Originally written by - WikiHow
Bath panels, most popular in the UK, fit around the bottom of your bath to hide the underside of your tub. Most types of tubs in the UK require bath panels, including shower baths, straight baths, and corner baths, as these tubs come with an unfinished underside. A bath panel is just a piece of acrylic or wood that fits over the sides of the tub to hide the unfinished part. They're a great way to easily update the look of your bathroom, and they're fairly easy to install, depending on the type you have. Start by buying a panel that fits or cutting it to size as needed. Then you can install it by using clips for a bendable acrylic panel, which is the easiest to install, or by building a wooden frame for sturdier panels like stiff acrylic or wood, which have a higher end look and will last longer.
Remove the old bath panel if yours has one. In most cases, it will just pull out. Use a flat head screwdriver or a crowbar to get under the edge pf the panel at the bottom or on one side. Leverage one edge of the bath panel out until you can get your fingers under it, and then keep pulling on it with your hands until it comes away from the tub.
Measure the bath with a tape measure. Run the tape measure along the top edge of the bath where the panel will go on the single open side. That will be the length you need. Then, run the tape measure from the floor up to just under the top edge of the bath, which will be the height.
Choose a bendable acrylic type for a single side or rounded corner. This type is the easiest to install, and it works around curves if you have an awkwardly shaped tub. It's not as durable or sturdy as other types of panels, but it will fit most bath tubs.
Pick a rigid panel for more durability. These panels come in either wood or acrylic, based on your visual preference. Acrylic tends to be more waterproof, if that's a concern for you. These will only work on straight edges, but you can install them on 2 sides if you need to cover more than one edge.
Adjust the height of the plinth if your panel has one. Some bath panels, typically wooden ones, come with a "plinth," which is a plank that screws in along the bottom of the panel. It overlaps the main panel so you can move it up and down to adjust the height. Lay the plinth on the floor and then place the edge of the panel on top so they're overlapping. Move the panel up and down on the plinth until the height reaches the measurement you took for your opening.
Cut the panel if you need it to be shorter or not as wide. You can use a hacksaw for this purpose. Make sure to put it in place first to see if it fits, and then measure twice to ensure you've got the right size. Mark a line along the panel on the back side and gently saw back and forth down the line to cut the piece off.
Screw the clips into place underneath the top edge of the tub. Find the clips that came with your paneling. Place a clip underneath the tub's upper edge with the opening of the clip facing out, putting the flat side of the clip up against the underside of the tub edge. Hold the clip in place, and then drill a screw into the clip's hole to attach it to the tub.
Turn the panel so it's right-side up. Position the panel so the finished side faces outward and the lip at the top is facing inward toward the clips you've installed. Curve the panel as needed to make it go around the end of the tub.
Push the panel into place using the clips. Slide the panel toward the tub, making sure you've got it even on both ends. The top of the panel will slide just under the edge of the tub. These panels have a lip at the top thin enough to go into the clips. Push along the top of the panel so the lip slides into the clips.
Cut a piece of rebated timber for each side. If you just have one side to add a panel to, cut it to fit that side using a hacksaw. If you're fitting 2 panels, one on each open side of a corner tub, trim a piece for each side. You can purchase this type of timber already cut this way.
Draw lines where the panel sits on the floor. Tip the panel underneath the top edge of the tub and slide the bottom in place. Place a level against the side of the tub to make sure it's sitting upright. With a pencil, mark where each edge of the panel hits the floor.
Check the placement of the wood footing and mark it on the floor. Set the wood on the back side of the panel on the floor. Position the rebated portion so it's facing the floor and pointed toward the panel. Slide the panel underneath the lip of the wood.
Move the panel out of the way and screw the timber in place. Mark holes to go through just the wood side of the brace with 1 near each end of the wood and at least 2 in between the ends. Drill holes through the wood into the tile or wood floor below using a drill bit. You may need to move the wood to continue the pilot hole into the floor. These holes should be the same size as your screws. Set the wood where it needs to go on top of these holes, then drill screws through the holes and into the floor to hold the footing in place.
Add a vertical brace for heavier panels. Some panels, such as those made of wood, may need a bit more bracing because they are so heavy. In that case, a single piece of wood is likely all you need. Use a 3 in (7.6 cm) wide piece of wood. Measure from underneath the edge of the tub to the floor and cut the wood to size with a hacksaw. Hold the piece in place, making sure it's flush with the other pieces of wood at the front.
Fit the panel into place. Tip the top of the panel down so the lip goes underneath the edge of the tub on the outside. Push the bottom edge in so the panel straightens up, and then keep pressing until it hits the wood that you've screwed into the floor.
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