Wet rooms: how a fully waterproofed bathroom works

A wet room treats the whole bathroom, or the whole shower zone, as one waterproof space with no curb. It looks sleek, cleans easily and is one of the best choices for aging in place.

What makes it a wet room

The floor is continuous from the room into the shower, and the entire wet area is waterproofed as one system. Water is handled by the floor slope and the drain rather than a curb. Often a single fixed glass panel keeps spray off the vanity and toilet.

Getting the floor right

The shower zone has to slope to the drain while the rest of the floor stays flat. That usually means recessing the subfloor or using a pre-sloped pan system, such as the wet room kits we carry. Planning this before demolition keeps floor heights even. See our curbless shower cost guide.

Linear or center drain

A linear drain along a wall lets the floor slope one way, so you can use large tile. A center drain needs a four-way slope and smaller tile. Browse shower drains.

Comfort details

• Heated floors dry the room quickly and feel great in January.
• A strong, quiet exhaust fan: size it with the bath fan calculator.
• Slip-resistant tile and blocking for grab bars, even if bars go in later.

Great for aging in place

No curb to step over, room for a shower seat, and space for a walker or wheelchair. Learn more on our aging-in-place page.

Common questions

Is a wet room the same as a curbless shower?

A curbless shower is the heart of a wet room. A wet room goes further by waterproofing a larger area, often the whole bathroom floor.

Do wet rooms leak?

Not when the waterproofing, slope and drain are built as one system. Most problems come from skipping steps in the waterproofing.

Can a small bathroom be a wet room?

Yes. Small bathrooms often benefit most, since removing the curb and tub makes the room feel larger.