To start with, it's probably worthwhile explaining what a wet room is, as not everybody is clear or has different perceptions! A wet room (or walk-in shower as they are sometimes called) is a fully waterproofed (tanked) shower room. More recently, the term ‘wet room’ has come to refer to an area of the bathroom which contains a level, flush to the surrounding floor showering area with a full-height glass panel shower screen. The Wet Room can equally be applied to the showering environments specifically required for disabled and elderly care - ‘mobility / assisted showering’ wet rooms are an increasingly growing market.
The wet room was once associated with care homes and hospitals, however, it has now evolved into a chic showering environment often found in luxury hotels. Now with modern advancements in waterproofing materials and pre-formed shower trays a stylish wetroom can be created in the home, and you don’t need to have a huge bathroom space to have one!
The average UK family-sized bathroom is approximately 2m x 2m. In theory, a wet room would be a practical solution if you are working with a small space.
To give you some inspiration, here are some of our favourite ideas on how to turn your small bathroom into a glorious wetroom!
QUALITY TILING:
A wet room will require the flooring and walls to be waterproofed and fully tiled. Tile backer board / construction boards or thermal insulation boards, as they are sometimes known are special boards designed to replace traditional plywood boarding (but not floorboards) for laying on floors and walls prior to tiling. Unlike plywood, tile backer boards have excellent thermal insulation and waterproof properties making them ideal for use in wet rooms! We recommend the Jackoboard Plano Insulated Construction Tiled Backer Boards, available in 6mm - 30mm thicknesses. There is a huge range of quality tiles available, in a range of different colours, patterns, and textures that will suit any style of bathroom.
UNDERFLOOR HEATING:
Many will consider underfloor heating or wall heating fittings for wet rooms helping the space to dry out quicker and cleverly negating the need for bulky radiators and towel rails. We recommend Warmup.
CHOOSE A LUXURY RAINFALL SHOWER:
Think Spa! Rainfall shower heads produce a steady flow of water down over the top of your head for a refreshing and rejuvenating feel. We recommend the Hansgrohe Cromette E 240 Showerpipe Thermostatic Shower. Hansgrohe are dedicated to developing products that exceed your expectations, continually innovating to enhance your showering experience. Reliable products that will last a long time, with excellent design and exceptional user comfort.
ADDITIONAL COMFORTS:
These could be anything from shower seats or perhaps a wall-mounted toilet and basin depending on the size of the bathroom. We recommend Viega. The Viega Prevista Dry WC Element Package is ideal for wall-hung toilets containing all the fixtures to set it up. You could also opt for clever storage solutions like wall niches and wall-hung bathroom accessories such as toilet roll holders.
If you are unsure where to start with planning and designing your wetroom, we have created the Experts Guide to Wet Rooms. You can download yours for FREE here:
https://www.wetrooms-online.com/pages/wet-room-expert-guide
and start your wetroom shower room planning journey.
Full of expert advice, handy tips, and all the information you need to be aware of when starting your wetroom planning process.
Topics covered include Costing, Design, Choosing a Wet Room Shower Tray, Installing a Wet room, Product Spotlight, FAQ's and so much more.
