What is the Best Bathroom Flooring to Choose?

23/07/2019
by Rob McKechnie

Choosing which type of flooring is right for each room in your house usually comes down to the current style and the decor of the room. However, when choosing the flooring for your bathroom it’s important to consider other factors.


One of the most important factors to consider is how your choice of flooring will be affected by water. If you choose to lay the wrong type of flooring and moisture gets into the core this will have damaging effects on your floor and could become quite costly as it will need to be replaced. Alongside moisture, you need to think about the size of the room, slip resistance and sound absorbance.

When beginning your next kitchen project, you should consider the pros and cons of different types of worktops. Some kitchen worktop materials will be more suitable for your needs than others. In this guide, we take a look at the positives and negatives of each type to help you make the best choice.


LVT Flooring


Luxury Vinyl Tiles are now one of the fastest-selling forms of bathroom flooring. Due to its anti-slip technology, it’s 100% waterproof and has the ability to cater for underfloor heating. It’s the perfect choice for any bathroom.


LVT is usually supplied in a box format in comparison to the classic Vinyl sheet flooring, it is easy to fit and is always improving with new technology from “Flex LVT” to now a more “Rigid Core” that can be installed over either existing tiles or slightly uneven subfloor without showing even the most minor imperfections.


Laminate Flooring


With brands offering a water-resistant surface and core, Laminate Flooring is another great choice for bathroom flooring. There is now a huge amount of variety, allowing you to live in peace of mind that you are making the right choice. Although they offer a water-resistant layer it is subjected to a maximum time limit for surface water from 24, 48 & 72 hours.


Hydro and Aquastep are just some of the brands that offer technology in water-resistant laminate flooring with new technologies being designed every day.


Laminate Flooring is available in a wide choice of designs such as the decorative tile effect ‘Faus’ to strong wood grain texture in Swiss Krono and Quickstep.


Engineered Wood


Hardwood flooring can’t withstand moisture and a bathroom is the most humid area of the house. Engineered Wood Flooring is a better choice for bathrooms than solid wood flooring as it is designed to hold up against moisture well and is dimensionally stable. By choosing engineered wood, you are also choosing a fully sustainable product as wood has no end life, making it an environmentally-friendly choice. If you choose to lay wood in your bathroom, do so with caution.


Flooring not recommended to be used in the Bathroom

Ceramic Tiles

Considered extremely waterproof, ceramic tiles come in a variety of styles which can help you generate the look you desire for your bathroom. Offering an excellent resale value, choosing ceramic tiles can be considered a great investment. Sadly due to the materials that they are made of, they can be cold underfoot so a bath mat is recommended to avoid the shock of the cold, hard floor.

Natural Stone


A great but expensive choice, Natural Stone is an incredibly durable product perfect for an area of high usage. When purchasing natural stone tiles, it's important to understand that you will need to factor in costs for installation as it is considered a trick product to install by yourself. Like Ceramic Tiles, Natural Stone can be slippery and more dangerous than other alternatives.


Flooring to avoid in the Bathroom

Solid Hardwood


With zero resistance to moisture, solid hardwood floors are not a wise investment for the bathroom as they tend to rot with just a small amount of moisture.

Carpet


Carpet does not mix well with water as it tends to retain moisture. So it’s best to avoid having carpet in the bathroom. It’s also a very slow drying material so it will cause your bathroom to gain an irremovable smell.


If you are looking for a soft alternative for the bathroom, consider a bathmat on a smoother more waterproof surface.


There you have it, our handy guide to what is the best flooring to choose for your bathroom. Take a look at our range of flooring suitable for every room.


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