Upstairs and Downstairs - Leak Resistant Wet Rooms

Housing 2023, 27th – 29th June, Manchester Central, Stands D43 and P112

For many social tenants, the idea of a wet room is far from a luxury, but a necessity, however some landlords express concern at the idea of installing wet rooms on upper floors. Here, Stuart Reynolds, UK Marketing & Product Management Director at AKW, a leading provider of inclusive solutions, discusses how wet rooms are not just for downstairs installs and how they can be specified – with confidence - upstairs too.

Demand for wet rooms on the rise
Demand for more flexible bathroom solutions continues to rise. According to latest data from the Office of National Statistics, in the year ending June 2021, 24.9% of disabled people aged 16 to 64 years rented social housing compared with only 7.9% of non-disabled people¹. Combine this with the UK also having the oldest housing stock in Europe², and it is no wonder that more people are seeking to adapt their bathrooms and incorporate level-access showering to meet their needs.

Over recent years, due to leak issues, poorly installed wet rooms have tarnished the reputation of such solutions. In fact, some architects, specifiers, and technical officers are still hesitant to specify them, particularly upstairs on timber floors. However, thanks to advances in digital pumps and electric showers, and lessons learned from poor installations, there are now even more reasons to not fear specifying and installing wet rooms in upper rooms.

AKW's Bidet collection

A wet room or a shower tray?
Following OT assessment, it should become clear if a shower tray or former is better suited to meet the person’s needs. Here is a quick overview of the benefits of each:

• When it comes to installation times and costs, shower trays are more cost-effective to install than level-access wet rooms.

• AKW’s Mullen and Swift shower tray ranges are options which can be fully recessed in timber floors to offer a level-access shower tray solution.

• Wet room formers might be more suitable for those looking to future-proof the adaptation for changing user needs over time.

• Wet room formers can withstand the combined weight of users, wheelchairs and/or carers and also promote greater accessibility.

• Wet room formers can be fitted into unusually sized/shaped spaces or can be trimmed to work around soil pipe boxing etc.

AKW's ShowerDec® wet floor former

AKW Wet Room Formers
• AKW Tuff Form® and Tuff Form8® wet room formers – have been designed as the easiest way to install a wet room, will comfortably support wheelchair users and carers and have a weight limit of 60 stone (381 kg).

• The ShowerDec® wet floor former – this offers exceptional strength for wet room shower areas up to 100 stone (635 kg). No additional supports are required around the waste area, enabling quick and easy installation.

AKW's Tuff Form 8 wet room former

AKW Shower trays
• The Swift shower tray – for corner entry showering, this level-access shower tray has a weight bearing limit of 42 stone (270 kg).

• The Eagle TWO Shower Tray – this is a bath replacement shower tray that can be cut to length and has a weight bearing limit of 42 stone (270 kg).

Both trays are deal for users with mobility difficulties or requiring wheelchair access, the vinyl sheet flooring can be hot seam welded directly onto the tray’s floor edge profile, creating a perfect water-resistant join with the Swift or Eagle TWO shower trays.

• The recessed Mullen® shower tray – this level-access shower tray has a weight bearing limit of 30 stone (190 kg). It features a corner waste position, to help avoid joists, as well as exceptionally water-resistant seals.

Achieving leak resistant wet rooms
To ensure that a wet room is leak resistant for the long-term, whether situated on the ground- or upper-floors, AKW’s lessons learned from their technical team can be found in the latest wet room installation guide: www.akw-ltd.co.uk/document/akw-guide-to-leak-resistant-wet-rooms/, along with the full list of wet room product solutions to achieve a leak resistant installation.

For more information contact AKW on 01905 823298, Email: sales@akw-ltd.co.uk or visit www.akw-ltd.co.uk  

¹https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/articles/outcomesfordisabledpeopleintheuk/2021
² Office for National Statistics, Data from Census 2021. Analysis 2 Nov 2022

Images © AKW