer is that it can be stowed wet or dry.





The curtain material is impregnated with acrylic to stop mould growing in the curtain material but mold can still grow on the surface. After a number weeks or months you might start to see the odd small spot of mildew appearing. The curtain is designed to be used in conjunction with the recommended cleaner, Dettol Mould & Midlew Spray which will erradicate the spots and treat the curtain at the same time. The curtain needs a quick spray once or twice a month as shown in the video on the following page: http://www.bathroommarquee.co.uk/out-vid3.php

I have found that the dryer you put the shower curtain away the longer you go between sprays - the only downside is that it is marginally more difficult to stow when dry (this is not really an issue once you are used to the process).

Wall Panels For Shower Cubicles

We quite often get asked if our UPVC panels can be used in shower cubicles. The answer is an empatic yes. They are ideal for use in shower cubicle and unlike large sheet wall panels they can also be fitted inside an existing cubicle if required (their smaller size means they can be manouvered into position through the shower door).

We have added some extra pages to our shower cubicle section with images of customers' installations showing the panels in-situ. Here are some examples:

We shall be adding some more images from our customers' installations in the near future.

Ceiling Panel Direction

When you are looking to install ceiling panels you will often be confronted by the choice of direction in which to run the panels.

If the room is square this is obviously not an issue but in a rectangular room there are a few issues that need to be addressed.

One customer had a room where the ceiling was 4m long but only 1m wide and wondered which way was correct - as the panels can be installed either way it's a personal taste issue rather than a right/wrong way.

If you are using a flush fitting panel, such as Labo or Blanca it is not going to make much difference as the joints are not that visible. If you are using the cladding with the infill strip or using a v-groove panel such as Topline then the direction will have more of an effect, but not a massive one.

Running the ceiling panels along the room will have the effect of making the room look longer and narrower. Running them across the room will have the effect of making the room look shorter and wider.

So it really depends which you prefer. If you do choose to opt for cutting the panels shorter you will find it is much easier to fit, cut and handle smaller lengths. Also it might well be that you will require less panelling to cover the bathroom ceiling in one direction than it will in the other.

Decos Panels

We are in the processing of updating our product pages to a new format that we hope our customers will find to their liking. We have simplified the layout and added a lot of extra information and additional photos to show the different colour options (where available).

Currently the Decos panels have been updated and we are in the processing of updating the rest of our cladding ranges.

Longer Labo Ceiling Panels Added

Labo ceiling panels are now available in a 6m length as well as 4.5m and 2.6m. This enable larger areas to be spanned without the need for joins (which are not the best looking option). They also offer another option when trying to work out the most economic way to cover a bathroom ceiling. One pack (4 panels) of the 6mt length is enough to cover a bathroom 3m x 2m or a room 1.5m x 4m.



The Labo panels can be fitted with the optional Infill Trims (extra) which helps break up the solid colour of the ceiling and provides visual interest. The panels can also be used on walls if required but the Infill Strips are not suitable for use in wet areas such as inside a shower cubicle or over a bath.

Tile Effect Wall Panels - Now Available In Grey

We have recently added a new panel to our range.

Mineral Beige Tile Marble has long been a popular panel with our customers that provides the best of both worlds, the look of tiles with the benefit of wall panels - no grout, no maintenance, wipe over surface, easy installation.

The manufacturers, Grosfillex, have now produced a grey version of this panel which we think will be a great addition to the range.



The panels appear to be 2 tiles wide and the finished effect gives a staggered pattern with each tile joining half way up the adjacent tile (click the above image to see in more detail). This means that horizontal lines do not have to be lined up perfectly, making installation a lot easier.

Visit the following page on our website for more information:
Mineral Grey Tile Marble

Bathroom Ceiling

One our customers recently refurbished his bathroom ceiling with Blanca Ultra White ceiling panels. He sent in some photos with the following note.

"Just to let you know, the delivery arrived as stated and all was in good condition. Finally got around to fitting the ceiling panels over the last couple of days and was amazed at how easy they were to work with and how smart they look. Went for a floating effect with remote controlled RGB LED backlighting, also added some speakers."


click the image to enlarge

I sked him how he achieved the effect and this is his description of the work he carried out.

