Choosing The Right Type of Flooring for Your Bathroom

By
Beauchain Builders

Alt: Small blue square tiles

Your bathroom, is one of the most crucial rooms in your home. Bathrooms are an essential element of any house, whether you're staying for the long haul or considering resale. After all, they provide basic everyday necessities. It's no surprise, however, that when it comes to remodeling, bathrooms are usually near the top of the priority list, even more so than when buying or selling a property.

Whether it's from an overspray, a spill, a leak, or a drop, water will inevitably get up on your bathroom floor, walls, and ceiling! It's inescapable, and your bathroom must be able to withstand the onslaught of liquid. So, choosing the right type of flooring for your bathroom is crucial when it comes to remodeling. 

Natural Stone

Natural stone is a durable and appealing material that emits a sense of luxury, but it is costly and not totally watertight. Softer stones, such as travertine, marble, and limestone, require resealing every couple of years, whereas tougher stones, such as quartz and granite, can go up to five years without the need to be resealed. If you can afford natural stone and don't mind refinishing the floor every now and then, it's an excellent method to increase your home's market value. Still, it can be more challenging to keep clean than porcelain or vinyl. So, slate, marble and some limestones (which all have a lower porosity) are better for bathroom flooring because stone is porous. Also, keep in mind that stone must be sealed both before and after installation. 


Alt: Gray stone-tiled bathroom

Capture: Stone is long-lasting and requires to be installed by professionals

Although stone is long-lasting, it does require regular maintenance, such as using the right cleaning chemicals and resealing every few years. Also, stone can be tough to install, so you should hire a professional. Bathroom remodeling companies assist in the implementation of adjustments to overall floor designs in order to maximize space. If you attempt this endeavor on your own, keep this in mind. Stone, like tile, can be slick, but grout patterns and finishes put afterward to “rough” the surface can help.

Linoleum

When it comes to any renovation job, the total cost is always an important factor to consider. It's intimidating to spend a large quantity of money at once, but that shouldn't deter you from exploring all the possibilities. If you're on a budget, linoleum is an excellent alternative, but it has fewer possibilities than other types of flooring. 

However, if you lack funding, any investment can be too much. So, it's important to know when you should and can renovate and when it's time to sell your home. Of course, it's not an easy task to make this hard decision. Thus, you have to put everything on paper and carefully calculate what the renovation would entail and how much it would cost. Then, you will understand whether you would be better off moving to an entirely new place. 

Laminates & Hardwood

Hardwood flooring is a terrific option for a variety of rooms in the house. It looks timeless and is very durable. Also, it can be refinished, providing years of beautiful flooring in almost any room in the house. Almost, but not entirely. They should not be kept in the restroom. In order for hardwoods to operate in a bathroom, they would need to be correctly installed and moisture-proofed. Otherwise, water will seep through, and it would decay. Furthermore, they will require more frequent resealing with a polyurethane-type coating.


Alt: Hardwood-floored bathroom, with lots of light, representing choosing the right type of flooring for your bathroom

Caption: Hardwood is long-lasting, low-maintenance, and has a lovely natural appearance

Bear in mind that, sometimes, engineered woods and laminate flooring aren't the best alternatives for bathrooms. While engineered wood does have actual wood layers on top, it must also be completely sealed. The substance beneath the wood layers is frequently neither waterproof nor water-resistant. Such is the situation with laminate floors, which are prone to swell and warp when exposed to water. Spills must be cleaned immediately to avoid swelling and warping.

Ceramic and Porcelain Tile

Porcelain and ceramic are popular bathroom flooring options for a reason. They're not only waterproof, but they're also affordable and may simulate the look of more expensive materials like natural stone or wood. Porcelain differs from ceramic in that it is made of finer clay and burnt at a higher temperature, resulting in a more durable and less porous product. They're also responsive to radiant heating installed beneath them. In fact, if you want heated flooring in your bathroom, porcelain and ceramic are the most common choices. For more bathroom remodeling ideas, check out this awesome bathroom projects gallery

Luxury Vinyl Tile

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is a waterproof and impermeable flooring choice ideal for little ones running about the house (both furry friends and kids). In addition to being water-resistant, luxury vinyl tiles are softer and warmer underfoot than stone or porcelain. They work well with underfloor heating and are more lightweight than stone. 

Alt: Luxurious, white-gold-gray bathroom

Caption: LV tiles are easy to install and maintain, making them a fantastic option for flooring for your bathroom

They are also long-lasting, with warranties ranging from 12 to 20 years. This may even be your best choice when choosing the right type of flooring for your bathroom because it is one of the most budget-friendly bathroom flooring ideas.  Easier and less messy to install than tile.

Concrete is an excellent choice of flooring for your bathroom

Bathroom flooring made of concrete is common in homes built on slab foundations. For a bathroom floor, you can also have a concrete slab or overlay poured. If you want to achieve a sleek style that fits well with a modern aesthetic, the slab can be colored, polished, stamped, or painted. You may always stain and finish concrete floors if you're in an area or structure with a concrete base or subfloor. 

However, concrete isn't waterproof unless it's been properly finished and sealed. This is not a DIY-friendly process because it usually entails acid etching to prepare it for staining, as well as significant filling, patching, and grinding. However, it is a low-cost and attractive flooring alternative that comes in a range of color finishes, each one unique to the concrete, ensuring that no one else has the same floor as you.

Concrete has the advantage of being entirely immune to water damage and lasting a lifetime. It can be dyed or stamped for a reasonable price, and when you consider how long it will last, it becomes even more cost-effective. 

Ready to take the bull by the horns?


Make a bold move, and don't be scared to attempt something new. You can always call professionals and consult them about your choices. Choosing the right type of flooring for your bathroom does not have to be a difficult or time-consuming process. As you can see, you have a lot more alternatives now than you did in the past.