Fitting a magnetically attachable bath panel

If you have put lots of time and effort into refitting your bathroom, you will have undoubtedly considered a suitable decorative bath panel to cover the unsightly void beneath your bath. Nobody wishes to see ugly screw heads holding a panel in place, and what’s more, if your tub springs a leak it will take vital time to remove the panel. The smart solution is a magnetic bath panel which is straightforward to remove allowing easy access to your vital plumbing. What’s more magnets are more robust and less fiddly than plastic bath clips.

Go straight to the magnets, or read on to see how one of our customers installed their bath panel.

Here’s how Jonny from South Lanarkshire installed his own magnetic bath panel:

1)  Firstly, a timber frame was installed around the bath. The frame should sit tightly between the rim of the bath, the wall and the floor. When installing the frame, it is important to consider the thickness of the panel and sit the frame slightly back from the edge of the bath so when installed, the panel will sit flush with the edge of the bath.

2)  Once the frame was in place, Jonny attached countersunk steel discs using stainless steel screws at equal distances to the frame. These steel discs will act as the striker plates for the magnets to attract too.

3)  Next, flat bottomed holes were drilled into the MDF bath panel using a flat-head drill bit at identical distances, corresponding with the steel discs in the wooden frame.

4)  Counterbored neodymium pot magnets were then fitted into the holes and secured in place using stainless steel screws creating a flush magnetic surface. These magnets have a stainless steel shell which increases the clamping force of the magnet, while also protecting it from corrosion. The magnets used by Jonny are 14mm diameter x 3.6mm thick and each has a 5.2kg pull, therefore two or three magnets positioned so that they attract to the corresponding steel discs on each supporting beam of the frame will provide an adequate hold, without making it too difficult to remove.

Of course, there are other other ways to achieve the same effect depending on the materials you are using and the type of panel you are fitting. For example, if you are fitting a plastic panel, that you aren’t able to rebate magnets into, it would be easier to fit the magnets to the timber frame, and then usestrong adhesive to secure the steel discs on to the panel.

In this example, 16mm diameter steel discs were used, however if you have the space it is useful to use steel discs with a larger diameter than the magnets you are using, this means you don’t have to be quite as accurate with your positioning of the steel discs and magnets and if you need to slide the panel up or down, or side to side to make your panel fit perfectly you can do so without the magnets and discs being misaligned. For example a sensible option would be to use 32mm diameter ferrite pot magnets, with 50mm diameter steel discs.

Once the discs and magnets are in place, it is easy to position your bath panel as the magnets will locate the discs providing a secure hold. Before placing the panel in position, it is important to consider how you will remove it – you will need to leave a slight gap around one edge so that you will be able leverage the panel away from the frame, otherwise all your hard work will be in vain!

Thanks again go to Jonny from South Lanarkshire who sent us these photographs taken during installation of his own panel. If you would like to replicate Jonny’s project, then you will need the following: