Designers weigh in on whether a wet room or walk-in shower is more suitable for residential spaces
In the realm of bathroom renovations, two popular options for modernizing a space are wet rooms and walk-in showers. Both offer unique advantages and disadvantages, making each a suitable choice depending on individual needs and preferences.
Shamila Iqbal, co-founder and director at Bathroom Mountain, and Louise Ashdown, Head of Design at West One Bathrooms, are industry experts who share their insights on these two options.
Design
Wet rooms boast an open-plan, fully tiled floor and walls with a built-in floor drain, creating a seamless, modern look without shower trays or barriers. The design is step-free, making it ideal for those with mobility issues. However, wet rooms demand thorough waterproofing of both the floor and lower walls.
Walk-in showers, on the other hand, provide a defined shower space with a shower tray and usually a glass screen or enclosure. The design requires less complex waterproofing, mainly around the tray area, and is easier to position due to the need for about 1.5m x 1m open floor area.
Installation
Wet rooms demand more complex and labor-intensive installation, requiring full waterproofing (tanking) of the floor and lower walls, and a correctly sloped floor for drainage. Due to the technical demands and risk of water damage, they are better handled by experienced professionals.
Installation of a walk-in shower is simpler and often more affordable, with the use of a shower tray and enclosure, and minimal floor alteration required.
Costs
Wet rooms are usually more expensive to install due to extensive waterproofing, tiling, and drainage work. Walk-in showers, in contrast, are generally more budget-friendly.
Maintenance
Wet rooms, with their extensive tiling and joints, require more frequent cleaning to prevent mold and mildew. Slip-resistant flooring is essential, and the drain must be kept clear as it's the sole outlet. The open design can allow water to spread, so careful upkeep of ventilation is necessary to prevent moisture buildup.
Walk-in showers, with fewer tiled surfaces and joints, are easier to clean. Glass enclosures can be wiped to reduce water marks, and the enclosed design helps contain water, reducing the risk of moisture spreading.
Additional Features
Wet rooms may be a better long-term investment due to their accessibility features like seating or space for a wheelchair. They can be designed to use shower screens or enclosures and are not necessarily wetter than walk-in showers.
Walk-in showers may accumulate limescale, particularly in hard water areas.
Expert Opinions
Sally Bettison, Design Manager at Tissino, and Nancy Emery, a bathroom design expert at Drench, also weigh in on the topic. Bettison highlights the importance of professional expertise for wet room installation due to the need for specialist waterproofing, while Emery suggests that walk-in showers may be more suitable for families who prefer a bath.
In conclusion, wet rooms offer a stylish, open-plan, step-free design ideal for accessibility and small spaces but require careful and often costly installation and maintenance due to waterproofing needs and extensive tiling. Walk-in showers with trays provide a more traditional defined shower space that is easier and cheaper to install and maintain, with better water containment and privacy options but involve a slight step and less seamless design.
[1] Iqbal, S. (Co-founder and Director, Bathroom Mountain) [3] Ashdown, L. (Head of Design, West One Bathrooms) [5] Bettison, S. (Design Manager, Tissino) [7] Emery, N. (Bathroom Design Expert, Drench)
- Shamila Iqbal, from Bathroom Mountain, points out that wet rooms feature an open-plan design with fully tiled floor and walls and a built-in floor drain, making them suitable for individuals with mobility issues.
- Louise Ashdown, Head of Design at West One Bathrooms, explains that walk-in showers provide a defined shower space with a shower tray and sometimes a glass screen or enclosure, requiring less complex waterproofing.
- In terms of installation, according to the experts, wet rooms demand more labor-intensive installation due to needing full waterproofing, a correctly sloped floor, and skilled professionals for the job.
- Installation of a walk-in shower is simpler and more affordable, as confirmed by the industry professionals, with the use of a shower tray and enclosure, and minimal floor alteration required.
- Wet rooms tend to be more expensive to install due to the extensive waterproofing, tiling, and drainage work involved, as highlighted by the experts.
- Wet rooms demand more frequent cleaning to prevent mold and mildew, whereas walk-in showers, with fewer tiled surfaces and joints, are easier to clean, according to the experts.
- Wet rooms may offer long-term investment benefits due to accessibility features like seating or space for a wheelchair, as suggested by Drench's bathroom design expert, Nancy Emery.
- Tissino's Design Manager, Sally Bettison, emphasizes the importance of professional expertise for wet room installation due to the need for specialist waterproofing, while bathroom designer Emery suggests that walk-in showers may be more suitable for families who prefer a bath.
