Stone resin and acrylic trays
Stone resin is rigid, heavy and quiet underfoot; acrylic is lighter and cheaper but flexes more and needs proper support.
Low-profile trays sit close to floor level and give a near-level-access feel without rebuilding the floor, which makes them a practical middle ground in upstairs bathrooms.
Whatever the material, a tray must be fully supported and correctly sealed to the wall with an upstand or seal kit, not simply siliconed at the edge.
Wet room formers and tiled falls
A former is a pre-graded board that creates the fall to a central or linear drain, tanked over and tiled. It gives true level access with no lip at all.
It needs floor depth for the former and the drain body, which on a timber floor means notching or building up. That has to be assessed properly at survey, not assumed.
Linear drains against a wall allow a single-direction fall, which suits large-format floor tiles because there is less complex cutting than a four-way fall to a centre point.
Accessibility considerations
Level access removes the trip hazard entirely and allows a shower chair or wheeled access, which is why it is central to our accessible bathroom work.
Where floor depth genuinely will not allow a former, a low-profile tray with a discreet ramped threshold is the realistic alternative and we will say so rather than promise level access we cannot build.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a wet room on an upstairs timber floor?
Usually yes, but the joist depth and the drain route decide it. We check this on site before committing to a design.
Is a linear drain better than a central one?
For large-format tiles, generally yes, because it needs a fall in one direction only. For small tiles, either works.
Do wet rooms make the whole room wet?
Not if the fall, screen position and drain placement are designed properly. Poor design is what causes water to travel across the room.
Which is cheaper, a tray or a former?
A tray is cheaper to install. A former costs more in labour and preparation but delivers true level access and a seamless floor.
Next step
We check joist depth and drain routes at survey before promising level access.
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