"Hi Mark,It's pretty simple really; the ceiling was battened with 34mm timbers leaving an 8cm gap (5cm perspex around the edge, plus 3cm overhang for the trim to clip onto the panel edges) between the timbers and the walls. RGB LED tape such as this:

http://www.litewave.co.uk/rgb_led_tape_home.asp

was stuck around the perimeter of the battens. The tape is then wired back to my in-wall airing cupboard and connected to this controller (in an IP56 rated enclosure, just to be safe)

http://www.led-tech.de/en/LED-Controlling/LED-Controlling/MultiLine-RGB-Controller-V2.0-LT-1001_118_31.html

This is powered by an old 12v laptop power supply capable of providing 5amp (as required by the 8m of LED strip I used) To go with the controller I also use an IR extender which is mounted in the hollow edge of a ceiling panel with an aligning hole drilled in the edging trim to receive commands from the remote which allows mixing of around 16 million colours, all of which can be dimmed in 100 step increments.:

http://www.led-tech.de/en/LED-Controlling/LED-Controlling/MultiLine-IR-sensor-LT-1003_118_31.htmlhttp://www.led-tech.de/en/LED-Controlling/LED-Controlling/MultiLine-IR-Remote-Control-LT-1002_118_31.html

I left a 5cm gap around the edge of the ceiling panels to allow the light from the LED's to show, to diffuse the light and give a soft glow I used strips of 050 white opal perspex (this just looks like an extension of the edging strip when the LED's are off), this all had a bead of silicon sealant added to the edge during fitting to ensure the LED's were sealed away from any steam.The in-ceiling speakers are just bog-standard QED systemline 0.5's (suitable for bathroom use!) which are powered by a sonic impact t-amp with the audio source being a logitech squeezebox (outside the bathroom using an RF remote to control) to stream music from my music server. I use these all over the house (lounge, bedrooms, kitchen, study) and can listen to independent music in each room, or synchronise every player or specific players around the house. All-in-all it took me about 2 and a half days by myself to complete and turned out better than I planned (half a day of this was testing by a qualified electrician as any new electrical work in a bathroom falls under part P of the building regs).

Video of one of the many colour change sequences here: http://tehjunk.com/bathroom.MPG"


The following image shows how the bathroom ceiling looked before the work was carried out:

Outasight Replacement Curtains

Outasight are currently out of stock of replacement shower curtains. New material is due in but it is estimated that curtains will not be available until 2nd or 3rd week of April.



There has been a slight increase in the cost of the shower curtain material which has resulted in a price change - curtains are now £47.50

Spabord Panels - Colour Deletions

Some of the Spabord range of shower wall panels have been earmarked for deletion

The colours to be deleted are:

• Beige Mosaic


• Cappuccino


• Luxor


• Warm Coral


• Oasis Blue

Some of these colours have been slow moving so stocks of these are being run down and will not be replaced by the manufacturers of Spabord, Wilsonart. Stocks of Oasis Blue have already been exhausted. Please check with us before ordering any of these colours to ensure there is sufficent stock to fulfill your order.

There will be new colours added to the range soon but we do not have any definite details as yet.

Grosfillex Panels - Easter Availability

The importer's warehouse for Grosfillex panels will be closed for Easter for a week. As the panels are despatched directly from this warehouse this will affect any orders placed with us during this period.

The warehouse will be closed on Friday 10th April 09 and will re-open on Monday 20th April.

Order for all other products sold by The Bathroom Marquee will be unaffected.

Bathroom Marquee Closed 25.05.09 for 1 Week

The Bathroom Marquee will be closing on Monday 25 May 09 for 1 week and will re-open on Tuesday 2nd June at 9.00am

You will be able to place orders via our website while we are shut - orders will be processed on our return on the 2nd June.

Sealing Wall Panels In The Corner of a Shower Cubicle

We very often get asked about the best method for fitting the panels into the corner of shower cubicles.

There are three methods for fitting panels into the corner of shower cubicles:

1. Use a corner trim supplied by the manufacturers of the panel


2. Butt-joint the panels in the corner and seal with a good quality silicone
   
3. Score the back of the panel and bend the panel 90 deg to form the corner

Most fitters tend to use option 2 as it is the quickest, easiest and neatest method - providing you cut reasonably accurately.

