When it comes to remodeling a bathroom, everyone want to incorporate the latest and greatest items to make there bathrooms more modern. One of the newest developments in the home bathroom is through the use of a wet room. While wet rooms are not new, they have been around for quite a while in places like gyms or spas, they are a new concept for a shower in an individual home. Basically what a wet room consists of is a bathroom with an open walk in shower. When considering a wet room the most important considerations are having the entire room waterproofed, or what they call tanking, and the floor surface, which must have the proper slope for good drainage and should also have a good nonslip surface to prevent accidents.
Every year there are numerous accidents in the bathroom. The number one cause of these accidents are slipping on wet or slippery floors while stepping into or out of a bathtub or shower bath combination. Having a wet room eliminates most of these dangers. When the whole room is used as a shower there is no more need to step into a tub. With the addition of rails and a bench they would be ideal for the handicapped or the elderly giving them more freedom and make it easier to take care of there self.
The tanking of a wet room prevents the escape of moisture into the other parts of the house causing problems. The process consists of either coating the area with a tough rubber type of compound to form a complete water barrier, or some kits use a membrane like a plastic sheet that has to be installed. The important part is that a water proof barrier is in place to stop any water seepage.
The next step is to install a good water proof barrier over the tanking. Most people use tile to finish the room not only on the floor but the walls and some type of barrier on the ceiling. While tiles are generally waterproof the grout between the tiles may not be, which is an additional reason for the tanking. Tiles can be bought in just about every color and shape giving you the option of building patterns into the layout. They can also be had with several surfaces from smooth to non slip, or you might prefer a tile with the look and feel of river rock under your feet. The choice is yours; just make sure that the floor is non slip. Vinyl is another choice for flooring and it is probably more water proof but a lot of people just feel that it doesn’t look as good, and it is more prone to being cut or torn by other objects.
Once you start to pick the fixtures for your wet room you might want to consider how easy they are to clean and maintain. Watch for one piece toilets and pedestal type bathroom sinks that can be easily wiped down, or you might want to go with wall mounted units. The shower its self will be the main point of the room, and you can choose from several options such as two or more shower heads that spray from different angles, or maybe an overhead rain shower head. You can also add hand rails and benches.
The wet room will give your bath an open air and roomy feel that is a welcome relief from a small cramped bathroom, affording you more luxury in your home.