If you're planning a bathroom renovation, you've probably come across the term "wet room" more than once lately. Wet rooms have become a big trend in Irish homes, but before you decide between a wet room and a traditional bathroom, it helps to understand what each one actually needs when it comes to tiling.
At Tilex, with showrooms in Dublin, Drogheda and Cork, we talk to homeowners every week who are trying to figure out which option suits their space, their budget and their daily routine. Here's what you should know.
A wet room is a fully waterproofed bathroom with no shower tray or step. The whole floor is tanked and sloped gently towards a drain, so water flows away naturally instead of pooling in one spot. It gives a clean, open look and works brilliantly for smaller bathrooms where a shower enclosure would eat up too much space.
But because the entire floor is exposed to water, the tiles you choose matter a lot more than they would in a standard bathroom. You need tiles with strong slip resistance, low water absorption and enough durability to handle constant moisture without staining or wearing down.
A traditional bathroom, with a separate shower tray or bath, gives you more flexibility. Only certain areas, like the shower zone and splashback, need to be fully waterproof. This means you can mix and match finishes more freely between the floor, walls and shower area, since not every surface is under the same pressure from water.
That said, Irish weather and our naturally damp climate mean that even traditional bathrooms need tiles that can cope with humidity and regular cleaning without losing their finish over time.
This is where the tile range really comes into it. At our Dublin, Drogheda and Cork showrooms, Tilex stocks a wide variety of porcelain tiles, natural stone options and large-format designs suited to both wet rooms and traditional bathrooms.
For wet rooms, we'd usually point customers towards textured porcelain or stone-effect tiles with a high slip rating, since these hold up well underfoot even when the floor is wet all the time. Large-format porcelain is also popular here, as fewer grout lines mean less maintenance and a smoother, more contemporary finish.
For traditional bathrooms, there's a bit more room to play with. Wood-effect porcelain tiles are a favourite for adding warmth to the space, while marble-effect and stone-effect designs give a more classic, upmarket feel. Since the whole floor isn't constantly wet, homeowners often use these softer, more decorative finishes on the walls and floor outside the shower zone, and save the more heavy-duty tiles for inside it.
Whichever direction you go, Tilex's range means you're not stuck choosing between style and practicality.
We're seeing more and more demand for floor tiles in Dublin suited to wet room installations, particularly in newer apartments and renovated period homes where space is tight. Homeowners like the sleek, barrier-free look, and with the right tile selection, a wet room can be just as durable and easy to maintain as a traditional bathroom, sometimes more so, since there's no shower tray or seal to worry about down the line.
That said, wet rooms aren't the right fit for every home. Older properties may need extra structural work to install proper tanking and drainage, which can add to the cost. A traditional bathroom might be the more practical choice if you're working with a tighter renovation budget or a property that isn't easily adapted for full waterproofing.
Whether you're leaning towards a wet room or sticking with a traditional layout, the right tiles make all the difference to how the space performs day to day. Visit any of our showrooms in Dublin, Drogheda or Cork, and our team will help you find tiles that match your style, your budget and how your bathroom will actually be used.
A little planning now saves a lot of hassle later, and with the right tiles from Tilex, your bathroom will look good and hold up for years to come.
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