If you are concerned about water ingress you can dry fit the panels first, then run a thick bead of silicone into the corner and then push the first panel into the wet silicone, embedding the corner of the panel in sealant. Run another bead of silicone down the corner and push the second panel into the wet silicone to form the corner. Wipe off any excess on the front of the panel and run thin bead of silicone down the newly formed corner to completely seal it off.

This method is ideal for patterned panels such as mosaic or tile effect panels as corner trims tend to break up the pattern.

This method can be used where there is a shower over the bath or in shower cubicles.

Christmas Opening/Closing Times

We will be closing for two weeks at Christmas. We shut at at 3pm on Friday 19th of December and will re-open on Monday 5th January 2009.

We would recommend Monday 15th as the last day of ordering for wall panels to ensure that you receive the goods in plenty of time before we close. It will be possible to order up until we close but we will not be around to deal with any queries, should there be an issue with your delivery. Outasights can be ordered up until Wed 17th Dec and deliveries will be made on Friday 19th.

You can orer online while we are closed - any orders placed online over the holiday period will be processed on our return in January.

Panel Joints

All of the UPVC panels that we sell are tongue and grooved enabling the panels to be joined together and making them suitable for use in showers, bathrooms and wet rooms.



The visible join on the surface of the panel will vary depending on the joint style of the panel:

• flush joint
• contrast joint
• v-groove joint

There are pages with information regarding these different joint types on the website and the flush joint page has just been re-vamped with some new images to show in more detail the appearance of this type of joint.

The joint types refer only to the visible surface and do not affect the performance of the joint. We would always recommend running a thin bead of silicone inside the groove prior to installation in a shower area just to ensure no water is forced through the joint (the joint relies on the springiness of the plastic so if you took a power shower spray head and pointed it at the joint you could force the joint apart with a powerful enough jet)

Spabord Stocks Back To Normal

The manufacturers of Spabord recently changed one of the production facilities for their panels.

While this was occuring they ran out of stock of many of the more popular colours. The new facility is now up and running and stock levels are now returning to normal.

Bathroom Ceiling Panels

When wall panels are installed the weight of the panel rests on the floor, bath or shower tray so the panels are effectively just "leaning against the wall" Consequently the bond between the panel and the wall does not have to be that strong to be effective. When panels are fitted to a bathroom ceiling however the bond is much more critical.

Most filters that we have spoken to use a combination of adhesive and a staple gun. Solvent-free adhesive tends to be slightly less effective that those with solvent (if using adhesive with solvent be sure that there is plenty of ventilation when you are fitting the panels). The staples help hold the panel in place whilst the adhesive sets.

The panels that we sell are very easy to cut so we always recommend taking your time cutting them to ensure a good fit. The joint between the ceiling panels and the wall can be sealed with silicone. If you are not confident of achieving a neat cut finish you can use trims to help cover the edges of the panels. The problem with most of the trims sold by the manufacturers is that they are designed to be used with wall panels rather that ceiling panels. They can, however, be adapted for use with ceilings by trimming away the back section that would usually clip over the top of the wall panels. The trims can then be mitred and stuck up once the panels are in place. Any trim could be use for this purpose, not just the trims that we sell. Tile edge trim, quadrant or scotia moulding could be fitted once the ceiling panels are in installed.

Tiled Bath Ends

Some baths are installed in such a way that the end of the bath does not fit against a wall. The "gap" is then taken up by boxwork with the surface covered in ceramic tiles. This can prove reasonably successful if the bath is used purely for bathing but less so if a shower is to be used over this end of the bath.

If a small masonry wall is created to fill the gap then this can work quite successfully but a timber framed box covered with plywood or plasterboard can be problematic. Any slight movement in the bath can caused the grout to crack. This can lead to water ingress and damage to the underlying area. The damage can take place for some time before it becomes aparent as the box effectively covers up what is going on underneath. Also water can remain on the surface without draining away which can mould to grow in the grout which can evetually lead to its failiure.

We were recently asked if an Outasight concealed shower curtain could be used in such a situation. It could, but there are few provisos.

The Outasight should be watertight along the tiled area. If the bath is slightly lower than this level there will be a small gap underneath the curtain where the tiled area ends and the bath begins. You could use a fillet of silicone to prevent water from escaping underneath at this point.

