Three things people ask us about wall panels and water. None of the answers
is "it is waterproof" - and that is the point.
1. "Are they waterproof?"
That word is doing too much work. What matters is the assembly, not one
sheet of material: the panel, the trim, the sealant at the wet joints, and
what is behind it all. A non-absorbent panel on a damp wall is still a damp
wall. If a supplier answers this question with one word, ask them what
happens at the joints.
2. "Will they grow mould?"
Mould needs damp and something to feed on. The panel is not what feeds it.
If a wall is already damp - a leak, a cold bridge, a failed seal - covering
it does not dry it out. The damp carries on behind the panel, where you
cannot see it. That is why we ask what is behind the surface before we talk
about what goes on it.
3. "Will they swell or warp when they get wet?"
What moves in a wet room is usually not the sheet. It is the substrate and
the joints. A wall that is not secure will move no matter what is fixed to
it. Which is why the checks people skip are the ones at the start, not the
ones at the end.
None of this is about being clever with water. A wet room is a system, and
the panel is one part of it. A supplier who answers a water question in one
word has just told you where they will be when something goes wrong.
Got a wall you are not sure about? DM "WET" with a photo and we will tell
you what we would check first.
