6 Reasons Why a Wet Room Is a Good Idea for Your Bathroom

Wet room bathrooms have become increasingly popular in recent years. In fact, many new-age homeowners are doing away with an enclosed shower and opting for wet rooms instead — creating a more open space in the bathroom. 

For those who are not aware of what a wet room is, here’s a pertinent question. 

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What Is A Wet Room Bathroom?

Simply put, a wet room is a bathroom where the shower is not enclosed with a shower screen and there is no shower tray. It’s also known as a walk-through shower. Usually, its design is such that there is a sloping floor which guides the water from the shower towards a drain. As a result, any excess water drains out easily through the wastewater system.

Needless to say, a wet room contains waterproof boarding beneath a tiled or concrete exterior. 

Apart from a shower, you may even have a glass screen to separate the shower area from the rest of the bathroom. This ensures that the bathroom stays as dry as possible. 

Did you know, this kind of bathroom design has its roots in Japan? Well, now you do. And, there’s a good reason why more and more Americans are opting for wet rooms today. The popular bathroom style adds to the aesthetics of a bathroom while remaining contemporary and simple in its overall design. 

Apart from its clean and stylish look, such a room enjoys many practical benefits too. In this article, we will list out six reasons why wet rooms are a better choice for your bathroom. So, here goes:

1. Easy Accessibility

Since a wet room has the same level of flooring as the rest of the bathroom, you can simply walk into a shower. You need not worry about any hazard of tripping associated with a traditional shower tray. 

Also, a wet room has no shower door — making it a perfect bathroom solution for seniors, wheelchair users, or those with reduced mobility. Since there is an absence of a shower tray, the access to the shower is much easier.

2. Easy Installation

The best part about installing a wet room is that it can be constructed just about anywhere in the house. In fact, you can fit it throughout the house on timber or concrete floors provided you use the appropriate floor formers and drainage system. The key is to ensure that your bathroom is watertight in terms of waterproofing of floors and walls.

3. Better ROI

A wet room adds immense value to your property. A well-installed waterproof bathroom prevents water leaks and related issues — a good thing when it comes to the overall structure of your property. A bathroom with extra tanking or water-proofing lasts longer too as it has extra protection than a normal bathroom.

In a regular bathroom, excess water may run into areas it shouldn’t, causing a moisture build-up or dampness in the walls. In a wet room, that problem is taken care of. There’s a central drain and moisture is contained within the sealed walls of the bathroom.

No wonder, home buyers are attracted to such a space. If you have one wet room and a second bathroom that’s non-wet, chances are your house will sell more quickly and with higher return on investment or ROI.

4. Best Space Utilization

A wet room is the ideal solution for small bathrooms. Instead of a bathtub, you can simply install a showerhead and make the room appear more spacious and open. 

And, you certainly don’t want a bulky shower enclosure with doors intruding upon whatever little area you have. All in all, a wet room creates the visual illusion of space in the smallest of bathrooms. Furthermore, it nicely maximizes the area in your bathroom.

5. Low Maintenance

One of the biggest advantages a wet room enjoys over a bathroom with a bathtub or shower is the ease with which it can be cleaned. Due to the clean, minimal lines of a wet room, any maintenance or cleaning is easy — leaving you with more free time to enjoy your luxurious shower!

What’s more, you can use normal household bathroom cleaners right around such a wet environment to disinfect and keep mold and mildew at bay.

6. Availability Of A Large Variety 

Last, but certainly not least, there are tons of design options available when it comes to such a bathroom. With the right kind of materials and patterns, your bathroom can look incredibly stylish. 

Because of the minimalist nature of its design, a wet room, you can use wood, stone, concrete, mosaic tiles, or just about any material. The idea is to keep the space looking good and practical.  Basically, you can allow your creativity to run wild!

Conclusion 

The popularity of a wet bathroom is due to its minimalistic style. It’s the perfect solution for those looking to create a showering space that requires less maintenance and allows for more relaxation. If you’re contemplating a contemporary bathroom design, we strongly recommend a wet room for your house.

When in doubt, read about all the pros and cons of a wet room bathroom (or you can read this article all over again!). We’re sure, once you decide to install a wet room, you won’t be disappointed!

Written by Oriana Gomez-Zerpa. September 23, 2014

Oriana is an accomplished architect with strong skills in creative thinking, conceptualization and design. She attended Architecture schools at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Universidad Central de Venezuela. She later pursued her Master’s degree at the prestigious Politecnico di Milano in Italy. She shares with us her passion for interior design and architecture.