The bathroom holds a lot of potential to enhance your home’s aesthetics and functionality. Choosing the right flooring not only influences the overall look but also determines how well the floor withstands the unique challenges of a bathroom environment.
This guide will help you find what type of bathroom floor is best for any home.
Consider the Following First for Bathroom Floors
Flooring for your bathroom is a choice involving different elements for an aesthetic and functional balance. You can go with ceramic tile, natural stone, or even cork bathroom flooring but one thing’s clear-you still need to always consider if the flooring material can withstand moisture and how often you should maintain it.
Any Bathroom Flooring Option Should Be Waterproof
Bathrooms, second only to kitchens, face the brunt of household moisture. From post-shower splashes to daily brushing, these spaces see their fair share of water exposure.
Choosing the right flooring is crucial. Waterproof materials are key to preventing damage and ensuring long-lasting beauty. Avoid options like hardwood, which is susceptible to warping and swelling due to moisture.
Waterproof vinyl is a great alternative, offering excellent resistance to both warping and staining. Verify the suitability of any particular flooring style for bathroom use before making your final decision. This ensures a perfect blend of style and practicality for your bathroom haven.
Your Bathroom Floor Should Be Water-Resistant
Bathrooms get wet all the time-most of all compared to other rooms in your house. Some floors can withstand moisture for a long time, such as laminate bathroom flooring.
Other materials that can also withstand moisture are ceramic, porcelain tiles, vinyl, and some stone (like slate). Search for flooring that won’t just keep water on the surface but also keeps moisture from leaking into the layers for long-term durability.
The Best Flooring for Bathroom Should Be Durable
Floors are the most prone to foot traffic in homes. And that also means they should be cleaned regularly. Some floors don’t need that much maintenance, so adding this type of floor is perfect for bathrooms.
The best flooring for the bathroom should resist the abuse of everyday foot traffic without displaying signs of wear and tear. For high-traffic areas, vinyl, tile, and stone tend to be durable and strong choices. Evaluate the wear layer of the floor material to determine its capability to endure the needs of a bustling bathroom environment.
Maintenance
Consider the upkeep required for the flooring to fit into your lifestyle. Some materials, including laminate, stone floor, and vinyl, are quite maintenance-free and call for only light cleaning to keep them looking new.
But natural materials like hardwood and stone might require more care. Balance aesthetics with maintenance to make a wise choice based on your lifestyle and needs.
Style and Design
Besides function, your bathroom floor enhances the general appearance of the room. Review the design details in your bathroom and choose a flooring type that complements the theme. Tiles allow for limitless options in pattern and design, and hardwood offers warmth and character. Seek out flooring choices that both work and improve the appearance of your bathroom.
Cost – Installation, Floor Per Square, and Labor Cost
Budgeting is frequently a component of effective decision-making. Assess your budget constraints and investigate flooring choices that strike a balance between quality and cost.
As an example, vinyl and laminate are less costly alternatives without sacrificing water resistance or longevity. Selecting the right budget alongside features means you get an informed decision that’s both stylish and practical.
Don’t pick flooring strictly based on brand; even longstanding brands can have flooring that isn’t living up to their standards. Customer reviews can also help with your decision, as can expert advice.
Which Flooring Option is Best for Me? Best Flooring for Bathroom
Stepping into a bathroom should be a refreshing experience, and the right flooring can set that tone. However, navigating the options can be overwhelming.
Let’s explore the top contenders for bathroom flooring, each offering unique advantages and considerations:
Luxury Vinyl Tile
Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has become a popular bathroom flooring choice, offering a combination of aesthetics, practicality, and affordability:
- Water Resistance: Unlike natural materials like wood, LVT boasts excellent water resistance, making it ideal for moisture-prone areas like bathrooms. Spills and splashes bead on the surface, minimizing the risk of water damage.
- Easy Maintenance: LVT is known for its low-maintenance requirements. Regular sweeping and occasional mopping with a mild cleaning solution is sufficient to keep it looking its best.
- Versatility and Style: LVT comes in a wide variety of styles and colors, allowing you to mimic the look of natural materials like wood or stone at a fraction of the cost. This opens the door to creating a luxurious bathroom aesthetic without breaking the bank.
- Durability: LVT is known for its resilience, withstanding everyday wear and tear well. The top layer protects against scratches, scuffs, and fading, ensuring long-lasting beauty.
- Comfort Underfoot: While not as plush as carpet, LVT is generally warmer and more comfortable underfoot compared to ceramic or stone tiles, adding a touch of warmth to your bathroom.
While LVT doesn’t offer the same level of luxury as natural stone, it presents a practical and stylish alternative for bathrooms, blending affordability, ease of maintenance, and water resistance with a variety of design possibilities.
Laminate
While often a popular choice for other areas of the house, laminate bathroom flooring requires careful consideration due to its susceptibility to moisture damage.
Here’s a breakdown of its potential benefits and drawbacks:
- Affordability: Compared to other water-resistant options like tile, laminate offers a cost-effective alternative.
- Style and Versatility: Laminate comes in a wide variety of finishes, mimicking wood, stone, and even tile, allowing for diverse design possibilities.
- Easy Maintenance: Regular sweeping and occasional mopping is generally sufficient to keep laminate clean.
