Choosing The Right Flooring for Your Bathroom.

If your bathroom is due a bit of a refurb, a visit to the local showroom and a browse on the internet has probably sparked your interest in going wild and getting creative. But, before you grasp the paintbrush, acquire some varied accoutrements, and turn your vision into life, you need to weigh some things up in advance. 

Sure, the budget comes high on the agenda, without one, you could get a little too crazy and end up with an unfinished bathroom if you don’t keep the project in the black, but safety is just as important too. Especially if you have a family with young children.

Slip hazards, trip hazards and others can all make bath time a little dangerous, but you can reduce many of these during the planning for your new bathroom. 

So we took a look at the flooring types you should, and shouldn’t be considering for your bathroom.

What bathroom flooring types are there?

There are plenty of options out there that can not only provide a stunning finish to your bathroom but also add an extra degree of safety for when bath time comes.

The market is filled with great options that provide durability, slip resistance, exciting patterns, varied colours and excellent water resistance.

This means that when it comes to choosing a bathroom floor, you are spoilt for choice. 

• Ceramic
• Porcelain
• Vinyl tiles
• Laminate

And to a lesser extent, carpet, or wood. (More about them later!)

What properties should you look for in bathroom flooring?

With catalogues in front of you, showroom trips on the agenda, and multiple browser tabs open, you will likely be swamped with ideas. Each screaming out about why they should be the choice for your bathroom. Ultimately, put all of these options in a list and see how they fare with the following. 

• Maintenance
• Slip resistance
• Water resistance
• Humidity and moisture resistance
• Comfort
• Style
• Cost

This should narrow your selection down a little but if not, read on below to see a little bit more about the common bathroom floor types.

Ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles look stunning and provide a great level of water resistance. With plenty of colours available and a host of styles, it can be easy to find ceramic tiles that suit the look you are aiming for in your bathroom.

Slip resistance varies depending on the type of ceramic tile you choose so it is always worth speaking to the manufacturer in advance to find out more about the properties of the tiles.

Porcelain tiles

Porcelain tiles are less absorbent than ceramic tiles which can provide you with a slightly more slippery surface. They are though, extremely durable, and available in a wide range of colours and styles that can suit any bathroom vibe you are aiming for.

Luxury vinyl tiles

Luxury vinyl tiles or LVT flooring provide an excellent choice for bathroom flooring. With effects replicating wood or stone. Water-resistant and slip resistant, it helps provide both the safety and durability features that you would want from a bathroom floor. In addition, even without the addition of underfloor heating, it becomes much more comfortable to walk on than cold stone after coming out of the bath or shower. 

Laminate flooring

Laminate flooring provides another option for your bathroom. Looks good, water-resistant and simple to install, it can often be a choice for many. Plenty of variations include scratch-resistant technology for added benefit. However, if installed incorrectly, you can hinder the longevity of the floor’s life and see problems bought on due to moisture fitting within gaps between tiles.

What floor types should you not use for your bathroom?

There are two particular floor types you should avoid when refurbing your bathroom. Wood and carpet.

Whilst carpet provides comfort, it holds onto water and moisture for such a long time you could start to find mould and mildew build up in your bathroom. Nobody wants that! Especially with the smell your bathroom would then start to exhibit.

Wood looks great and can give a rustic feel to your bathroom but as we all know, or should know, wood expands with changes in moisture and temperature levels. This can see damage appear quickly, which not only sees your floor potentially ruined but also pose potential safety risks.

Additional considerations for bathroom flooring

You may now have the best idea of what you would like to see in your bathroom but there are still a few additional things to consider.

Underfloor heating helps keep those feet warm when you leave the bath or shower and also helps avoid moisture build-up. Not all floor types deliver the same benefit from underfloor heating as each other so if it is a feature you would like to add, see how your chosen floor type may utilise it. The LVT flooring, from Amtico, for example, delivers great results.

Next, look at colour schemes. Whether it be bathmats or accessories. If you have already begun shopping for such bits or have no intention of changing what you already have, look at how they match the flooring options you are weighing up. You could lay a stunning new floor only to find that your bright green bathmat or dull window blinds actually minimise your style intentions.

Then finally, look at the installation options. Is it something you can do yourself or will you need to hire someone? Or does the supplier you are purchasing from offer an installation service? This can vastly change your options as a more expensive installation for one product type could see you needing to change to another to stay in budget.