Wet Room Materials CPD For Architects

We all acknowledge that continuing professional development (CPD) is what sets one architect apart from their contemporaries. This is because new materials, techniques, and products are constantly emerging, and even the most innovative designer needs to keep on top of the tools of their trade.

Wet rooms are architectural design features that date back to the 1990s within the UK, but which have blossomed into the mainstream much more recently. Popular for their aesthetics as much as their practicality, accessibility, and efficiency; very few bespoke new-builds or refurbishments do not feature wet room installation. However, mechanics and engineering are evolving at such a rapid rate that even the best architects are sometimes left behind. That’s why we’re offering a CPD course dedicated to educate to the highest standards.

What’s Involved?

There are several areas to consider. These start with the design of the wet room, and encompass details such as the type of tanking used, positioning of the drain and slope, and matters such as gradients and floor build up. Our governing philosophy is Scandinavian design, which adopts the tripartite agenda of simplicity, functionality, and minimalism. The CPD course focuses upon understanding the mechanics of wet rooms, so that suitable drainage depths, tiling weights, and slope gradients, can be calculated. It also explores issues such as working in spaces that have existing natural materials, such as wood or stone.

Why is this Type of CPD Important?

Accessible bathing spaces have been something of an industry headache for many years. The old solution – which requires people to clamber into a tub or chamber, leading to astonishing numbers of accidents – is an ugly fix in more ways than one. Independent research has shown a boom in domestic wet rooms, which is mostly due to their wow-factor. However, it is in the commercial, private, and public sectors that the growth is most noteworthy. Wet rooms are hygienic, easily accessible, and practical. As such, they are being installed everywhere from hotels to hospitals. Regardless of occupational orientation, very few architects designing in the current landscape are likely to traverse a career without encountering at least one wet room.

What’s in it For Me?

At Wet Room Materials, we’ve always been interested in the science. That’s both in terms of the mechanics of visual and functional aesthetics as much as ensuring that our wet rooms remain predominantly dry. By investing in research and development, we’ve been able to offer a ten-year no-leak guarantee when using our installation service – Advanced Wet Rooms. All of our innovations are designed by architects for architects, so this CPD course is a way of passing that information forwards in the most practical way possible.

What do I Need to Do?

You can request a CPD guide here. Before you do that, it’s a good idea to download the free Architect’s Wet Room Design Guide, which provides all of the foundations that bathroom designers require. If you’d like more information about exactly what the CPD course involves, or would like a CPD experience that is tailored to your specific project needs, please get in touch. With their implicit functionality and effortless aestheticism, wet rooms are the future of domestic and commercial rest spaces. We’re happy to help you get a head start on the competition.

Important update to the NHBS Specifications 2018

Backing surfaces for tiling should;

• Be moisture resistant, where frequent wetting occurs 

When Tiling; 

• Proprietary water-resistant grouting should be used in accordance with the manufacturer 

Grouting should be: 

• As specified in the design including mix and colour 
• Cement-based, epoxy resin or a proprietary product 
• ‘Waterproof in and around shower enclosures and where tiling can be saturated’. 

Gypsum plaster should not be used where; 

• ‘Repeated or persistent wetting may occur’