Wet rooms are they a fad or a must?

Modern trends have dedicated a move from traditional bathrooms to contempary styles which have broaden people’s ideas on what they can achieve.

What is a wet room?

A wetroom is basically a shower room that does not require shower screen or tray and has an open, fully tiled shower area. All water is drained through the floor.

Advantages
• Stylish
• Can increase value of your home (providing you have a second bathroom which has a bath!)
• Frees up space in a bathroom
• Easy to clean

Disadvantages
• Watch out for wet towels and tissue clogging and covering drainage
• Would need a professional to install it,some people like to do things themselves but getting in a professional will save you time and hassle.
• Tiles can be expensive especially the whole area needs to be done, if you use a porpous stone you may need to be resealed every few months which can be a pain.
• To just have a wet room in your house could devalue your home, most people like baths especially if they have young children so do be careful in your consideration.

Can any one have a wetroom?

Some will say yes and some will say no, however there are some guidelines which will determine if its possible.

Water drainage – A gradient needs to be created so on the floor the water will channel the shower water into the drain. The entire room then needs to be tanked (made waterproof) and one method of this is to install a floor made of WBP Ply which is then tiled over. Another option is to install a ready made sloping shower former – just like a big tray which again can be tiled over. if you don’t want tiles another possible option could be a Hi-Macs system that slopes towards a drain.

To waterproof a room you will need to get the floor primed, lower sections of the walls and around the shower, this will need to be covered in a membrane. Once done tiling can be completed. As a precaution it maybe worth raising the floor so if the drain does block for some reason the room will not flood out underneath the door

For more information please contact FMAT so we can put you in touch with our professional wet room specialists.