If the tiled is level with the bath the joint between the tiles and the bath will usually mean that there is a slight "trough" which can hold water and cause the grout to turn mouldy. It can also conduct water under the Outasight shower curtain and lead to leaks.

If the tiled area is lower than the bath then showring is not recommended at all as the water landing on this area cannot drain into the bath.

Our overiding advice would be to re-site the bath against the end wall rather than try and fill the gap.

Sealing Around A Shower Tray

Ensuring there are no leaks from a shower cubicle is vitally important as any water egress can cause damage to the property in the long term.

The first step to elliminate leaks is to ensure that the shower tray is installed solidly. The tray then needs to be sealed to the existing wall with a good quality silicone sealant (we recommend Dow Corning). Smear the silicone up the wall slightly so that there is a skirt of silicone running around the tray.

The panels should then be run down over this seal and another seal applied where the panels meet the tray.

Silicone usually turns mouldy from the back and grows through the seal to appear on the front. For this to occur there must be permanent moisture behind the silicone which can occur due to faulty grouting or movement of the shower tray breaking seals. The surfaces needs to be bone dry and free from dust, soap residue etc before application of the silicone sealant which, together with a solidly installed tray, will ensure it does not peel away.

Summer Shutdown

The Bathroom Marquee will be closing at 3.00pm on on Friday 18th July and will re-open on Monday 4th August 2008.

We would recommend Monday 14th as the last day for ordering amy of our panelling products. You can still place orders via our shopping cart system while we are closed - any orders placed over the holiday period will be processed and despatched on our return on 4th Aug.

Outasights can be ordered while we are closed. If you order and pay online we have arranged for the order delivery details to be forwarded to the manufacturers who will then despatch the Outasight directly to our customers. This also applies to any Outasight spares ordered online.

Outasight Due Back In Stock

The Outasight looks like it will be back in stock very shortly. A recent batch of Outasights were rejected on quality grounds by Lee Brown (the manufacturer and inventor of the Outasight) which has resulted in production being returned to the UK.

This has taken a while to undertake but the final components are now in stock and production can re-commence. We have a large backlog of orders to process and aim get orders despatched as soon as possible. The backlog should be cleared in the next two weeks so and any new orders will be available for delivery week commencing 14th July.

Textured Panels

Although we try our best to ensure the images and descriptions on the web site are accurate and comprehensive as possible there are some things that are not easily portrayed on the internet.

One area that we get asked about quite regularly is whether the mosaic effect panels and tile effect panels are smooth or actually have grout line moulded into them.

Both panels are moulded with a smooth finish - there is no "relief" to the pattern. As the panels are extruded it would be possible to mould the vertical grout lines into the surface but not the horizontal lines. The effect of these 2 panels is therefore just printed onto the surface.

There are however some textured panels within our range - Ambiance White Wood and The Ligno Range of panels all have a woodgrain patern moulded into the surface. Velvet Slate in our Spabord range also has a very realistic slate effect moulded into the laminate surface.

There is also the possibility of using panels from the ambiance range to give a brickwork effect - see the following page for more information: Ambiance . Please note that this brickwork method of installation is not waterproof.

Wall Hung Toilet Pans

We get asked quite often if we sell "spacers" for the panels. Spacers are used to pack out the void between the wall and the surface of the panel when fixing heavy objects or items that need to fixed very securely such as grab rails.

We sell two types of panelling - UPVC panels and Spabord. UPVC panels are hollow while Spabord has a foam backing which means that the panels can be crushed if too much force is applied to them when tightening screws. For most items such as toilet roll holders, shower heads etc this is not usually a problem but some items such as grabrails need to be very securely fastened as a lot of force is applied to them in use. This is where spacers come in. A spacer can be anything that cannot be compressed which is a suitable size and shape to do the job. Discs of plywood, plastic blocks (usually used for cabinet making) or even metal tube. These are fine for small items but some larger items need a slightly different approach - such as wall hung toilet pans.

These type of pans can exert very large forces as fixings bare the the full weight of the user so a large spacer is made from a sheet of marine plywood.

Click the link or the image above for more details on this type of wall hung installation.

