The toilet is an important part of housing, in which comfort and order should also be. The arrangement of the toilet consists not only in the decoration of the walls, ceiling and floor, but also in the organization of space. For the competent distribution of free space, you can equip shelves that not only create a special atmosphere in a small room, but will also contain the necessary, useful things. But how to make shelves in the toilet with your own hands? Let's try to figure it out.
The advantages of shelves in the toilet
If there is a sink in the toilet, then the shelves will be very convenient for accommodating various containers with household chemicals. Girls will definitely find use for the shelves that are located near the sink and mirror. If the shelves are equipped with special openings, you can place some equipment for hair care in such places: a hair dryer, a curling iron, and tongs.
If the interior of your apartment is made in a classic style, then the design of the toilet with shelves should be done using classic decor elements. On the shelves you can place old books or figurines. The main thing is to ensure that there is always order on the shelves.
If there is enough space in the toilet, then you can make a whole system of shelves located on three walls. Flower pots will enliven the boring toilet interior. In this case, the toilet must have a window. Shelves in the toilet can be made climbing plants.
Shelf purchase option
The stores offer a large assortment of corner and classic shelves of any size and color. The most inexpensive option is the shelf system made of plastic. Such shelves are quite practical, but their appearance is poor. Over time, the plastic loses its appearance and becomes stained, which are very difficult to wash. Scratches and abrasions make the plastic shelves on the wall in the toilet unsuitable for use quickly enough.
Metal chrome shelves are a good option for the toilet. They do not look bulky and give the toilet interior some zest. The remaining parts of the room can also be decorated with the addition of chrome elements. The price of such shelves is slightly higher, but it is quite affordable for the average resident of Russia.
Purchased glass shelves are very difficult to pick up. If your toilet doesn’t have any pipes coming from neighboring apartments and the wall space is empty and even, then you can use purchased glass shelves.
Drywall shelves
Drywall is a universal material that allows you to create entire niches with shelves. You can make rounded shapes or corner designs. To form the frame, which will then be sheathed with sheets of drywall, use a metal profile. It will not be difficult to assemble such a design with your own hands. In the photo - the shelves in the drywall toilet are painted with white paint.
The first step is to make a detailed design for the future shelf design. With the help of the profile we are building the frame. The joints of the profiles are fastened with special brackets. We cut drywall and fix it to the frame.
The next step is to finish the product. We level the surface of the niche itself and the shelves with putty. To distribute the mixture we use a silicone spatula. We are waiting for the putty to dry completely. Next, carefully process the surface of the shelves with fine sandpaper. You should get perfectly even shelves.
Wooden shelves
To make wooden shelves is not at all difficult. The main thing is to use good, even and fresh material. In the photo - shelves in the toilet, made of solid wood, covered with stain. Boards should be without spots, knots and deformations. Before starting construction, process all lumber. You can walk several times with an electric planer or a grinding machine. Get a perfectly smooth surface.
Treat the boards with an antiseptic and coat them with varnish in several layers. If you do not want the surface to be glossy, you can use a special matte varnish. To give wood an elite shade, we use stain. It will be absorbed into the tree, but will leave a noticeable texture and a saw cut.
You can use a gas burner to give the wood an aging effect. Fire will highlight the saw cut rings in dark color. After firing, it is necessary to clean the surface.
When the wood is prepared, you can proceed with the installation of the shelves. It is more convenient to mount them on furniture corners or corners of wood.
Chipboard shelves
Particleboard is the most popular material for furniture production in Russia. The reason for this popularity is that chipboard sheets are relatively cheap, and thanks to the laminated surface, you can use any color and texture in the manufacture of furniture.
For independent production of shelves from chipboard, you will need the sheets themselves, having a laminated surface on both sides. Side saws of parts are edged, it can be glued using a conventional iron. Sawing is done with a circular saw. The slices are flat and smooth.
As fasteners, Euro screws or self-tapping screws are used. The mounting method depends on the type of shelf construction. If you plan to connect two sheets of chipboard with an angle, then we use Euroscrews. For fastening shelf holders we use self-tapping screws.
Chipboard shelves look neat. This material will last a long time if the humidity in the toilet is low. For shelves, you can use sheets with a thickness of 1.5 cm.
