Appearance

Both wet rooms and traditional bathrooms can have different styles, designs, and layouts. While you are likely familiar with some of the ways a bathroom can be laid out, there are a few distinct differences in a wet room.

Wet rooms are designed to shower and bathe with no barrier separating that area from the rest of the room. There is no curtain, splash panel, or shower door, so the water could conceivably leave the bathing area to splash the space around it. The area is completely and thoroughly waterproofed so that there is no need to worry about splashes or water containment. In some large bathrooms, wet rooms may be a part of the traditional bathroom design by moving the wet room to a separate alcove.

Like traditional bathrooms, wet rooms contain other common fixtures, such as toilets, sinks, and medicine cabinets. A wet room can be built in different styles and layouts to make the most of the space.

Installation

While there are differences in the installation between a traditional bathroom and wet room, these are mostly negligible.

Both spaces have the installation of a toilet, sink, faucet, shower or wet area walls and floor, drain, and showerhead. The differences mainly come in how the wet area is treated.

In a traditional bathroom, the area is separated or contained, usually by a door, panel, or curtain. While the walls outside this area may be waterproofed, they do not need to be. So, drywall ¹ or a cement backer board, which are not normally meant for wet areas, may be used.

In a wet room, the entire space is treated with the same waterproofing material. Vapor barriers ² and a specific type of backer board are used throughout. There is no curb and thus no need to caulk ³ and risk leaks over time.

Another big difference is in the flooring. In a wet room, the floor must slope to the drain everywhere. This means using 2-inch or smaller tiles throughout most if not all of the room or switching to a smaller tile in the pattern as you approach the slope of the drain.

These differences are fairly minor, however, and will not typically impact the installation time. While waterproofing the wet room takes time, so does creating a shower tray and installing shower doors. So in the end, installation requires about the same time.

Maintenance

In both spaces, the degree of upkeep you need to perform is tied largely to the materials you choose. Using natural stone or specialty metal finishes means more maintenance than using porcelain and chrome.

However, in some wet rooms, extra ventilation may be necessary to prevent mold and mildew growth. This is because the room is so waterproofed that often it can be more difficult to completely dry after use, which may lead to mold growth. Because a wet room is designed to get wet, any splashes are less likely to cause damage.

Accessibility

Wet rooms are gaining popularity with homeowners who want to age in place and have mobility issues or disabilities. Because there is no curb, door track, or barrier to entry, it is easier to use the space for people who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs.

Traditional bathrooms can be modified to make them accessible, with curbless showers or additions such as walk-in tubs, roll-in showers, grab bars, and transfer seats, but wet rooms are typically easier and may be less expensive than modifying an existing room.