Quick summary: This guide helps you work out exactly which PVC wall panels you need, how many sheets to order, and which size suits your room. If you’re still deciding whether PVC panels are right for your project, start with our PVC wall panels benefits guide. Ready to install? See the step-by-step installation guide.
Ordering PVC wall panels in Ireland is straightforward once you know your room dimensions and which sheet size to specify. The most common mistakes are ordering the wrong sheet for the room height, or underestimating the number of sheets needed after accounting for cuts and waste. This guide walks through each step so you get it right first time.
Contents
What You’re Ordering: Rigid Hygienic PVC Cladding
PVC wall panels for bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms, and commercial or agricultural environments means one specific product: rigid hygienic PVC cladding. This is a solid, non-porous PVCu sheet with a hard gloss surface, designed to be fully waterproof and installed using a system of matching trim profiles.
We stock Trovidur® EC-Clad — a premium rigid PVC wall cladding manufactured by Röchling Industrial. It is 2.5mm thick, white gloss, and available in two standard sheet sizes with a full range of matching profiles and adhesive.
Important: Foam PVC (Foamex) board is a completely different product. It is porous and absorbs moisture, making it entirely unsuitable for bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms, or any wet or damp environment. If you need wall panels for a wet area, the product you want is rigid hygienic PVC cladding — not foam PVC.
Trovidur® EC-Clad rigid PVC cladding — key properties
Trovidur® EC-Clad white PVC cladding in a bathroom — a single sheet runs floor to ceiling with no grout lines to clean or maintain
Room-by-Room Application Guide
The table below covers the most common applications for PVC wall panels in Irish homes and commercial settings, with the recommended sheet size for each.
| Room / Application | Recommended sheet | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom (full walls) | 3050 × 1220mm | One panel covers floor to ceiling in most Irish homes with no horizontal join |
| Shower enclosure / wet room | 2440 × 1220mm | All joints must be sealed with silicone and all edges captured in profiles |
| Kitchen (splashback only) | 2440 × 1220mm | Keep 150mm minimum clearance from direct heat sources. One sheet typically covers a standard splashback run |
| Kitchen (full-height walls) | 3050 × 1220mm | Floor-to-ceiling coverage without a horizontal join |
| Utility room / laundry room | 2440 × 1220mm | High humidity from washing and drying makes rigid PVC the only appropriate choice here |
| Bathroom ceiling | 2440 × 1220mm | Easier to handle overhead; condensation makes rigid PVC essential for bathroom ceilings |
| Commercial kitchen / canteen | 3050 × 1220mm | HACCP-compliant; withstands pressure washing and industrial cleaning agents |
| Dairy parlour / farm building | 3050 × 1220mm | Impervious to urine, dung, and agricultural disinfectants; pressure washable |
| Changing rooms / leisure facilities | 3050 × 1220mm | Handles high moisture, regular cleaning, and heavy foot traffic without deterioration |
| Cold store / chiller room | 2440 × 1220mm | Rated to −20°C; will not delaminate or absorb moisture at low temperatures |
Commercial kitchen — rigid PVC cladding meets HACCP hygiene requirements and withstands daily pressure washing
Changing room — high-traffic, high-moisture environment where PVC cladding outlasts paint or tile by years
Sheet Sizes & Coverage
We stock rigid hygienic PVC cladding in two standard sheet sizes. The choice between them is primarily driven by your ceiling or wall height.
2440mm × 1220mm sheet
The standard 8ft × 4ft sheet. Covers 2.98m² per sheet.
3050mm × 1220mm sheet
The 10ft × 4ft sheet. Covers 3.72m² per sheet.
Ceiling height tip for Irish homes: Most Irish houses built from the 1960s to the 2000s have ceiling heights of 2.4m–2.55m (8–8.4ft). The 3050mm sheet will reach floor to ceiling with 500–650mm to spare, which is cut off. This offcut is useful for boxing in pipes, covering the panel above a bath, or filling a section above kitchen units — very little goes to waste. Newer builds or older period homes may have 2.7m or higher ceilings. Always measure before ordering.