Currently Out Of Stock

The Outasight is currently Out Of Stock.

April saw a huge leap in sales due to the re-vamped website, some national advertising and Outasight taking a stand at the Ideal Home Exhibition.

This resulted in us exhuasting current stocks - a new shipment was hastily arranged but this will take another wee or so before the stock will be available for despatch. We will post any updates we get from the manufacturers as soon as we get them - hopefully we will have a definite delivery date in the next few days.

In the meantime we are advising new customers to order online and choose the "pay Offline" option. We will then contact you when the stock becomes available to arrange payment and delivery.

Outasight Updates

The Outasight section of our website has had some major updates recently.

There are now improved images as well as 4 videos:

• Outasight Infomercial
• Installing The Outasight
• Fitting A New Curtain
• Cleaning The Curtain

There are expanded sections covering Technical, Pros and Cons, Installation and a new easy to navigate menu structure.

The Technical page has now been split into separate pages covering dimensions, components, limitations and cleaning.

The Outasight is compared with its main rivals, namely the shower curtain and the shower screen, in our revamped Pros and Cons section. There are also more background pages on both shower screens:

• Bath Shower Screen
• Bath Screen
• Shower Screen
• Folding Shower Screen
• Sliding Shower Screen
• 4 Fold Shower Screen
• 5 Fold Shower Screen

as well as more details on shower curtains and the components needed:

• Shower Curtain
• Bathroom Shower Curtain
• Unique Shower Curtain
• Ringless Shower Curtain
• Shower Curtain Idea
• Shower Curtain Rod
• Designer Shower Curtain

There are further improvements scheduled for the website to make it as comprehensive as possible, so watch this space for details.

April 08 Special Offers

This months we have a special offer on Mosaic wall panels and also the Outasight concealed shower curtain system.

Mosaic panels are sold in packs of 4 and are usually ££51.96 per pack but they are currently on promotion for just £39.96 per pack. Prices include VAT but carriage is extra (see our carriage page for details)



The above image shows both the mosaic tile effect wall panels together with a chrome Outasight (click to enlarge)

This image is taken from our customer gallery - the customer previously had a bath shower screen but also had to use it in conjunction with a shower curtain as the screen did not stretch far enough along the bath (see the following image)



As can be seen the installation of both wall panelling and the Outasight has made a big difference in the appearance of the bathroom. When not in use the Outasight is extremely neat, consisting of a slim chrome-effect box on the wall which opens out to provide a very large showering area (see the following image)





This shows the curtain only half open but it still offers a greater showering area than was offered by the shower screen alone.

Easter Closing Times

We will be closed from Good Friday to Easter Tuesday inclusive. Any online orders taken during this time will be processed on our return.

Have a good Easter.

Forthcoming Closures

The Bathroom Marquee will be closed on Friday 8th of February and on Monday 11th of February.

You can still place orders via the website during this period - orders will be processed on our return on Tues 12th.

Outasight Promotion

We have just been informed by Outasight that the promotional price of £149* for the concealed shower curtain system will run for another month until 29th Feb 2008. This price applied to both polished silver and white finishes.

*plus £10 carriage.

Bathroom Marquee Closed 1st Feb

The Bathroom Marquee will be closed on Friday 1st February 2008 as we will be attending a family funeral.

Christmas Opening Times

We will be closing at 3pm on Friday 21st of Dec and will re-open on Wed 2nd January 2008.

The last order date for delivery before Christmas is Monday 17th Dec.

We will only have a partial service available on 2nd, 3rd and 4th Jan as some of our suppliers are not back until Monday 7th Jan - the following items will not be available until that time:

All Grosfillex Products
Outasight Spares

Outasight Special Offer

We have just had details through from Outasight that there is to be a special offer on until 31st Dec 2007.

Usually the Outasight retails for £189.00 plus £10 carriage but during the offer period the price will be just £149.00 plus £10 carriage.

Spabord Shower Panels Stock Availability

As well as UPVC bathroom cladding The Bathroom Marquee also supply a new range of large sheet shower panels called Spabord.



Sales have been growing steadily but stock availability has become a bit of a problem in the last week as the manufacturers are in the process of changing one of their production processes and as a consequence stocks of some of the more popular colours are depleted until the new stsyem if up and running As of 14th November the colours currently out of stock are:

Dazzling White
High Force
Mosaic Beige

We have been advised that stock of the shower wall panels will hopefully be back to normal at the end of the month (Nov).

