One of the most essential decisions you’ll make when remodeling a bathroom is what type of flooring to put in. Consider how the bathroom flooring will operate under stress before selecting it. And in this situation, the stressful event involves a lot of water. Water is so common in restrooms that it is no longer an aberration. Water may be seen on the walls, ceiling, and floor. Moisture will quickly deteriorate the incorrect flooring. To make matters even more difficult, you must finally bring those additional considerations into the conversation. If moisture were the only consideration, sheet vinyl or ceramic tile would almost certainly win every time. However, additional aspects like durability, beauty, cost, and convenience of installation must also be addressed. We sifted through all of these options to find the finest bathroom floor materials for you.
Ceramic Tile
You can design the precise floor you desire because there are so many different varieties of ceramic tiles. Ceramic tile that looks like wood or stone is also available. Individual tiles are available in several sizes and shapes, ranging from square and rectangular to octagonal and hexagonal. Smaller mosaic tiles are pre-mounted on plastic mesh sheets, eliminating the need to lay each tile separately. You may be even more imaginative using colored grout.
Best of all, tile is easy to clean and can withstand standing pools of water. Tile, like stone, is chilly. Under the tile, however, radiant or heated tile can be installed. Wet tile is dangerously slippery. Texturing, on the other hand, overcomes that problem. Smaller tiles are less slippery because they utilize more grout, which functions as a non-skid surface.
Pros
- Many style choices
- Good resale value
- Works well with radiant heating
- Cleans up well
Cons
- Cold under foot
- Hard under foot, so it is difficult to stand for long periods
- Often sterile-looking
- Slippery
Luxury Vinyl/Waterproof
Vinyl is one of the most cost-effective bathroom flooring options since it is simple to maintain, waterproof, and stainproof. Using high-quality sheet vinyl instead of peel-and-stick tiles will eliminate gaps where water might leak through. If significant volumes of water are predicted, such as in children’s bathrooms or laundry rooms, sheet vinyl flooring is the ideal solution. Vinyl is softer than wood or tile because of a felt or foam backing, which is useful in bathrooms where slip-and-fall incidents are prevalent on damp flooring. Although experienced DIYers may install vinyl bathroom flooring, professional assistance is recommended for big bathrooms that will require patching seams.
Pros
- 100-percent waterproof
- Cost-effective
- Plank seams are waterproof
- Tile and plank are easy for do-it-yourselfers to install
- Floating vinyl flooring is easy to replace
Cons
- Often has poor resale value
- Bumps and gaps on the underlayment or subfloor can telegraph to the vinyl surface
Laminate
Bathroom laminate flooring has the appearance of wood but is a photographic picture sandwiched between two wear layers. The material is very scratch and stain resistant. Surprisingly, laminate flooring outperforms real hardwood in the bathroom. Laminate flooring is made out of resin-impregnated paper on top of a wood chip substrate. The laminate plank surface is a picture of oak, cherry, slate, marble, or any other wood or stone. The wear layer is a transparent coat applied on top. For example, DuPont RealTouch laminate flooring has a 30-year wear layer warranty.
If you take steps to preserve the wood basis from moisture, laminate can function in bathrooms. Moisture has a tough time moving downhill due to the tight joints between the boards. Laminate is very simple to clean. However, the wood chip foundation remains in laminate. It will expand and bubble if it comes into touch with moisture, and the only way to remedy it is to rip it out.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to install for do-it-yourselfers
Cons
- Water-damaged laminate flooring cannot be repaired
- Laminate flooring can collect static
Engineered Hardwood
Because of its dimensional integrity, engineered wood outperforms solid wood in high moisture conditions. Engineered wood has a plywood basis that is resistant to moisture. Since it resists humidity better than solid wood, it is a smart choice in a damp space. Furthermore, because the top layer is an actual hardwood veneer, engineered wood flooring appears just like wood. If you want natural wood in your bathroom, engineered wood is the finest option. In bathrooms, every form of wood product, no matter how properly secured, is vulnerable to harm.
Pros
- Best flooring choice if you want to have real wood in the bathroom
- Dimensionally stable
- Authentic hardwood on the top
Cons
- Oversanding can wear through the veneer layer
- Moderate-to-high expensive
At the end of the day, you get to choose what flooring you want in your bathroom. However, once you decide, Valor Home Services can help install the best floors for your bathroom. We even have a mobile showroom where we drive to you to look at samples. If you are ready to get started, get on the phone and call us today.
