How to create a stylish wet room
Spacious, versatile and luxurious, wet rooms offer a contemporary and personalised look.
Image: C.P. Hart
Streamlined and stylish, a wetroom might be the perfect choice for your family’s needs. Rebecca Milnes, designer at C.P. Hart, has shared her tips to plan the perfect wet room space.
Layout inspiration
In a wet room, the shower area is flush with the floor level and the drain is fitted into the fully tiled floor. Originally, wet rooms were completely open without any glass partition, however, a simple fixed glass panel creating a walk-in shower area is a much more practical choice and has become the most popular trend.
Wet room systems are not limited to incremental sizing, like shower trays often are, so they are a great solution for awkward or tight spaces. In small rooms it is possible to turn the whole area into a walk-in shower, however, it is best to be mindful of the items in the bathroom that need to be kept dry, such as towels and toilet rolls.
One of the first things to consider when planning a wet room is where to position the drain. Ideally the drain should be as far away from the bathroom door as possible, to minimise any risk of water escaping the room.
What about surfaces?
Image: Matki
When deciding which wet room system to go for, think about what your sub-floor is made of. There are systems for both solid and wooden floors. If you have a concrete floor, it can be quite invasive to channel in a waste and create the gradient fall required for drainage.
Forgoing a shower tray in favour of a wet room allows the floor tiles to run through to the shower area, which adds visual space to a room. However, not all surfaces are safe to use in a wet room setting and it is crucial to know what the slip rating of the material is. It is advised to use a material with a structured textured finish to give extra grip in wet areas. Mosaics are also a great choice for wet areas, as the grout lines between the tiles give appropriate grip.
What is tanking?
Tanking is essential in a wet room. This is a multi-step process which entails several layers of waterproofing to ensure an excellent seal – much like a swimming pool. The two main approaches for tanking a wet room are using a self-adhesive, bitumen-based waterproof membrane or applying a paint on liquid wall membrane. It is always best to speak to your supplier about the best system for your project.
Consider sanitaryware
Image: Tile Mountain
If you are embracing the full wet room look and omitting any sort of enclosure or screen, it is fundamental to think about your choice of sanitaryware, as it is likely that it will get wet from the spray of the shower or the condensation in the room. Opt for ceramics that are flush to the wall and are ideally wall-mounted. A wall-hung toilet is a brilliant choice in a wet room, as there are no areas for water to pool and makes cleaning easier.
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