Updating your bathroom comes with a number of factors that need to be considered in the planning stages. These factors can include anything from where certain units should be positioned, to what will be involved in the finishing touches.
If you’re planning to add a vanity unit to your bathroom, the wall tiling is an important factor to consider before buying and installing the unit. Read on for information about tiling behind vanity units and what you will need to think about before beginning work and adding a vanity unit and tiling to your bathroom.
Should you tile before or after installing your vanity unit?
It isn’t imperative to tile behind a vanity unit and whether or not you choose to do so depends entirely on your own preferences. Some homeowners choose to begin their bathroom updates by tiling the wall and then adding the vanity unit, simply because it suits them and it’s how they would like to approach the project. On the other hand, there are plenty of homeowners that would rather tile around the vanity unit, to save time, money and effort.
If you choose to tile beforehand, the entire wall will be finished with the same tiling through and through. Whereas if you would rather install the vanity unit first, you’re likely going to have a space on the wall behind the unit that’s free of tiling, however this won’t be visible with the unit in place.
To help you make the decision on whether or not to tile before or after installing the vanity unit, think about the following aspects of your bathroom update.
Are you tiling the entire bathroom?
If you’re planning to tile around the entire room, it makes sense to tile before installing the vanity unit. That way, the room and walls are set for any changes you might want to make in the future, whether that’s with the vanity unit or any other component within the bathroom.
Are you planning to install a vanity unit splashback?
Alternatively, if you’re just wanting to add a splashback to your vanity unit, rather than tiling the entire room, you’ll easily get away with tiling after the unit installed. The splashback tiling will only need to sit behind the area of the vanity unit that could come into contact with water from the taps, so you’ll only need to install tiles within this small space on the wall.
Are you opting for a built in or freestanding vanity unit?
Your preferred choice out of built in or freestanding vanity units will also play a part in deciding whether or to tile behind your vanity unit.
With a built in unit, the wall behind it will be hidden from sight, so there won’t be an imperative need to tile behind it. On the other hand, with freestanding units, you might be able to see the wall behind it at one point or another, or from specific angles, so tiling behind the unit might bring you peace of mind for the future.
Think about any future bathroom improvements
Not only do you need to think about how to go about your current bathroom update, you’ll also need to look to the future and any other improvements that could be made in the years to come. This could again, help you to make a decision on whether or not to tile behind your vanity unit.
Further down the line, you may need to replace the vanity unit when it begins to look tired, or if it’s damaged from use or by accident. Don’t forget that if you opt for a cheaper, lower quality vanity unit, you may need to replace it sooner than necessary.
When you do need to replace your vanity unit, the new unit may not be the same size or shape, which could lead to some of the wall that was hidden by the original unit becoming visible when the replacement is installed. If you haven’t tiled behind the existing unit, you’ll either need to find the same tiles that you originally used, to add further tiling behind or around the new unit, or replace the entire wall or room’s tiling if your original tiles are no longer available.
Alternatively, if you opted for a simple splashback tiling as opposed to an entire room’s tiling, you may only need to add to or update this small area of the wall to meet the needs of the new vanity unit.
With all of this in mind, it pays to think about the future and use this insight to help you make a decision on how to approach your current vanity unit installation.
Speak to our team for further vanity unity advice
Whether you would like more information on tiling behind or around your vanity unit, or perhaps advice on the best vanity unit for you and your bathroom, our expert team will be able to offer some helpful advice. We’ve installed plenty of vanity units over the years and can advice on what’s best for your home and your needs, when investing in a vanity unit.