OSB shelves
OSB boards differ from chipboards in that their strength level is several tens of times higher. The OSB plate is impregnated with a resin composition, which protects the surface from getting wet and absorbing moisture.
Cutting parts from this lumber is easy. You can use a jigsaw or circular saw. Saw carved elements will not work, the material crumbles.
The surface of the OSB plate has a peculiar pattern, which can not be masked under several layers of paint, but highlighted, covered with stain or varnish. The design will be very strong and durable. The edges of the cuts can be processed putty.
If you want to get a smooth, perfectly even surface, then it is better to take another material for the manufacture of shelves. The surface of the OSB boards is coated with a resin solution to maintain the moisture resistance of the material. Putty from such a surface will quickly peel off.
Shelves made of metal and glass
Metal shelf holders in combination with glass shelves are suitable for decorating any room, including a toilet. Glass will give the effect of free space without the effect of piling up.
Metal processing will require you to have certain knowledge in this area and the availability of special equipment. The fastenings of metal parts are connected by a welding machine.
Glass thickness must be at least 6 mm. The edge is carefully processed and ground. If you do not have special equipment, then it is better to order all glasses in a glass workshop.
Shelf mounts are best chosen with suction cups. So you do not have to make holes in the glass, and the shelves will hold tight. Suction cup should be a sufficient amount. The entire glass area should have uniform supports that distribute the total mass among themselves.
Plywood shelves
Plywood is compressed lumber. Thin layers of veneer stick together until the required sheet thickness is formed. For the manufacture of shelves, you can use sheets from 6-10 mm. If you decide to construct a shelf for the phone in the toilet, then plywood 4 mm thick is suitable.
If you want to give the shelves an unusual bend, then plywood is just the material you need. Not only various shapes can be cut out of the sheet, but also carvings and various patterns can be made. The edges will remain flat and smooth.
Sawed blanks can be coated with several layers of varnish or stain. If desired, you can use interior paint. It is also applied in several layers.
You can mount the shelves on metal shelf holders, this is the most convenient option. Self-tapping screws of the required length are used as fasteners.
Shelves over the toilet
The wall area, which is located on the edges of the toilet tank, in most cases is not involved. To make this space useful, it is necessary to place a system of shelves there, on which all kinds of toiletries and interior accessories will be stored. The shelf above the toilet in the toilet will not interfere if you do not make it too deep.
Shelves above the toilet have another very significant function - masking water pipes and sewers. The upper shelves can be left open, and on the lower shelves make small doors. In apartment buildings, a wide sewer pipe runs directly with the toilet. In order to hide it, you can use any of the above materials.
Shelves above the toilet bowl and along its edges will look more attractive if you lay out neatly folded towels of the desired colors, arrange scented candles, figurines. The main thing is that the composition looks as a whole.
Shelf light
You can use spot lighting as a backlight. Small round shades are easy to install in chipboard, OSB or drywall. A small border is made above the top shelf. Behind it you can hide the wiring, which will move away from the lamps.
An interesting lighting option is obtained when using LED strips. To connect them, you must use a special converter - a 12 or 24 W power supply. The choice of power supply depends on the type of tape. Currently, there are LED strips that even connect to alternating current from an outlet.
Pieces of tape are attached with their sticky side to the bottom surface of the shelves and are interconnected by wires. The LED lighting switch can be brought to a place convenient for you. If you use a motion sensor, then the light in the toilet will light up automatically when someone enters. All these interesting little things are impressive when they are arranged in such a room as a toilet.
Shelves with doors
It is not necessary to leave shelves with items on them for public display. You can close the space with doors. The material for the door leaf should be light. For this purpose, plywood is the best option. You can take thin sheets, since the area of the doors is small.
We will fix the doors with furniture hinges. There is another option: we attach guides to the shelves from below and from above, and makes holes in the doors or fastens small handles. Sliding doors are ready.
On the door surface, you can stick an element of photo wallpaper or paint plywood in a color that will be combined with the rest of the interior. A great decor option is decoupage. It is not necessary to use classic elements with flowers and ornaments, you can make a modern design, for example, in the style of pop art.
Finally
Original and creative solutions will make a cozy and comfortable “place for thought” out of an ordinary toilet. All that is needed is a little imagination and perseverance. Working with materials is quite affordable for an ordinary person who does not have experience in the field of carpentry.