Published 7th July 2024 - 8 Minute read
Summary
A wet room is a waterproof bathroom with a modern aesthetic that adds luxurious appearance to your home. While it's a significant investment, there are budget-friendly ways to create one. Discover our tips on how to effectively plan and install your own wet room that suits your budget.
Discover Merlyn's Wetroom collection here
Quicklinks:
- Preparation and planning?
- Installation?
- Why consider installing a wet room?
- Wetroom Frequently Asked Questions
Preparing and Planning a Wet room?
Creating a waterproof wet rooms depends on the quality of the surface. Floors and walls must be stable and clean. Planning is essential and space, flooring, and amenities like heating need to be considered. Building a wet room requires precision, so professional help may be wise.
Do you need help choosing a wet room? Visit your nearest Merlyn showroom stockist and speak to a professional.
Installing a Wet room?
Wet rooms require careful planning, focusing on key elements like the shower drain, enclosure, tiles, shower head, painting, and decorating. Proper drainage with a sloping floor is crucial, and hiring a plumber may be necessary for correct installation.
The shower enclosure should consider technical aspects like flooring slope and access. Tiles are essential for aesthetics and durability, with various styles, colours, and finishes available.
Neutral paint colours offer a timeless look, while bold colours can add personality. Accessories like shelving can enhance the design without breaking the bank. Heating options include radiators or underfloor heating.
Shower drain
Wetroom floors need to slope towards the drain to avoid water damage and remain dirt-free. The wastewater should drain out of the room through a waste pipe. In circumstances where the existing waste pipe is installed incorrectly, you will need to hire a plumber.
Shower enclosure
Walk in shower enclosures are often a focal point within a bathroom. When choosing a shower enclosure, you will need to be aware of all aspects included in your wet room. You need to think about the technical aspects like the flooring slope, drainage, access to the shower area and tanking installation.
Wet rooms require accurate measurements and consideration of the ideal location for the shower. This is especially important for small bathrooms.
Tiles
Tiling is one of the key features of a wet room that tends to transform the overall look. If you have a limited budget and a large space, you can use cheaper tiles for the majority of the room. You can use more expensive tiles for decorative purpose to achieve an element of luxury.
When selecting tiles, it is important to choose ones that are durable and long-lasting. This ensures that they will be able to withstand daily wear and tear without becoming damaged or worn out. Additionally, opting for tiles that are easy to clean can save you time and effort in maintaining their appearance.
Tiles come in a wide range of styles, allowing you to find the perfect fit for your space. In terms of colours, many choices are available. For a simple, but timeless look you can opt for neutral tones.
Or, you can opt for a brighter shade with a pop of colour if you are looking for something more vibrant. The colour of your tiles can greatly impact the overall aesthetic of the room, so it is important to choose wisely.
Finishes also play a role in the appearance and functionality of tiles. Matte finishes offer a more subtle appearance, while glossy finishes can add a touch of elegance and reflect light, making the space appear brighter. Additionally, textured finishes can provide a unique and tactile element to your tiles, adding depth and interest to the design.
Shower head
Whilst selecting a shower head, think about how it will match the bathroom's look, particularly the walls and floors. The shower head should not only be functional, but also enhance the visual appeal of the walk in shower. For best results, consider the finish, colour, material and size.
In addition, various shower heads have different water settings, which can change your whole showering experience.
Painting
When selecting a neutral colour scheme, brown, beige, and grey shades are always great choices. They offer a timeless and sophisticated look. However, if you are looking to elevate your space, a pop of colour can truly change your wet rom.
To refresh your wet room, simply paint each wall with a new coat of paint. This simple and straightforward upgrade will help to enhance the overall appearance.
Decorating
Wet rooms provide more choices for a distinctive shower experience compared to standard showers. This is due to their open plan design and limitless choices. A wet room can have different tile colours, materials, and finishes, allowing you to show your personal style. Consider options such as concrete floors or glass panels to add an extra aesthetic appeal to the space.
When it comes to accessories, treating your wet room like a standard bathroom opens up a world of possibilities with accessories. Simple additions can work wonders in enhancing the overall design. For example, wall shelving can be installed to hold flowers or cosmetics, adding a touch of elegance and practicality. These small details can truly elevate your wet room design and the best part is, they don't have to come with a hefty price tag.
Heating is also an important consideration for your wet room. The top choices are often a regular radiator, or underfloor heating.
Why install a wet room?
Wet rooms provide a modern look and full customisation options. They're quicker to install than traditional bathrooms and require less cleaning and maintenance.n trend - wet rooms are associated with a modern and minimalist design aesthetic. They can provide a sleek and sophisticated look to a bathroom, often preferred in contemporary interior design.
Modern appearance
When it comes to keeping your bathroom up-to-date and embracing contemporary design, a wet room is a great choice. Especially for those who have a passion for modern aesthetics.
The best part is that you can fully personalise every aspect by selecting various products like the shower tray, shower drain, tiles, heating, lighting, and accessories. In addition, wet room floors have a distinct advantage in terms of appearance, thanks to their generous space and natural light.
Full customisation
Taking ownership of the design process is something that many are passionate about. With a wet room, you can tailor all aspects to your preferences and style, allowing you the freedom to create your own personalised oasis.
Whether it's the selection of shower enclosures, the specific type of shower screen that catches your eye, or even the choice of bathroom door, you can curate a space that reflects your individual taste.
While the installation process requires careful attention to detail, the time required is often less compared to fitting a traditional bathroom.
This can be attributed to the streamlined design and the absence of bulky fixtures such as bathtubs and separate shower enclosures. While it may not be an instant transformation, the time invested in your wet room will be worth the outcome.
Effortless care
If you despise the never-ending task of cleaning, here's some good news: wet rooms are incredibly low maintenance. Since these rooms are often wet, the entire space tends to stay clean with sparkling surfaces most of the time.
While regular maintenance of the wet room floor, shower drain, and overall shower area is still necessary, you'll find yourself cleaning less frequently.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) when it comes to Wet Rooms
What is the cost of a wet room?
For a comprehensive wet room project, which includes fixtures, bathroom suite, fittings, and tiles, budgeting between £5,000 and £10,000 is typically necessary. Additionally, if you decide to hire professional installation services to fit a wet room, the estimated cost ranges from £650 to £1,000.
Is a wet room more expensive than a standard bathroom?
Wet rooms generally offer a more cost-effective alternative to traditional bathrooms, but the drainage installation can be quite expensive. Luckily, you can choose ready-made wet room kits that include everything you need like floor tiles and wastewater drainage systems.
By purchasing a comprehensive kit, you can achieve significant cost savings while still bringing your creative ideas to fruition.
What steps should I take to convert my bathroom into a wet room?
A wet room typically features a central shower area with drainage, requiring a slightly sloped floor. Converting your existing bathroom into a wet room is possible, but it's important to note that it can be quite a complex process. Considerations include determining the optimal placement for the wet room shower tray and selecting suitable floor tiles.
Additionally, the installation of a waste pipe and other technical fixtures is necessary for replacing your bathroom with a wet room. Before beginning a renovation project, it's advisable to keep in mind everything mentioned here to ensure you have all the essential components in place. Taking these precautions will help ensure a smooth transition without any unexpected surprises.