Barrier free/Flush Shower Trays & Bases

Maximizing Your Shower Space

There have been many changes lately in bathroom architecture, and indeed, the term "bathroom" is changing rapidly to become the "wet room." The space taken by a bath is a luxury that the space in many apartment buildings does not allow. Showers are now the common road to cleanliness and the "wet room" the most significant space saver of them all.

You can find these trays in several standard sizes on eBay. Some come in the square form as small as 800 x 800mm. Other trays come in rectangular form with standard sizes ranging as high as 900 x 1850mm. Most trays feature a drain that is located near one end or the other with high points around the outside areas that gradually slope to the drain. Some wet room drains also have drain sieves surrounding the tray floor to catch any water that may stray.

The wet room tray has a depressed drain toward which the whole of the surface slopes. The general slope is set at 2% for the safety of users. The base of the tray is constructed of a slim layer of perforated foam reinforced with a fiberglass screen to allow for a softer feel and quick bounce-back. The surface accepts tile, vinyl, acrylic, and screed cement as possible cover materials. The wet room tray is part of a system of parts sealed with water-resistant adhesives to create a leak-free environment.

The shower tray is the most important part of the "wet room." The tray is the floor beneath the shower head. Built to be impervious to water, the tray has a drain that empties the wastewater directly into the sewer system. The drain is the low point of the wet room tray with the rest of the tray sloping downward toward the drain.

The advantages of using a wet room tray are:

• Easy access - The tray sits flush with the floor allowing elderly and handicapped easy access to the shower area.
• Water drainage - The slope of the wet room tray eliminates all water that would remain with a regular shower floor.
• Water containment - The slightly elevated walls of the wet room tray ensure that no water escapes the shower area and into other areas of the wet room.
• Mold prevention - The drain is doubly sealed and constructed to eliminate mold build up.
• Cleanliness - The wet room tray is more sanitary than any other type of wash up area.