In the meantime if you wish to order the panels we would advise contacting the sales office first on 029 2056 0949 or if ordering online choosing the "Pay Offline" option.

Outasight Delivery

Outasights are now being despatched directly from the carriers warehouse which means next working day delivery if you order before 12.00pm*

Any orders placed between 12.00pm and 3.00pm will also usually arrive next day but this subject to confirmation by the warehouse.



* some areas of the UK are excluded from next day service (Scottish Highlands for example)

Postal Strike

The majority of our products are sent around the country via carriers so most deliveries have been un-affected by the postal strike. We do however send some items by Royal Mail:

• Outasight spares
• UPVC Panel Sample Packs
• Spabord Samples
• Invoices & Receipts

Please let us know if you feel that any of the above items are overdue and we will check to ensure they were despatched correctly.

Hopefully everything will be back to normal once the backlog has been processed at the Royal Mail.

Spaceline 333 Panels

The Spaceline 333 wall panels that were being sold off as they have been discontinued are now sold out. This was a v-grooved version of our standard Spaceline Range (which are a flush-fit). If you require V-groove marble effect cladding we have 4 colours available in the Evol 3000 range:

Evol 3000 Grey Marble
Evol 3000 Beige Marble
Evol 3000 Peach Marble
Evol 3000 Green Marble



The standard Spaceline range of waterproof wall panels is still available and is as popular as ever.

Bathroom Marquee Closed Fri 26th Oct

We will be closed on the 26th October and will re-open on Wed 31st October.

Any orders placed during this period will be processed on our return.

Please see our main website for emergency contact details (existing customers only)

Wet Room Floor

We are asked quite often about the best way to install our waterproof wall panels in conjunction with a wet room floor.

Fitting the panels to the wall is no problem - our wall cladding is ideal for use in these enviroments - but the question that always gets asked is "Which trim do we use at the bottom of the panels?"

At present the two manufacturers that we deal with (Decos and Grosfillex) have no trim specifically designed for use in these situations but having spoken to the importers we have come up with what, we think, is the best way to deal with situation.

The answer depends on the type of flooring that is being installed. If ceramic floor tiles are being used there are 2 options:

1. if the tiles are to be run on the floor only - seal the tiles to the existing wall using silicone, run the panels down on top of the tiles and seal again
2. if the tiles are to return up the wall to form a skirting - ensure the adhesive bed gives an overall depth of 10mm for the skirting, apply a bed of silicone on top of the skirting and run the panels down in the silicone

If you are using a cove-formed vinyl flooring in your wet room then we would recommend the following method:

• fit the wet room flooring first and return up the wall
• run the panels down over the flooring
• finish the edge of the panel with a tile edge trim stuck into place using silicone sealant
• use an 10mm trim for decos panels and 8mm for most of the Grosfillex range*

*except Evol 2000 and Topline

Outasight Design Changes

The manufacturers of the Outasight concealed shower curtain system have introduced several new features to the model including a new curtain design and a new strut. Details and photos will be posted soon.

There has also been a slight price increase as of 01.08.07 . The new price is £189.00 plus £10 carriage to UK mainland addresses.

You can buy online by clicking the link above.

Wall Panel Installation

We will shortly be re-vamping our installation instructions as there are several items that we regularly get asked about that they obviously do not cover in enough detail, including the following queries.

Who can I ask to fit the panels?

Most tradesmen (or tradeswomen) will be able to fit the panels as they are extremely easy to work with. Included in our regular customers are:

• plumbers
• bathroom fitters
• kitchen fitters
• carpenters
• joiners
• tilers
• decorators
• plasterers
• handymen

as well as a whole host or enthusiastic DIYers!

We are in the process of compiling a list of existing trade customers who offer a fitting service within specific geographical areas.

What's the best way to cut the decos flush-fit wall panels?

The panels can be cut with any fine-toothed saw although coarser saws (such as handsaws) can be used. Some tradesmen use a jig-saw to cut the panels - if you use this type of saw be careful that the metal cutting plate does not scratch the surface of the panel (either cut the panel face down or cover the metal plate with a peice of tape to reduce the risk of sratches).

