Bathroom flooring must by necessity be waterproof and resistant yet it must still be decorative, in as much as materials used like tiles, wood, or vinyl have to support a fair amount of weight. When using wood flooring, or cork flooring, you should choose woods or cork that have been treated to protect them against moisture. Carpet is definitively a bad idea for bathrooms because water can seep under and cause rot or mildew. There is on the market a carpet specifically designed for use in bathrooms however, you should still consider protecting the floor near the sink and tub. This of course does not keep you from using a bathroom rug. In this article we are going to explore a few bathroom flooring ideas and options.
Bathroom Flooring tiles
Floor tiles for bathrooms are available in a very rich selection of motifs and colors. Ceramic tiles are very easy to clean and extremely durable. An entirely white floor will tend to get dirty faster than one with some motifs, or at least with speckles in the tiles. If your bathroom is on the small side you might consider light colored tiles as they will create an illusion of spaciousness as well as brighten the place. It is not a good idea to use a checkerboard pattern for your floor if the room is small as it makes it look even smaller.
Bathroom floor tiles are very cold to the touch, you should consider having to use a non slip bathroom area rug which will keep you from slipping when the tiles are wet and from feeling the cold floor. A floor tile must always be laid upon a concrete floor.
A few points to remember
- if bathroom floor tiles can be installed on walls the inverse is not necessarily the case and you should not lay wall tiles on the floor.
- By itself a tiled bathroom floor is not resistant to water, it does need some under the tiles system of protection and a caulking joint where it meets the walls.
- Unless you know what you are doing it is best to have a professional do your bathroom floor installation if you plan on using tiles.
Bathroom marble floors and other hard materials
Marble flooring always dresses a room in luxury. Regardless of what your bathroom looks like marble will enhance it. Marble flooring is hardwearing, and a marble floor is a long term investment that you will never have to replace. Slate tiles are equally long lasting, but many people might lament the cold look of slate unless their bathroom colors can compensate for it.
These two stones marble and slate are expensive and people on a more limited budget might be able to use some marble tiles in conjunction with wood slats. Wood floors in a bathroom gives off warmth and elegance. Wood get more beautiful with age and patina, a combination of marble and wood would not only spare your budget a bit, it would give you a warmer ambiance, with long term benefits. One drawback of wood is that it can be scratched, but this can be remedied by using a good waterproof wood varnish. A good varnish top coat is also necessary to protect wood flooring from wet splashes. Every few years wood floors have to be sanded and refinished if needed.
Bathroom cork flooring
Cork bathroom flooring is a warm and natural material that unlike wood, is very easy to install and to maintain. Problems caused by humidity and wet conditions are the same as those established for wood. Today’s technology has permitted us to create cork flooring capable of withstanding any bathroom conditions, making cork floors or cork tiles an increasingly popular choice. To protect cork tiles from water damage they are covered with a PVC coat.
Bathroom vinyl flooring
Vinyl bathroom flooring is a waterproof material that will resist the assaults of water and humidity without any problems. It is also an extremely easy care material, and any spots can be removed with the slightest of efforts. The thicker the vinyl floor is the better the quality and the longer it will last. Vinyl floors can imitate any other materials you want, so that you could use vinyl flooring for your bathroom but it might look like you actually have a bathroom wood flooring, or marble flooring or granite. But you are not limited to imitation of other materials, any motif is available in vinyl floor tiles, the possibilities are endless.
Linoleum is a cousin of vinyl it also come in rolls or in tiles and it is a more ecological flooring material as it made from natural fibers. It is as durable as vinyl flooring and will also resist wetness and dampness.
Bathroom wood flooring
With today’s polyurethane finishes it is just as easy to use wood floors in the bathroom as it is in other places and they look beautiful. However a wood floor in a wet area will still need to be attended to, each time there is a significant amount of water on it or spots will develop. This can be prevented easily by placing a mat near the sink and the tub or shower.
As mentioned earlier using ceramic tiles in conjunction with wood is a nice way to have the best of both materials and minimize the effect of water. It is recommended to really think about it before deciding on a wood bathroom flooring as it will require more maintenance and many other options exist that can be made to look like wood.
Welcome to Internet Home Alliance. My name is Charlotte, Before I retired in 2007, I was an interior design consultant. I missed helping people on their home projects, so my children encouraged me to start this blog, to help even more people. I have secured the help of some very experienced people in areas where my own skills are lacking. I write most design and decorating articles, and construction articles are written by my good friend Robert who is a home builder. Other people with expertise in a field of home management will sometimes contribute their skills and time to give you the benefit of their knowledge. 