WC Queen Best Bathroom Appliances Finding the Best Bathroom Flooring Materials differs with the process of choosing flooring materials for other parts of the house. Once past the commonalities, such as looks, cost, and durability, there is one vital factor to consider; the ability to handle massive amounts of water. Note that water is prevalent in any bathroom. Therefore, choosing the wrong flooring can lead to easy damage.
There is a wide array of bathroom flooring materials available on the market. This makes the whole process of finding the best material quite daunting. However, several factors can come in handy when hunting for such materials. Ease of installation, durability, style, waterproof ability and safety are just but a few to mention. Note that the cost of the special mantra shouldn’t dictate your choice. It is, however, important to consider.
That said, here are the best time-tested bathroom flooring materials you can prioritize.
Porcelain/ Ceramic Tile
Stylish, waterproof and cost-effective are some of the factors that make the porcelain tiles one of the best bathroom floorings in the world. Just like stone floors, porcelain tiles are a sure way to achieve a rich, solid feel and textured floor. On the other side, similar to vinyl, they are fairly inexpensive and overly waterproof.
Porcelain tiles are made of clay shaped and fired at extremely high temperatures. This makes the exterior hard thus resists staining, odors, and bacteria. The other factor that makes porcelain a better choice is that they are impervious to moisture. Porcelain tiles are available in a variety of sizes and shapes such as square, hexagonal and octagonal shapes. This allows for a greater personalization of your bathroom.
Other key features of porcelain tiles include:
- Hardwearing
- Resistant to stains
- Easy to clean
- Uniform in size
- Lightweight
- Easy to lay
- Versatile
When searching for porcelain tiles; bear in mind the following:
- Tiles come as glazed or unglazed. Just to mention, glazed tiles do not require sealing when installed. Unglazed, on the other hand, require some sealing. This makes them less slippery and safer.
- Always inquire the best cleaning products from the tile manufacturer. Some household cleaners can be abrasive and damaging to specific floors.
- Porcelain tiles are known to be cold and unforgiving underfoot. Therefore, consider pairing them with underfoot heating for better comfort.
- The grout of porcelain tiles requires extra attention when it comes to cleaning.
Bathroom Ideas You Can Use
The Great American Bathroom Book
The Bathroom: A Social History
Natural Stone
Stone is the latest bathroom flooring trend. It is a good choice if you can afford it. Stone flooring options include marble, limestone, and granite among others. Stone isn’t considered among the priority bathroom options due to some drawbacks. First and foremost, there are a few associated moisture problems.
Stone floors are also cold and tend to be slippery. However, such issues can be solved by sandblasting or using naturally textured stone such as slate. Its expensive nature is the other limitation to the use of this floor.
Some of the key features of stone floors include:
- They are widely available with a variety of choices
- When honed and polished, they have a stunning look.
- Are very hard wearing.
- Not as prone to waterproofing issues due to advanced treatments with Lithofin stain-stop.
However, bear in mind the following when searching for stone floors:
- They can require higher maintenance compared to other options such as porcelain and vinyl.
- Stone floors require sealing prior and during installation.
- Despite long durability, stone floors need proper maintenance with the right cleaning products and resealing to enhance its longevity.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floors provide good aesthetics with supreme practicality. They are perhaps the most popular choice of flooring material due to several reasons. Among other reasons, easy installation and thousands of styles are worth noting.
There are two main models of vinyl floors.
They include:
- Sheet vinyl flooring. Sheet Vinyl is the best choice where a huge amount of water is expected. Laundry rooms and children’s bathrooms are the best examples.
- Luxury vinyl plank flooring is the other option. They come in varying lengths ranging from 5” to 48.”
Key features of vinyl floors include:
- Soft and warm underfoot.
- Works well with underfloor heating.
- Hardwearing with 12 to 20 years guarantee.
- Thinner compared to stone and easy to retrofit.
- Water resistant.
Wood Floors
Engineered wood is better than solid wood due to their dimensional stability. They have layered plywood base that holds well against moisture. They also have an appealing glam as the top layer is made of real wood. Engineered wood is stable and less prone to movement.
Before having this material installed in your house, bear in mind the following:
- Simple maintenance is essential to reduce problems. For instance, avoid leaving wet mats and towels on the floor. Mop up water immediately.
- This floor type isn’t a perfect choice for family bathrooms. Reason being that the young members could be less attentive when it comes to regular cleaning.
Rubber Floors
Rubber materials used in floors are not only water resistant but also available in bright colors. Unlike wood floors, they are best suited for children and family bathrooms. They look great with white walls and sanitary ware.
Key features of rubber include:
- Are warm
- Soft and shock absorbent underfoot.
- Easy to maintain
- Tough wearing
- Available in a wide array of colors, patterns, and texture.
- Easy to clean.
Bear in mind the following when considering this type of flooring:
- Rubber can be slippery thus requires a textured finish with high slip resistance.
- Avoid cleaning the floor with abrasive and acidic cleaners.
- Rubber comes in two forms. As tiles or one single sheet. The single sheets are a great choice for hygiene purposes as there are no joints that dirt can lurk in. However, tiles are advantageous when it comes to replacement. Replacing a single piece is pretty easy compared to patching the whole
Other better-rated wood flooring that can be considered when searching for the Best Bathroom Flooring Materials include:
- Laminate flooring
- Solid hardwood
- Carpet
- Concrete
- Cork and linoleum
- Luxe
Conclusion
The whole process of searching and installing bathroom flooring material can be quite tricky. However, proper preparation, selection, and installation are key steps to ease the process. Having selected your preferred wood flooring material, proceed by preparing the subfloor adequately.
This is vital to enhance the longevity of the floor finish. Ensure that the subfloor is sound and level. During installation, it is prudent to employ the services of an expert.
Lastly, it is recommended to install the floor finishes across the entire floor.