If stapling onto battens can a stationery stapler be used?

We weren't too sure about this so we gave it a try ourselves. It turned out that a standard stapler could not get in tight enough to the edge of the visible panel to enable the staple to fix through the tongue and also the staples themselves proved to be a little too flimsy.

Many of the "Pound Shops" sell cheap staple guns which will be perfectly adequate for fixing the panels. Staple guns are especially usefull when fixing ceiling panels. We recommend a combination of adhesive and staples for ceiling fixing as the staples will hold the ceiling panels in place while the adhesive dries.

Removeable Panels

We have been asked by several customers if the bathroom panels that we sell are removeable.

The panels are not designed to be removeable, as such, but they can be installed in such a way as to make removal easier.



It is possible to fix the panels with screws, rather than sticking or stapling (the more widely used methods) and then use either the Grosfilex Multi Trim or Decos Corner Trim 030 to hold the final panel in place - both these trims have a clip-on section that can be taken off if the panels need to be removed.

Ceiling Coving

Decos produce a coving that can be used in conjunction with their wall panels.



The trim is designed to clip onto the top of the wall panel and fit flush up against the ceiling.

If you are not using wall panels and are just panelling the ceiling it is possible to use the coving trim but you will need to cut of the "leg" at the back of the trim with a sharp knife and then simply stick the coving up using panel adhesive (Gripfill, No More Nails etc.)

Barley Grey Wall Panels

The UK importers of Decos have a reasonable quantity of Barley Grey wall panels left in stock. These panels were produced for a special order but there is some excess stock now available and on offer through The Bathroom Marquee.



The panel is suitable for use in shower cubicles, bathrooms, utility rooms, kitchens or anywhere inside the home where you require a wipe-over, condensation-free easy to clean, waterproof surface.

The panels themselves are 250mm wide, 2.7m long, 10mm thick and come in a pack of 4. Barley Grey costs just £27.96 plus carriage.

They are similar in colour to Spaceline Silver grey but are slightly lighter, with a white, rather than light-grey, background and a subtle marble effect print.

Sales Office Closed on 19th June

Our sales office will be closed on Tuesday 19th June due to a funeral.

You will still be able to order online - any orders will be processed on our return on Wed 20th June.

If you have any queries please leave a message on our answerphone and we'll get back to you on Wednesday.

New Product Range

The Bathroom Marquee are pleased to announce the arrival of a completely new range of waterproof shower and bathroom wall panels - SPABORD.



Rather than the smaller, tongue and grooved panels of our UPVC panels these panels are large, one-piece panels that are ideal for lining the walls of a shower cubicle. Spabord uses a lightweight foam backing so they are extremely light to handle, unlike many of the wood-based alternative panels. Each shower packs contains:

• 2 x wall panels 2400x1200mm
• 1 x internal corner
• 1 x butt-joint trim
• 3 x edging trims
• Fixing instructions
• Maintenance instructions

There are full details of all of the shower panels in the Spabord range on our website

Some Recently Asked Questions

Is there an Outasight that can be used with a corner bath?

At present there is only one version of the Outasight available and that is designed to be used with a straight bath. Outasight do have long term plans to introduce a model suitable for curved or corner baths but these are still a long way off at the time of posting. The standard Outasight can be used with a corner bath but it is not ideal - there is a previous post detailing their use with a corner bath below.

I have a sloping ceiling - can I still use the Outasight?

Yes, providing you have sufficient room for the arm to open out fully to its horizontal position - which means 1450mm high and 1450mm wide when fully open. If your ceiling cuts into this space then the unit will not work as the shower curtain cannot be pulled out if the arm is not fully horizontal.

Is there a trim I can use at the bottom of the panels?

You can use caping trim at the bottom of our panelling but we do recommend it in wet areas as it can act like a trough. How you finish-off the bottom of the panels depends on the flooring used.

If there is an existing tiled or vinyl floor it is usually run down on top of the flooring and sealed with silicone. If carpet or carpet tiles are being used then the panels are run down to the substrate and the carpet run up against the panels. Laminate flooring sometimes requires a 10mm expansion gap so it is possible to fit the laminate floor first and then run the panels down onto the flooring, finishing off with silicone.

