Small Wet Room Ideas
If you have a small bathroom, you might be considering converting it into a wet room but, what exactly is a wet room, what do you need to create one and how practical are they? If you have any concerns, then continue reading to learn everything you need to know about creating one in your home.
What is a Wet Room?
A wet room is a clever alternative to a standard bathroom or shower room, featuring many of the same practical items such as a shower, toilet, and basin.
In most cases, the main feature of a wet room is the lack of a shower tray in the shower area. Where a shower tray would normally be installed, a drain and in some cases a wet room former is installed to help water from the shower to drain away.
Why Have a Wet Room?
Wet rooms have many positives, for example, in most cases, they are easier to clean than a shower enclosure, can fit in even the smallest of spaces, and are easily accessible for the whole family even the elderly or those with disabilities.
Unlike a shower enclosure, you can fit a wet room in almost any room as they don’t have to take up as much space as a full shower enclosure. However, when debating whether to fit a wet room into a small space you should always consider splash zones, any areas that might get wet when the shower is in use. The last thing you want is soggy toilet paper or a damp towel! One way to prevent this is with a wet room screen, which we will talk about in more detail later on.
One of the main benefits of a wet room is their easily accessible for the elderly and disabled users. With a completely flat floor, no shower tray to step over, and a lack of doors, a wet room can be much more easily accessible even allowing for easier installation of shower seats and grab rails.
Layout
Creating a wet room in a small space can be tricky, especially if you’re not sure how to make the most of the space you have on offer. That's why it’s essential to create a plan, whether that be on paper or simply measuring your space, to work out how everything will fit and how to make the room as accessible as possible.
Wet Room Screens
If you’re looking to create a wet room in a small space, then you might consider installing a wet room screen to protect other items in the room from getting soaked when someone’s showering.
Wet room screens come in all shapes and sizes, making it easy to choose the perfect one for your wet room. Available in a range of styles, you can choose from a simple single screen to a sliding door or even a double screen with a return panel, depending on the size of your room. Smaller wet rooms and those lacking in space would probably benefit from a simple single screen, enough to reduce other items in the room getting splashed, without taking up too much space.
Wet Room Formers
Wet room formers are a great way of helping water from a shower to flow away, whilst keeping the surface of the floor completely flat and trip-free.
Wet room formers are available in a variety of different shapes and sizes and are designed to simply fit underneath your bathroom flooring and can even be cut to size if you have an awkward-shaped space.
Wet Room Kit
Purchasing a wet room kit is a great way to ensure you have all bits and pieces you need when installing your wet room. Wet room kits generally come with a drainage channel and tile insert grate and can also include a no odour water trap (which helps to prevent any unwanted damp smells emerging from your drain), and a tanking kit that helps to keep your wet room sealed and waterproof.
Flooring
Choosing non-slip bathroom flooring is essential in a wetroom, as there is likely to be more water getting splashed around the room than in a standard bathroom. Matt tiles tend to be the best choice as they are naturally less slippery than shiny polished tiles.
Underfloor Heating
Underfloor heating may seem like a luxury, but something classed as luxury doesn’t have to break the bank. Depending on the size of your wet room, underfloor heating can start from around £80 with a larger room costing around £200.
Underfloor heating is ideal for use in a wet room as it can help to dry up and splashes and wet patches on the floor and therefore, help to prevent slips and falls. When installing underfloor heating you must ensure it is suitable for use with the type of flooring you intend to use. Some types of underfloor heating are only compatible with certain floors such as natural stone and ceramic tiles.
Wall Tiles
If you’re tiling the walls in a small wet room, then the type of tiles you use can help to make the room look and feel bigger. Using larger and lighter coloured gloss tiles may give your wet room the feeling of more space, especially if your wet room features a window, as this will help to bounce natural light around the room.
Even the way your tiles are laid can have a big effect on the feeling of a room. For example, laying tiles at a diagonal or in a herringbone pattern can help to make your wet room look larger.
Wall Panels
A quick and easy way of covering the walls in a wet room is using bathroom wall panels. Bathroom wall panels can simply be fitted over any existing tiles and can even be fitted by a DIY novice.
Bathroom wall panels have many benefits but possibly the best benefit is the lack of grouting, meaning cleaning your bathroom walls has never been easier. Simply give them a wipe over with a clean cloth after use and you’ll have them looking as good as new!
If you found this post useful, you may also be interested in - Best Showers for a Small Bathroom - Small Toilet Ideas - Shower Room Ideas For Small Spaces.
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