Installing A Wet Room Shower

Installing a wet room shower in your home is a serious step in to showering luxury. That said, it isn't a project to be taken on lightly; there are a couple of different options and solutions out there for those looking to make the leap.

Guide to Wet Rooms

When undergoing a renovation in the bathroom, you will notice that there is an abundance of options available to you in bathing and showering products. They range from whirlpool & spa baths to space saving shower enclosures. However, if you are looking to completely transform your bathroom and keep up to date with recent trends, a great option for you is to think about installing a wet room.

What is a Wet Room?

Generally speaking a wet room is a room that has been entirely waterproofed from floor to ceiling, furnished with a shower. They can be a small or large as the owner sees fit and some can even incorporate both a toilet and a basin for convenience.

What will it Cost?

Installing a wet room into your house will usually be a costly expense, as in most cases it will require tiling from floor to ceiling and of course the help of an experienced plumber to fit and finish it, which will all add to the overall cost. They can be anywhere between £5,000 and £10,000. Don’t let this put you off though, as they can also add value to your house, being a sought after luxury associated with hotels and spas. Although this is only the case when installing a wet room into a second bathroom, as families looking for homes will usually require a bath in their house.

Waterproofing for a Wet Room

One of the most important parts of installing a wet room is to ensure the entire room is waterproofed. Due to the nature of a wet room there will be increased moisture in the air, compared to a regular shower or bath and you will therefore have to take this into account. If you opt for porous tiling such as natural stone tiles, they may need resealing every so often. It is much more effective to use non porous tiles such as ceramic or porcelain as they will last a long time and offer a tight seal prevent any mould or mildew.

Tiling a Wet Room

Choosing the right types of tiles for your wet room is also of vital importance to the functionality of the room. Before tiling however you must fit a waterproof membrane or a ready to tile showerlay wet floor tray to ensure the room will not succumb to leaking or water damage. As we have encountered already, the most effective waterproofing tiles are non-porous, but you must also consider the tiling under foot. When buying floor tiles you must bear in mind how slippery they will get when wet, the last thing you want is a shower you can’t stand up in. Depending on the location of the drainage system you may also consider using small tiles for manipulating corners and varying gradients and larger tiles for flatter surfaces. Mosaics are a wet room floor favourite as they do not need cutting to fit corners or fixtures and they are much more slip resistant than larger tiles due to the amount of grouting points. Alternatively you can install a specially designed shower tray to give you the perfect finish without compromising on style or function.

Draining water in a Wet Room

Making sure water can easily drain, can be the difference between a wet room and a flooded room. Unlike a shower tray which has been designed to direct all of the excess water to flow straight down the waste, a wet room will need to take this same form and slope down towards the drainage system. The easiest way of going about doing this is to buy a showerlay which has been pre-formed to slope to the drain, as they are easily cut & fit, and can be finished with tiles to match the décor.

Wet Room Screens

A wet room screen is a smart solution to reducing the amount of splash and spray around the rest of the room, which is beneficial if you also have a toilet and basin, as it will keep water from the shower away from towels and toilet paper.

If you are looking to turn a bathroom into a luxurious paradise, then it is clear that a wet room is the direction to head in. It may be quite time consuming and require a large budget, but the end result will show you exactly why it was worth it in the long run. Have a look at our fantastic wet room section on our website and begin creating your dream bathroom today.