by Sam Ferris
Once you?ve decided to remodel your bathroom, one of the first steps is to find the right flooring style for your dream design. Floors are literally the foundation of bathroom designs ? everything else, from your cabinets to your countertops, are assembled from the floors up. ??
As you?ve probably noticed during your preliminary browsing, there?s a lot to choose from. But your list shouldn?t be that long. If it is, trim it down to these three options, our picks for the best floors for bathrooms.?
As you?ve probably noticed during your preliminary browsing, there?s a lot to choose from. But your list shouldn?t be that long. If it is, trim it down to these three options, our picks for the best floors for bathrooms.?
Porcelain Tile
Photo courtesy of Emser Tile.
Porcelain tile is the best flooring choice for bathrooms, hands down. The biggest benefit to porcelain tile is that it absorbs less than 0.5 percent of water moisture, which means you can splash all you want without having to worry about water damage.
There are also no shortage of styles with porcelain tile. If you?re set on hardwood for your bathroom, consider a wood look porcelain tile instead of real hardwood floors. While it?s possible to install hardwood floors in your bathroom and maintain them, wood look tile requires far less maintenance. It?s a better option to deal with all the moisture.
Porcelain tile is both durable and scratch resistant, which is advantageous no matter where it?s installed. When shopping for bathroom flooring, try to find a porcelain tile that has enough grip on its surface, as well as a high slip resistance rating. You can find the slip resistance rating on the back of the tile display board or on the manufacturer?s website.
There are also no shortage of styles with porcelain tile. If you?re set on hardwood for your bathroom, consider a wood look porcelain tile instead of real hardwood floors. While it?s possible to install hardwood floors in your bathroom and maintain them, wood look tile requires far less maintenance. It?s a better option to deal with all the moisture.
Porcelain tile is both durable and scratch resistant, which is advantageous no matter where it?s installed. When shopping for bathroom flooring, try to find a porcelain tile that has enough grip on its surface, as well as a high slip resistance rating. You can find the slip resistance rating on the back of the tile display board or on the manufacturer?s website.
Vinyl?
Photo courtesy of Mohawk Flooring.
Like porcelain tile, there?s a wide range of styles you can find with vinyl flooring. Wood plank vinyl is a trendy flooring option, but vinyl has authentic tile and stone looks if that?s what you prefer.
The best part about vinyl floors for bathrooms is their durability. Though they?re not as water-resistant as porcelain tile, they?re a worthwhile second choice for those with a smaller budget. They generally hold their own against moisture (and if for some reason they do incur damage, they?re easy to replace).?
Remember, vinyl floors have several DIY-friendly installations, from click and lock to glue down. These simple installation methods make it easy to replace vinyl if it does happen to get damaged. If you?re trying to save money and are thinking about installing bathroom floors yourself, start shopping for vinyl floors.?
The best part about vinyl floors for bathrooms is their durability. Though they?re not as water-resistant as porcelain tile, they?re a worthwhile second choice for those with a smaller budget. They generally hold their own against moisture (and if for some reason they do incur damage, they?re easy to replace).?
Remember, vinyl floors have several DIY-friendly installations, from click and lock to glue down. These simple installation methods make it easy to replace vinyl if it does happen to get damaged. If you?re trying to save money and are thinking about installing bathroom floors yourself, start shopping for vinyl floors.?
Travertine
Photo courtesy of Emser Tile.
We?ll preface our spiel on travertine with this: anytime you install natural stone floors in your home, you have to seal them (usually every 2-5 years depending on wear and tear). Natural stone is porous, so a reliable sealer protects your floors from stains and moisture.
That said, travertine should still be near the top of your list for bathroom floors.
For starters, it?s a timeless look that appeals to a wide range of tastes, from traditional to rustic. If you?re remodeling your bathroom for resale value, you can?t go wrong with travertine.
Travertine also has excellent slip resistance, better than vinyl floors and many porcelain tile floors. Older couples and homeowners with children will especially appreciate this advantage. While it doesn?t eliminate slips, it does reduce the likelihood.
Last, travertine is going to outlast porcelain tile and vinyl. It was formed by nature, so it?s essentially built to withstand the elements. If it can survive nature, it can survive your bathroom.?
That said, travertine should still be near the top of your list for bathroom floors.
For starters, it?s a timeless look that appeals to a wide range of tastes, from traditional to rustic. If you?re remodeling your bathroom for resale value, you can?t go wrong with travertine.
Travertine also has excellent slip resistance, better than vinyl floors and many porcelain tile floors. Older couples and homeowners with children will especially appreciate this advantage. While it doesn?t eliminate slips, it does reduce the likelihood.
Last, travertine is going to outlast porcelain tile and vinyl. It was formed by nature, so it?s essentially built to withstand the elements. If it can survive nature, it can survive your bathroom.?
