Many people would like to upgrade their bathroom but do not know where to start. Wet rooms are still new and are not so common in homes as classic showers. No matter whether you have heard of it before, or if you already have a wet room, there are still many questions about this type of shower. Some people, even though they are delighted wet room appearance, fears and resigns modernize their bathroom in fear of high costs or installation problems. Whereas, it is not as complicated as it sounds, and it has many of the advantages that we present in the guide below. Let’s do this!
Can anyone have a wet room?
Anyone can have a wet room in theory, it is basically a shower room, without the tray. Depending on how small your bathroom is, you may need to install a shower screen to protect the rest of your bathroom from splashing water.
What’s the difference between a wet room and a shower room?
The main difference between wet room and normal bathroom / shower room is in insulation. When we want to create a wet room, we have to seal the whole splash area, because unlike the normal shower room, here the water drops directly onto the floor. Of course, it costs more, but at the same time it guarantees full waterproofing and our walls and floor will stop any leaks or dampness from getting into other parts of the house.
Water drainage
The biggest trouble the homeowners are afraid of is the installation itself. This is a task for a specialist, because you have to create slopes that will drain water into the gutter mounted in the floor. The floor is also more exposed to water, so it needs to be sealed very well.Ready-made sloping shower trays come with help. It is a slab of foam XPS with integrated gutter, which already contains slopes to drainage. It also provides waterproofness and acoustic insulation. All we have to do is montage it in the floor and tiled it over, which makes installation extremely easy. Wet rooms can be installed on both concrete and wood flooring without too much hassle.
Insulation
As we mentioned before, the main difference between a wet room and a normal bathroom is the insulation. All surfaces should be sealed, especially all the walls and floor in the wet room and splash area around (which is about 0.5m from the wet room sides). Sealing includes priming, laying insulation mats, tanking with special liquid in sensitive areas and the entire surface of the shower and adjacent walls. For a detailed description of the insulation see this guide.
What type of features can be added to a wet room?
The main part of the wet room is of course the drainage itself, which is available in many types and styles to perfectly meet your expectations. Drain covers are available in many designs: from stylish patterns to minimalistic solutions, where only visible part is a small gap in the floor where water flows. The popular wet room feature is underfloor heating which helps to dry out the water on the floor. Of course, it is extremely appreciated in winter when it keeps the tiles warm underfoot.Although it is not required, shower screens are also popular. Combining glass with the rest of the finish materials in bathroom gives it a very modern look and adds value to your home.
Wet room advantages:
- incredibly stylish and modern
- significantly increase the value of your home
- they occupy little space - great for small rooms where you can replace the bath
- Much easier to clean than standard shower room
- sealing, which is required when doing the wet room, guarantees long waterproof for years
Wet room disadvantages:
- In small bathrooms you have to watch out for splashing water, which can flood, for example, towels. It may be necessary to install a shower screen
- installation is more complicated than a normal shower room, but it is a guarantee for years thanks to its waterproofness
- lots of people want to have a traditional bath in the bathroom, so wet room is often recommended for the second bathroom
