What is a wet room in Japan?

Japanese bathrooms are usually wet-rooms, so you can spray the water everywhere with careless abandon. Except for (occasionally) fancy bath salts and powder, the bath water should be kept clean, so no washing your hair or lathering up in there.

Are Japanese bathrooms wet rooms?

To echo this, in Japanese homes there is an 'entrance room' with just a sink, in which residents undress. The next room has a shower which is used before stepping into the big bath. There is often a third room for the toilet. Traditionally, the bath is only used for relaxing rather than washing.

What is the purpose of a wet room?

A wet room is a perfect choice for people with mobility issues, eliminating the need to step into the bath or shower, allowing effortless movement walking in and out of the showering area.

Why is it called a wet room?

Essentially, a wet room is created by sealing the walls and floor with a waterproof membrane, resulting in a space that's 100% watertight. Most wet rooms consist of an open, fully tiled shower area, without the need for a shower enclosure or tray.

What is classed as a wet room?

A wet room is a totally waterproofed or tanked bathroom with a shower area at the same level as the rest of the floor. The water drains away through a flush drain within the shower area. As the walls and floor are sealed by a waterproof membrane, there is no risk of runaway water causing damage.

10 features of Japanese bath

Can I put a bath in my wet room?

A wet room is a great option for smaller bathrooms. If you don't particularly need or want a bath, you can simply remove it and install a shower, opening up the room.

Whats the difference between a wet room and a shower?

A wet room is where the shower is completely open and the shower floor is flush with the rest of the bathroom floor. The shower area of the floor has a slight gradient to allow the water to flow in the direction of the drain.

Are wet rooms messy?

For the simple fact that there is very little to a wetroom, meaning they are incredibly easy to clean. By removing the bath you are maximising your space and opening up the room. There is also no need for a bulky shower enclosure with doors that may intrude upon what little space you already have.

What are the pros and cons of a wet room?

Can you have wet room upstairs?

Yes, wetrooms can be installed upstairs. Stunning, watertight wet rooms can be installed almost anywhere – it's simply a matter of using the most appropriate drainage, floor gradients and waterproofing systems for your floor construction.

How do you take care of a wet room?

Are wet rooms a fad?

Wet rooms have been trending the last few years and are popular in high-end bathrooms, thanks to their sleek use of materials and increased level of accessibility.

Are wet room floors slippery?

Obviously, a wet room / walk in shower is a wet environment, and the chance of slipping on the floor is greatly increased compared to a dry floor, therefore it is important to consider how easy it will be to slip on your chosen flooring material.

Why is there no soap in Japanese bathrooms?

Why? Well, that's the way it is in Japan in traditional buildings and clearly it cuts down on installation cost. The idea is to just wash down your hand, not to do a proper hand wash with warm water and soap.

Why do Japanese people sit in the shower?

Clean Baths, Clean Chairs

It is common for people to sit down while showering before entering the public bath or hot spring, so the chairs are free to use. The most important part here is an obvious one: keeping everything clean and tidy.

Can you wear a towel in an onsen?

Many Japanese bring both a small towel and larger one. The smaller one can be used in the bathing area to tie back hair and give yourself a pat down so as to not soak the changing area, and the bigger one you use to give yourself a more thorough dry. Please be sure not to let the towel enter the onsen water!

How long does a wet room floor last?

If your property is prone to mould, your wetroom grouting may need replacing after 10 or 15 years. Replacing your tiles will make your wetroom last longer, but it's important that you replace the waterproofing at the same time, to guarantee the wetroom will remain watertight.

Is a wet room more expensive?

Yes, usually a wet room will cost upwards of 20% more than a standard bathroom. Mainly, this is because of the waterproofing (tanking) process that is a necessity with wet rooms.

Do you need a shower screen in a wet room?

A wet room is simply a room with a tiled floor that has been waterproofed ('tanked') instead of a conventional shower tray. If the entire room has been tanked there is no need for any glass screens or shower doors, and the room itself becomes the shower enclosure, with a shower drain inset into a gently sloped floor.

Do you need to tank a wet room?

Tanking is the most important part of any wet room installation and it's crucial that high-quality waterproofing products and systems are used to ensure optimum performance and longevity.

How big is a wet room?

The average bathroom is about 40 square feet, which is large enough to be a wet room, although larger bathrooms allow for more design options. The minimum amount of room needed for a shower, toilet, and sink is at least 15 square feet. There are plenty of wet room ideas out there to choose from, with or without a tub.

Do you need a special floor for a wet room?

Wet Room Flooring Materials

Appropriate flooring is a vital component of a wet room, particularly because it needs to fulfil the very important non-slip function. Choose wet room floor tiles that are practical and safe underfoot, such as natural stone tiles which are far more suitable than slippery, high-gloss tiles.

How do I turn my bathroom into a wet room?

In order to achieve the proper flooring in a wet room it is often necessary to install a “sub floor” which is basically a second floor which is then covered over with tiles; other options involve large tray-like surfaces being installed in the room so that the entire surface slopes towards the drain ensuring that your ...

What tiles are not suitable for wet rooms?

Whilst ceramic tiles are suitable for wet room walls, we would only recommend using porcelain on a wet room floor. Porcelain tiles are denser than ceramic and therefore less porous, harder and more durable long term. Another important factor when choosing your wet room floor tiles is slip resistance.

Why are people putting bathtubs in the shower?

Placing the tub inside the shower means the entire area is waterproofed, and it actually simplifies the room's design.