The world of building solutions is full of big claims, but few companies are willing to step up-to the plate and truly put their products to the test. Fortunately, that’s not the case with Fibo, a leading manufacturer of waterproof wall panels. Working alongside wet room floor manufacturer, On The Level, the company recently ran an experiment to prove just how waterproof its products are – with impressive results!
The two companies created a mini model to simulate a wet room environment, which was built using Fibo’s waterproof wall panels and On The Level’s wet room flooring, (both of which are manufactured with wood), using the same techniques as a standard installation. The model was then filled with water and left for 60 days. Upon returning to site two months later, there were absolutely no leaks, no signs of water damage, delamination or bubbling – and the team captured this on video to prove once and for all, the waterproof capabilities of both products.
While this test underlined the strong watertight performance offered by Fibo’s solutions, it also proves that, for local authorities, waterproof wall panels are a genuine alternative to traditional bathroom tiles. In fact, there are a number of benefits that waterproof wall panels can deliver.
As well as offering outstanding watertightness properties, waterproof wall panels are far easier to install than traditional tile products – five times faster to be exact. Whereas standard tiles may take around five days to install, from wall preparation through to grouting, waterproof wall panels can be fitted in a matter of hours. This enhanced speed can make a major difference during this unprecedented moment, enabling those fitting the solutions to get on and off sites more quickly – and allow more installations to be completed in one day.
Additionally, unlike standard tiles, waterproof wall panels can be affixed to any secure wall surface without the need for prior preparation and are available in exceptionally large sizes (600mm x 2400mm), which can be used to cover rooms from floor to ceiling. They also do not need to be mounted by someone with specific tiling expertise and can instead be handled by anyone with basic carpentry skills. For local authorities, this is another big benefit and can help to reduce installation costs significantly when compared to alternative options.
While performance and speed of installation are important factors, the way a bathroom actually looks is more important to tenants. Therefore, local authorities must continue to deliver contemporary styling across their properties. In doing so, this will help to engender happier tenants, which in turn, can lead to longer tenancy periods and may even help to grow referral business. Thankfully, waterproof wall panel solutions make this easy to achieve and are available in a wide range of design options. At the moment, Fibo offers over 80 different colours, design and texture options throughout its range and is constantly adding new styles to this collection. What’s more, thanks to new innovations in manufacturing capabilities, Fibo can also produce waterproof wall panels which feature a routed-in grout line, as opposed to it merely being printed on, offering a far more realistic tile aesthetic.
If you are looking for innovative products to incorporate within your housing stock, then it’s worth making Fibo’s waterproof wall panels your new ‘go to’ choice for bathrooms. Backed by a market-leading 25-year warranty and with performance capabilities demonstrated through realistic simulations like the recent model box test, the solution is a high performing, reliable alternative to traditional bathroom tiles.
For more information about Fibo, please visit www.fibo.co.uk