How to Measure Your Walls
Accurate measurement is the most important step. Take measurements in millimetres and be methodical about which surfaces you are cladding. Do not rely on builder’s drawings or previous estimates — measure the actual walls on site.
What to measure
Wall height
Measure from floor to ceiling in at least two places on each wall. Floors and ceilings are rarely perfectly level in older Irish homes. Use the largest measurement when ordering to ensure full coverage.
Wall width
Measure the full width of each wall you are cladding. If the wall has a door or window opening, still measure the full width — the sheets are cut to fit around openings so you still need full-width material.
Openings and obstacles
Note the dimensions and positions of windows, doors, pipe penetrations, electrical sockets, and switches. You do not subtract these from your sheet calculation — the cut-out pieces cannot be reused elsewhere, so they count as waste material.
Ceilings
If you are cladding the ceiling too, measure its length and width separately and calculate sheets for it independently. The 2440mm × 1220mm sheet is generally easier to handle overhead.
Worked example: standard Irish bathroom
A typical Irish bathroom might have the following walls to clad (door wall excluded from full cladding):
| Wall | Width | Height | Area | Sheets needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear wall | 2100mm | 2440mm | 5.12m² | 2 (1220mm each) |
| Side wall (bath) | 1700mm | 2440mm | 4.15m² | 2 (cut to 850mm + 850mm) |
| Side wall (window) | 1700mm | 2440mm | 4.15m² | 2 (window cut around, not deducted) |
| Total | — | — | 13.42m² | 6 sheets + 1 spare = order 7 |
How Many Sheets Do You Need?
Follow these steps to calculate your sheet quantity:
Add up the linear metres of wall to be clad
Total the widths of every wall you are cladding. Do not deduct doors or windows — sheets span the full wall width and openings are cut out of them.
Divide by 1.22 (the sheet width in metres)
Both sheet sizes are 1220mm wide. Each sheet covers 1.22m of wall width. Divide your total linear metres by 1.22 to get the base number of sheets.
Round up to the nearest whole sheet
You cannot buy half a sheet, and odd-width walls will always leave a cut-off piece. Always round up.
Add one spare sheet
Always order at least one extra. PVC cladding is produced in batches and colour consistency can vary very slightly between batches — having a spare from the same order avoids any mismatch if you need to patch or extend later.
Example
Three walls totalling 5.5 linear metres ÷ 1.22 = 4.5 sheets → round up to 5 → add 1 spare = order 6 sheets.
Internal corners: Every internal corner where two cladded walls meet requires a C-profile, and the sheet on one side of the corner is cut short to accommodate it. Mark internal corners on your sketch when planning. When in doubt, call us on 01 801 0022 and we’ll work through the layout with you.
Profiles & Accessories to Include
Profiles are not optional — they are what makes the installation watertight and give it a professional finish. Every sheet edge needs to sit in a profile, and every junction between sheets or at corners needs the correct trim.
| Profile | Where used | How many to order |
|---|---|---|
| J-trim (capping strip) | Top and bottom edges of every sheet run | 2 lengths per wall; order total linear metres of all top and bottom edges combined |
| H-trim (division bar) | Vertical join between adjacent sheets | 1 per vertical sheet joint; (sheets per wall minus 1) per wall |
| C-profile (inside corner) | Internal 90° corners where two cladded walls meet | 1 per internal corner; length = wall height |
| F-profile (external corner) | External 90° corners (pilasters, exposed columns) | 1 per external corner; length = wall height |
| PU adhesive | Bonding sheet to wall surface | 1 × 300ml cartridge per sheet; match your sheet quantity |
| White silicone sealant | Sealing all profile edges and open joints | 1–2 cartridges per room; use a sanitary-grade low-modulus silicone |
Full fitting guidance — how to apply profiles, which adhesive to use, step-by-step sheet positioning and corner finishing — is in the PVC cladding installation guide.
