Walk-In Shower vs Wet Room — What Is the Difference?
Walk-in showers and wet rooms are often confused, but they are different products with different installation requirements and costs. Here is a clear explanation of both.
Walk-in showers and wet rooms are both popular choices in modern bathroom renovations, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably — but they are different products with different installation requirements, costs and practical implications.
A walk-in shower is a shower enclosure with a low-profile tray and a frameless glass panel or panels on one or more sides. The entry is open — there is no door to open and close — but the shower area is defined by the tray and the glass. Water is contained within the tray and drains through a standard waste outlet. Walk-in showers are relatively straightforward to install and can be retrofitted into most bathrooms.
A wet room is a fully waterproofed shower area with no tray. The floor is tiled and slopes gently towards a linear or point drain set into the floor. There is no enclosure to contain water — the entire floor area is designed to get wet. A wet room may have a glass screen to reduce splashing, but it is not a structural containment like a shower tray.
The key difference in installation is the waterproofing. A walk-in shower requires tanking only in the immediate shower zone — the walls and floor within the enclosure. A wet room requires the entire floor and all walls to be fully tanked, because water can reach any part of the room. This makes wet room installation more involved and more expensive.
Wet rooms are particularly effective in small bathrooms where a shower tray would take up a disproportionate amount of floor space. They also work well for accessibility — there is no tray lip to step over, making them ideal for older users or those with mobility considerations.
Walk-in showers are the more practical choice for most standard bathrooms. They are less expensive to install, easier to keep dry outside the shower zone, and available in a wide range of sizes and configurations.
IK Master Build Ltd install both walk-in showers and wet rooms to a high standard. Call 07402 059 555 to discuss which option is right for your bathroom.