What is the best trim to use with ceiling panels?

It depends on the exact installation.

If you are fitting wall panels and ceiling panels then these can be fitted without the need for a trim - simply fit the ceiling panels first, run the wall panels up to the ceiling panels and eal-off with silicone.

If you are fitting the ceiling panels on their own you can still use the above method but seal to the existing wall. Using a trim will give you a lttle bit of leeway when it comes to cutting so the easiest trim to work with is the Grosfillex Multitrim.



The Grosfillex Multi Tim can be used as an internal corner joint (1st picture) or as a 2-part Capping Trim (2nd picture) by triming off the "leg" with a sharp knife. The backplate for the trim is fitted to the ceiling first, then the panels fitted and then the front section clips into the backing plate to give a nice neat finish.

To use 1 part capping trim on a ceiling (3rd picture) you would need to fit the trim on two of the walls, slot the panels into the trims and then cut away the back of the next two trims and then just stick them on after the ceiling panels have been fitted.

Alternatively you could use other products not supplied by The Bathroom Marquee such as standard coving, white plastic quadrant or even tile edge trim.

We have just been informed by Consortias (the UK importers of Decos panels) that Orion Byzantium panels are going to be discontinued and that current stocks are almost depleted.

This is a shame as this was one of the most distinctive panels in the Decos range with a crackle finish and subtle colouring. The rest of the Orion panelling range (Amarante, Carrara, Lugano, Pompey) is unaffected and will be available as normal - these designs being a marble effect rather than a crackle effect.



If you have any queries regarding remaining stock levels of this panel please contact the sales office.

Summer Shutdown Dates

We will be closing at 3.00pm on Friday 20th July and will re-open on Monday 5th August.

We would recommend orders be placed by Monday 16th July to ensure any problems with delivery etc can be sorted out before we close.

Any orders placed over the holiday period will be processed on our return on the 5th.

Ceiling Panels and Spotlights

We get asked quite regularly whether it's alright to use spotlights with wall panelling. Unfortunately there is no clear cut answer as it depends totally on the temperatures involved.

The panels are designed to withstand temperatures up to 60deg C which is sufficient in most spotlight installations but we have had 2 occasions where the lights have generated temperatures in excess of this and caused the panels to degrade.

The first instance was where a customer fitted the lights in a room with an attic space above. The attic was lagged and the lagging was placed on the back of the lights so that there was no ventialtion space behind the lights.

The second instance occurred when bathroom rated spotlights were used which were fixed to the surrounding flange (as opposed to the pivoting kind that only touch the outer flange at the pivot points) . The flange is the only part of the light in contact with the panels and temperature generated by these lights caused the panels to degrade and melt slightly where the flange made contact with the panels.

It is impossible for us to guarantee that panels will not be adversely affected by using recessed spotlights as it it is purely down the heat generated by the lighting in-situ.

There are now LED recessed spotlights available which generate hardly any heat - check with your lighting supplier as to the suitability of your chosen lighting for use in your room, paying particular attention to bathrooms and shower rooms, where extra regulations apply.

More Changes To The Grosfillex Range

The French wall panelling manufacturer Grosfillex has decided to make some more changes to its range of decorative cladding products.

The panels affected that are offered by The Bathroom Marquee include

Mineral Natural Patchwork
Mineral Brilliant White
Evol 3000 Baltic Blue

There are still reasonable stocks left of Brilliant White and Baltic Blue and a smaller quantity of Natural Patchwork - please check with our sales office on 029 2056 0949 before ordering online so that we can get you up-to-date with the stock situation.

May Special Offer

This months special offer is for Tinto panels from Decos.

These are very good looking panels with a matt finish rather than gloss which is the more common finish on waterproof cladding - but they are still perfectly suitable for use in bathrooms and showers.



The above image is taken from a recent cloakroom refurbishment we carried out using Tinto Desert. This is a light beige/stone effect panel, which coupled with some modern sanitaryware and chrome fittings resulted in a very clean, minimal design but with the all the advantages that cladding brings:

• totally waterproof
• no grout to go mouldy
• easy to install
• no maintenance
• no condensation

All in all, a very pleasing result.

To find out more about this and other special offers click here