30 Sep How to Choose the Right Flooring for Your Bathroom
Carrying out a bathroom refurb is a very exciting thing but the one aspect that people don’t always think about until it comes to the crunch of decision making time is the floor.
What type of floor you choose can have a huge impact on many things, from aesthetics and expense to longevity. If you know exactly what kind of bathroom suite you want but you’re stumped on choosing a floor, read on and discover your options…
Vinyl
One of the more popular flooring materials if you’re refurbing on a budget; here are the pros and cons:
Pros:
Easy to install, even with limited DIY skills, which means that most people can manage it: It can save you even more money because you don’t need to have it installed by a professional
Water resistant. Water won’t easily seep into vinyl, meaning it should last for a very long time
Hardy. Vinyl can last for two decades
Low cost (one of the cheapest flooring options)
Vinyl doesn’t normal react badly to abrasive cleaning materials
Stain resistant, which also means vinyl is
Low maintenance
Cons:
Difficult to repair. Although it’s tough, once it is damaged, it’s difficult to fix and usually means the whole floor has to come out
Discolours with age. It lasts for twenty years but it doesn’t always look very nice after ten
Ceramic Tiles
Pros:
Lower cost compared to porcelain and marble
Low maintenance. The tiles might need regrouting every few years but the tiles themselves are hardy
Fits in with most bathroom designs as they’re available in a huge variety of styles and colours
Cons:
Unlike porcelain tiles, ceramic is prone to water absorption, but you can remedy this by having them coated in a protective glaze
Porcelain Tiles
Top Tip! Always choose glazed porcelain tiles to prevent water seepage and to maintain the integrity of the tile for the optimum amount of time.
Pros:
Durable (based on the glazed option)
Available in a wide variety of colours and styles to suit any bathroom design
Easy to clean. Just refrain from using anything harsh or abrasive
Cons:
One of the most expensive flooring options
Cold under your feet, which is nice in the summer, not so much in the winter! Combining it with underfloor heating is a good and popular option
Difficult to install, so add in the extra cost of employing an installer
Marble
Pros:
Marble looks beautiful and will go with almost any colour and/or design as there are many different colours and patterns available
Durable in terms of aesthetics as marble has a classic look that won’t go out of style
Easy to replace as you can remove each tile individually for replacement if it becomes cracked
Conducts heat very well, which makes it a perfect pairing with underfloor heating
Cons:
Expensive compared to ceramic or porcelain
Potential fall hazard for the eldery or very young as it becomes slippery when polished
The tile surface is easily scratched
Prone to absorption of water
Hard to install
Laminate
Although standard laminate is definitely not suitable for bathroom installation, you can purchase specially manufactured laminate which is specifically for use in the bathroom.
Pros:
Very low cost
Easy to install yourself, which saves even more money
Easy to keep clean
A pleasing and contemporary aesthetic
Cons:
Can suffer water damage to the joints if puddles of water aren’t wiped up
We hope that this guide to bathroom flooring has been helpful and wish you luck in finding the right one for you. If you have any other questions or queries, don’t hesitate to call us today.