The Best Types of Flooring for Your Bathroom

Picking a material for the bathroom floor can be a unique choice in comparison with other flooring materials around your home. Once you have determined the main aspects of selecting a floor, including the look, feel, durability and cost, you must consider the most important factor: a material that can deal with an excess of humidity and water.

The needs in a bathroom are fairly specific, as the excessive amount of water can quickly ruin the wrong type of flooring. With that point in mind, we’re here to go over the best and worst flooring options to use in your bathroom.

Here are the best flooring options for your bathroom

1. Porcelain and ceramic tile

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Porcelain tile is still an excellent option for your bathroom flooring, especially because it encompasses all of the important factors. This material is waterproof and stylish while also being affordable. Porcelain is often compared to stone for its rich texture while remaining very durable. However, unlike stone, it is fairly inexpensive while also being waterproof.

There are many benefits to choosing either porcelain or ceramic tile. There are many different types of ceramic tiles on the market and this offers you the versatility to build a floor that is completely custom to your taste.

Even if you were hoping to get a wood floor, some ceramic tiles mimic this look. Not only are tiles offered in a variety of colours, styles and patterns but they also come in various sizes and shapes. Another important benefit is that tiles clean easily and can resist pools of standing water.

Porcelain and ceramic tile are of the same family, but with one slight difference: water absorption. Tiles marked as porcelain have a 0.5% rate or less of water absorption. In this regard, it may be better to choose ceramic tile over porcelain.

Other than that, there aren’t too many downfalls when it comes to tile, but still a few worth noting. First, tile can be quite cold. Therefore, if you live in a cold climate, this may be an issue. Also, tile can be quite slippery and therefore, dangerous for certain homes.  To remedy this, you can texture the tiles or work with smaller ones, which are less slippery due to the amount of grout.

Cost of a ceramic bathroom floor (materials and installation)

2- Vinyl

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Vinyl is a common and widely loved choice for bathroom flooring for a variety of reasons. It is important to note that vinyl is a do-it-yourself job, and therefore, you can easily learn to install this material. On top of this, vinyl is incredibly versatile and if you’re in search of a specific look then it’s likely you’ll be able to find it.

Choosing the style of vinyl will be directly dependent on the size of your bathroom as well as how much water is anticipated. If your bathroom is extremely wet, then it is recommended that you use sheet vinyl flooring.

However, the application process is paramount, as incorrectly or poorly laid seams can be the make or break of the flooring underneath. There is also the option to choose luxury vinyl plank flooring, which comes in both narrower and longer options.

Again, one of the main benefits of vinyl is that it’s very easy to install. However, you may find difficulty sealing the seams and in this case, you should consult a professional.

Cost of a vinyl bathroom floor (materials only)

3- Natural stone

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Now, although natural stone is a beautiful option for a bathroom floor, it can be very expensive and lead to a few moisture problems. When it comes to marble, granite, limestone and other stone options on the market, there can be serious issues with waterlogging. You may choose this material due to the look of natural stone, however, there are a few more issues we should go over.

As with tile, stone can be very cold as well as slippery. The latter issue can be solved by sandblasting the stone to give it a mild texture or just beginning the project with a natural texture such as slate. The paramount issue with natural stone is the cost. This is by far one of the most expensive flooring materials to use, and therefore, may not be suitable for your home.

Cost of a natural stone bathroom floor (materials only)

4- Laminate

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Laminate can work as bathroom flooring but isn’t at the top of our list because you must take extra precautions to protect the base underneath if using this material. Despite this, laminate is a much better choice than working with a solid wood floor.

Bear in mind that the material itself is simply resin-impregnated paper atop a wood base. The surface of laminate flooring is usually made to mimic the look of wood or stone. Depending on the laminate you choose, this material can last up to 30 years but needs to be installed and taken care of correctly.

Laminate is fairly easy to clean and look after overall. Unfortunately, if moisture happens to find its way in it will bubble. In this case, the only way to fix it is to reinstall the material.

Cost of a laminate bathroom floor (materials and installation)

5- Engineered wood and hardwood

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Engineered wood is a better option for your bathroom than solid hardwood. This is because it’s much more dimensionally stable and has a plywood base with the ability to hold up against moisture. Further, you may love the look of this material as its' top layer is real wood.

When it comes to hardwood, it isn't necessarily recommended as a bathroom flooring material. Although it stays warm underfoot and looks beautiful if it isn’t installed correctly or any gaps are left for moisture, water could seep through and this will lead to mould growth. 

Cost of a hardwood bathroom floor (materials only)