Ordering & Delivery in Ireland
We stock Trovidur® EC-Clad rigid PVC wall cladding at our warehouse in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, with nationwide delivery across Ireland.
Online ordering
Both sheet sizes and all profiles and accessories are available to order online. Sheets are shipped flat, protected with foam corners and stretch wrap. For large commercial or agricultural orders, contact us directly for a quote.
Collection from Ashbourne
Collection is available from our Ashbourne, Co. Meath warehouse. If collecting 3050mm sheets, bring a vehicle or trailer that can accommodate lengths over 3 metres — a standard van is fine but a hatchback will be too short.
Nationwide delivery
We deliver PVC wall panels across Ireland. Sheets are delivered flat — ensure there is someone at the delivery address to receive them and a clear, dry space to store them before installation. Store sheets flat, never stood on end.
Need help before ordering?
If you are unsure about quantities, sheet sizes, or which profiles to include, call 01 801 0022 or email [email protected] and we will work through your room dimensions with you.
Before you install: Once sheets arrive, store them flat in the room where they will be installed for at least 24 hours before fitting. This lets the PVC acclimatise to room temperature, reducing the risk of buckling or stress on profiles after installation. Particularly important in winter or for rooms that will be heated.
Agricultural application — rigid PVC wall cladding is impervious to urine, dung, and farm disinfectants and can be pressure washed between livestock cycles
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What size PVC wall panels do I need for a standard Irish bathroom?
A: In most cases the 3050mm × 1220mm sheet is the better choice. It covers floor to ceiling in a single panel with no horizontal joint, which looks cleaner and creates fewer potential leak paths. For a shower enclosure only, the 2440mm × 1220mm sheet is equally suitable and easier to handle solo.
Q: How many PVC panels do I need for a small bathroom?
A: A small bathroom (approximately 2.1m × 1.7m, cladding three walls) typically requires 5–6 sheets using 1220mm-wide panels. Add one spare. Use the calculation method above, or call us and we will work it out from your measurements.
Q: Can I use foam PVC sheets for a bathroom or kitchen wall?
A: No. Foam PVC is porous and absorbs moisture, making it completely unsuitable for bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms, or any wet or damp environment. For any wall application involving water, steam, or condensation, you need rigid hygienic PVC cladding — a solid, non-porous product like Trovidur® EC-Clad.
Q: Can I order PVC wall panels online and have them delivered anywhere in Ireland?
A: Yes. We deliver PVC cladding sheets and accessories nationwide across Ireland from our Ashbourne, Co. Meath warehouse. Both sheet sizes are available online with all matching profiles. For large quantities or commercial projects, contact us on 01 801 0022 or [email protected] for a quote.
Q: Are PVC wall panels suitable for a utility room?
A: Yes — utility rooms are one of the best domestic applications. High humidity from washing machines and tumble dryers makes utility rooms prone to condensation and mould on painted plasterboard. Rigid PVC cladding eliminates the problem entirely. The 2440mm × 1220mm sheet suits most utility rooms.
Q: Do I need special tools to cut PVC wall cladding?
A: No specialist tools are needed. PVC cladding can be cut with a sharp craft knife and straight edge (score and snap), a jigsaw with a fine-tooth blade, or a circular saw with a 40/60 diamond grit blade. For openings around pipes and sockets, a jigsaw or hole saw works well. Full cutting guidance is in the installation guide.
Ready to Order PVC Wall Panels?
We stock Trovidur® EC-Clad rigid hygienic PVC wall cladding with nationwide delivery across Ireland. All profiles and accessories in stock. For help planning your order call 01 801 0022 or email [email protected].
Rigid Hygienic PVC Wall Cladding Sheets →
About this guide: Product information is based on Trovidur® EC-Clad rigid PVC hygienic cladding (Röchling Industrial) stocked by Access Plastics / 365plastics.ie, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Sheet coverage figures are calculated from standard sheet dimensions. Always measure your specific installation before ordering. Nationwide delivery available across Ireland.