6 Effective Ways to Hide Plumbing Access Panels

Every commercial building must have an efficient plumbing system to ensure that all units and floors have access to clean water, adequate sewage, and functional drainage. Your plumbers, architects, engineers, and building contractors can make it possible without leaving a floor with plumbing issues. 

However, the problem arises if the plan affects your interior’s vibe, you may need to talk to your interior designers to find ways to hide the plumbing access panels. Or you may try working on other ways to conceal them.  

6 Effective Ways to Hide Plumbing Access Panels

Hiding the plumbing access panels is as important as hiding your building’s internal systems. But aside from protecting it from people and rodents, hiding it makes your walls, floors, and sometimes ceilings look aesthetically beautiful. Here are the practical yet efficient ways to conceal the plumbing access doors. 

Use recessed access panels.

The most fundamental tip to hide your plumbing access panels is to use recessed ones or a flush access panel.

They are perfect for concealing your plumbing components without messing with your interior designs. They blend perfectly with the wall and go well with different wall materials.

Paint the access panel. 

Granting that you use the recessed access panel, paint them with similar tones and shades to your wall coating. This type of panel, instead of the regular one, allows you to easily blend the board through the layer as it does not protrude.

Use décor to conceal the access panels.

This tip is the most practical way to conceal the plumbing access doors, whether recessed or not. Just place a décor right in front of the plumbing access door. Voila! You have successfully covered it without people knowing that an access panel hides behind the décor.

Install it in an inconspicuous area.

Most people will walk inside any building without checking the entire surroundings, particularly the ceiling, the lower part of the wall, or even the floor, which makes them the best places to install the plumbing access doors.

However, to ensure that the people will not see them, you must work with your architects, interior designers, plumbers, and building contractor to ensure everything is in sync and will go as planned. Your clients and guests will come and leave without noticing the access doors.

Hide it through art

If you want to hide the access door while keeping your guests’ eyes busy with art, hire an artist for a commission wall painting or mural, which may add foot traffic to your business, attracting prospective clients, which is a solution favorable to you.

Conceal the access panel with an air return vent.

Adding air return to the plumbing access panel conceals the access door. Also, it has no frame that you can seamlessly attach to the access panel wall.

Most Common Type of Plumbing Access Panels that You Can Use?

There are several access panels that you can use, from wood and plastic to metals. But the latter makes an ideal plumbing access panel due to its benefits.

Metal Access Panels

These modern access panels use corrosion-resistant materials, a pivot hinge, and another locking mechanism to secure the board from falling. The metal access panels also offer several benefits. 

Aside from its durability that helps it last longer, some metal panels are fire-rated, air-tight, water-tight, and LEED-eligible. So, if you plan to make your buildings LEED accredited, the LEED access doors can help you increase your LEED points.

Conclusion 

It may be challenging if your plumbing system’s design conflicts with your interior design. But, indeed, your team will work on protecting your building’s critical internal components without compromising your building’s aesthetics.

May these six practical ways to hide the plumbing access panels help you effectively conceal it.