- Durability: Laminate resists scratches, scuffs, and fading reasonably well, making it suitable for moderate wear and tear.
Overall, laminate might not be the ideal choice for bathrooms with frequent water exposure, like showers or bathtubs. But it could be a suitable option for well-ventilated bathrooms with minimal splashing, particularly for budget-conscious homeowners.
It’s important to weigh the potential risks and take necessary precautions, like using bath mats and ensuring proper ventilation, to minimize the risk of water damage and ensure its longevity.
Tile Bathroom Flooring
For centuries, tile flooring has reigned supreme as the go-to flooring choice for bathrooms, and for good reason.
It offers a unique combination of benefits that make it a practical and timeless addition to any bathroom:
- Unmatched Water Resistance: Tile flooring boasts exceptional water resistance, making it impervious to spills, water damage, and splashes. This is crucial in moisture-prone areas like bathrooms, preventing water damage and ensuring long-lasting beauty.
- Easy Maintenance: With its smooth, non-porous surface, tile is incredibly easy to clean and maintain. Regular sweeping and mopping are usually sufficient to keep it looking its best, requiring minimal effort to maintain a hygienic environment.
- Wide Variety of Styles and Designs: From classic ceramic tiles to contemporary porcelains, tiles come in a vast array of colors, patterns, and textures. This allows for endless design possibilities, allowing you to create a bathroom that reflects your unique style and aesthetic preferences.
- Durability and Longevity: Tile is renowned for its exceptional durability and can last for decades with proper care. It is resistant to scratches, scuffs, and fading, ensuring long-lasting beauty and value for your investment.
- Low Allergen Potential: Unlike carpets or rugs, which can trap dust and allergens, tile offers a hypoallergenic surface. This makes it a preferred choice for allergy sufferers or those seeking to maintain a clean and healthy bathroom environment.
- Fire and Heat Resistance: Tile offers superior fire and heat resistance, adding an extra layer of safety to your bathroom.
While some might find tile to be cold underfoot, this can be easily remedied with the use of bath mats or heated floors.
Additionally, the initial installation cost of the tile can be higher compared to some other options. But its exceptional durability, ease of maintenance, and timeless appeal make it a worthwhile investment for homeowners seeking a beautiful and functional bathroom solution.
Hardwood Flooring
While not as common as other options, hardwood flooring can add a touch of timeless elegance and warmth to your bathroom. However, due to its susceptibility to moisture damage, it requires careful consideration and specific measures to ensure its longevity.
- Unmatched Beauty and Warmth: Natural wood offers a unique aesthetic appeal, creating a luxurious and warm ambiance in your bathroom.
- Durability: When properly sealed and maintained, hardwood floors can last for decades, adding to the value and longevity of your home.
- Easy to Clean: The smooth surface allows for easy cleaning and maintenance, requiring regular sweeping and occasional mopping with specific wood floor cleaners.
Hardwood flooring might be perfect for a wood bathroom, but it can be a pain to maintain. It’s essential to weigh the potential risks and maintenance requirements before deciding if this bold choice is right for your bathroom.
Bathroom Flooring Ideas to Add More Style to Your Home
Each flooring option offers a beautiful foundation, and you can further personalize the space by coordinating your floor with wall colors and furniture.
For an extra dose of inspiration, consider these design ideas:
Colors
Match your floor color to the existing wall tones for a cohesive look. Follow the warm and cool color rule: warm walls (think orange, yellow, or red) pair well with warm-toned floors, while cool walls (blue, green, or gray) complement cool-toned floors. Black and white walls offer more flexibility in floor color choices.
If you have a certain style, like a bamboo bathroom, pair it with different shades of green and yellow to achieve that Zen appeal.
Go for light colors like white, light gray, or beige to create the illusion of a larger space. These shades draw attention to the bathroom’s features rather than the floor, enhancing the sense of spaciousness.
Styles
Cozy Retreat
For a warm and inviting ambiance, consider hardwood floors. Their timeless elegance and rustic charm seamlessly blend with the coziest aesthetics.
Minimalist Masterpiece
Modern bathrooms thrive on simplicity. Achieve this look with single-colored floors that mimic wood, marble, or stone. Luxury vinyl, laminate, and hardwood options offer a variety of choices to match your minimalist vision.
Boho Bliss
Embrace a free-spirited vibe with patterned floors. Luxury vinyl tiles boast beautiful patterns in white, pale blues, greens, and earthy tones, creating the perfect foundation for your bohemian bathroom.
The possibilities are endless! Let your imagination take flight and design a bathroom that reflects your unique style and personality.
All of these are ideal for those looking for a bathroom remodel or to find some flooring options that will bring beauty back to their home.
Choose the Best Flooring Options for Your Bathroom with 50Floor
Whatever your choice, from the serenity of stone to the warmth of wood or the practicality of vinyl, remember that your bathroom’s flooring lays the groundwork for your sanctuary’s look and feel. It’s not only a pressing choice for now; it’s an investment in the comfort and value of your home.
50Floor can help you find the best flooring for your bathroom. We offer in-home appointments and will bring our floor samples to you to see how each option will look in your bathroom.
We’ll also help you choose the best type of flooring for your needs, whether you’re looking for something that can handle daily splash-filled bathtimes or a new floor in a bathroom with limited use.
