Post by WM Wetroom Materials
Functional design relies on making the most effective use of available space. When looking for ways to optimise space in high end property developments, wet rooms provide a versatile showering solution that supports the modern trend for open plan living.
When planning a wet room, it’s important to choose a drain solution that can easily be incorporated into the floor space. For a wet room to drain efficiently there must be enough depth available within the floor to allow for the drain itself and enough fall for the waste water pipes.
Within developments such as residential apartments, hotels or luxury apartments; where every extra inch of living space adds value, developers can gain a considerable amount of space by keeping floor depths and build-ups as shallow as possible.
Low profile drains provide the ideal solution as they are designed for low depth installations. Drain systems such as the Low Profile Unidrain range only require a building depth of 64mm. This enables architects to reduce floor depths to a minimum and still include the luxurious showering experience provided by a wet room.
As a wet room also adds value to a property, selecting a low profile drain where space is at a premium allows more properties to take advantage of this positive investment.
While it’s always preferable to design adequate underfloor drainage space as part of a new build, low profile drains can also be used where existing floor levels require modification to accommodate a wet room.
The greatest benefit of wet room design is level access to the showering area with no steps to navigate. When installing a wet room drain into a concrete floor this either involves creating a raised floor, which creates a step into the shower room, or removal of the required depth of concrete. Using a low profile drain means that less concrete needs to be removed to create additional depth, or that raising the floor is less significant.
Choosing a low profile drain for installation into a timber floor can also be advantageous, as the lower depth required creates less opportunity to damage the structure of joints. To comply with building regulations the strength of joists should never be compromised.
Low profile drains offer greater flexibility within any type of wet room installation as they can be wall mounted, or positioned anywhere on the shower floor. Always source high quality components as these will be designed with stronger seals and engineered to handle high capacity flow. Systems like the Unidrain range can channel up to 36ltrs water per minute, directed to a horizontal or vertical outlet. The outlet can also be positioned to face backwards, for when drainage needs to be directed towards an external wall.
Always looks for features such as an in built anti-odour barrier and removable mechanical trap, to assist with cleaning and to keep the wet room smelling fresh.
For an invaluable source of information and advice on how to source the right drain solution and wet room accessories for every project, click here to access your copy of our FREE eBook. Or to speak to a member of our team, for further information about the range of low profile drains available from Wet Room Materials call 01332 840 820.
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The Nightmare Of Wet Room Drain Failures
25th October 2017
As an architect, I am constantly looking for innovative products that will make a difference. I came across, WM | Wetroom Materials while attending a CPD ( presentation) in our company. They convinced me to move away from plastic shower trays and towards a Scandinavian Wetroom System. Over the past two years I have specified the Unislope Wetroom System on many projects and even installed it in my own house this year. I have used their waterproofing installation service on a number of occasions. They did a site survey, provided the site manager with a detailed room preparation list prior to waterproofing and then issued a 10 year no leaking guarantee. They are a pleasure to deal with as they will find ways of overcoming any obstacles that might prevent us from achieving level floor access and giving the client a top-class product.
Adrian Hill | Director | Wilson Hill Architects
We urgently needed a wide variety of vinyl drain sizes for a commercial project. To make things more complicated we also required some of these vinyl drains to have outlets in the centre of the drain and some to be off set to avoid obstructions in the floor. WM | Wetroom Materials provided solutions and technical support quickly and professionally. Most importantly WM were able to deliver to site next day . In short, I highly recommend these guys for drains and waterproofing solutions for shower areas.
John O’Donoghue | Director | Comnor Construction
I was asked to install, a 1K Unislope Wetroom kit , that was supplied to site by the clients bathroom showroom . The wall mounted drain along with the one way slope allowed me the luxury of using large tiles and therefore I had very few grout lines. I was able to install a very secure water tight Scandinavian Wetroom quickly with no worries about leaks . WM | Wetroom Materials customer care line provided me with technical support throughout the installation and they directed me to some useful installation videos . It was nice to deal with a company that were willing to assist and knew the product inside out. I will be recommending the 1K Unislope Kit to all my clients going forward. It is a high end , well-engineered system.
Paul Edwards | Owner / Tiler | Pro Tile
Whilst working on our latest house renovation, we were asked by our client to install two wet room systems with channel drains. The system provided by the bathroom showroom was SharpSlope by WM | Wetroom Materials. Having never installed a wet room bathroom before, we were keen to research the process and found both the installation instructions and videos invaluable. Once the wet room tray was installed, we took the decision to waterproof the whole bathroom and purchased additional waterproofing kits. We would not hesitate to recommend these systems.
Lisa Bream | Director | Secura Renovations
My client bought a range of Wet Room Unislope Systems from our local retailer, Bathworks. We struggled to find anyone to come to site and take responsibility for the waterproofing until we came across WM | Wetroom Materials. They were willing to stand over their tanking system and more than helpful throughout all stages of the installation from site survey and room preparation to installation. A 10 Year no leak fully insured warranty gave me the confidence that we were dealing with a professional organisation. I would highly recommend these guys and will certainly be using them going forward.
Steven Quinlan | Director | Citius Limited
I have honestly found, WM | Wetroom Materials to be an easy and reliable company to work with. Whether it be a one wet room residential project, apartment block or a gym; they ensure there are no installation problems and we don’t have to worry about leaks. They take care of the specification and advising us on correct build ups and preparation. On a recent project we were able to buy their Unislope System from our bathroom show room retailer and they subsequently came to site to tank out the bathrooms. It was a time sensitive job and The Wet Room lads worked through the evening and into the weekend to ensure we completed the project on time. I have no hesitation in recommending WM, they are a pleasure to deal with.
Noel Geraghty | Director/Founder | NGS Mechanical Services
In Bright Designs, we understand the importance of specifying a reliable waterproofing system for bathrooms. We have worked on a number of projects with WM | Wetroom Materials over the years and I can honestly say that their waterproofing installation service offers complete peace of mind for us and our clients. The WM Team are there throughout all stages of the project from site survey and specification to installation. More importantly they also give us a 10 year no leak guarantee. I also like the fact that they will handle communication with the client and contractors in terms of delivering a high-quality installation which allows me the head space to focus on other aspects of the build."
Alan Burns | Director/Co-founder | Bright Designs. B Arch, B Sc Arch, MRIAI.
