Walk In Shower Or Wet Room

What Is The Difference Between A Wetroom and a Walk In Shower?

The popularity of wetrooms and walk in showers has only grown over the last few years. It helps the small room that is the bathroom become a place of luxury and style. They are simplistic by design but give off a sleek and expensive look. Not only that but they are the perfect solution for the elderly or those who suffer with mobility restrictions. They are a great bath tub alternative due to the accessibility. 

We can give you the lowdown on what the difference is, the benefits and help you decide which is best for you when you are looking to refit your bathroom or find you are struggling with the bathtub and need a change. Unlike the standard showers you will have in your houses, walk in showers and wet rooms normally do not have a door but will have a single glass panel which separates it from the rest of the room. 

So what is the difference? 

Well, a wet room is normally a completely open plan space. You still need to be able to have the water drain away so the floor will get altered with a gradient built in which allows the water to flow away easily. This helps the whole floor not end up being flooded. Wet rooms will have the entire room water resistant from prolonged exposure to water. It will be a brand new space once the installation of the room is completed. The shower isn’t separated from the rest of the room but sometimes will have a glass panel to corner it off to prevent water spraying all over the room and they are secured in place. 

There is no shower tray on the floor. It gives the vibe of a spa as everything is waterproof and these are what give it an expensive and luxurious feel. One of the other main differences is heating. With a wet room, as you walk around from the shower to the sink or to grab your towel you will be leaving a trail of water and have water dripping all over the place. So, because of this in wet rooms it is preferred to have under floor heating. This helps the moisture evaporate and dry out, not to mention being able to have toasty warm toes on a cold winter morning. Tiling wise in a wet room needs to be completely tiled top to bottom. The only part of the room that doesn’t need tiles is the ceiling. There will be water seepage across the whole room so it needs to be able to tackle that.

With a walk in shower they will normally be in a cubicle with a shower tray which is installed directly into the floor. This is alongside one or two glass screens and is to help protect and concrete and wood from the water stream from the shower head. The shower tray in the floor is normally quite low to give off the smooth and seamless transition between the different spaces in the room. Walk-in showers are on the more affordable side than wet rooms as well as being able to be incorporated into nearly any bathroom type and size with only a reasonable amount of effort. They are a practical and desired choice for a lot of the population for these reasons. As they normally have doors for the shower section in the room they tend to keep the rest of the bathroom dry. You can have glass shower enclosures which still make the room feel bigger. 

They can have a pull door or a sliding door depending on your preference. If you choose a walk in shower it can give the illusion of a wet room without the inflated costs. They are available in all different sizes and designs so they can suit your desired style while being a practical shower choice. Tiling wise in walk in showers you only need a part of the bathroom to be tiled but can go as much as you want. It isn’t a necessity though as it is with a wet room.

So those are the differences and shows what each option has to offer. Walk in shower or wet room, refitting your bathroom to have one is a great choice for your shower solutions and we are able to help, give our recommendations and give you the bathroom you have been after. Get in touch now for more information.