FLOORING PLUS ROCHESTER
Your bathroom is one of the most important rooms in your home. A basic necessity for everyday convenience, your bathroom is a key feature in your home whether you’re in it for the long-haul, or considering resale. It’s no surprise that when it comes to remodeling or purchasing a home, bathrooms are typically near the top of the priority’s checklist list.
This important space comes with some special considerations when it comes to finishes – in particular the flooring. Whether from overspray, spill, leak, drip, or just kids being kids, water will inevitably end up on your bathroom floor, and the walls, and even the ceiling!
When considering a bathroom remodel, it’s a good idea to research your options to determine what really is the best bathroom flooring for your project.
WATER RESISTANT / WATERPROOF?
Not sure what is the difference between waterproof and water-resistant? Water-resistant flooring can, as the name implies, resist water, but water can, and eventually will, penetrate and damage the flooring.
When selecting flooring, water-resistant flooring is a great option for rooms in the home where water is a consideration like kitchens, basements or laundry and mudrooms. Water-resistant flooring is generally less expensive than waterproof flooring, but these porous inner materials are also what contributes to swelling, warping, and peeling when exposed to moisture.
Waterproof flooring is completely unaffected by water. Water can sit on it or even penetrate the surface of the flooring without damaging the material or the subflooring beneath. Waterproof flooring is considered impervious to water or moisture. So, when selecting your materials for bathroom flooring, the best options are the waterproof options.
Best Option.
When it comes to making a good selection for bathroom flooring, waterproof materials are critical, as we established. Typically, this means harder surfaces, rather than soft ones that will trap water.
Ceramic or Porcelain Tile
The most popular choice for bathrooms is tile. Specifically, ceramic and porcelain tiles are great options for bathrooms. Tile flooring is resilient, waterproof, available in a variety of colors and designs, and generally less expensive than other hard surface options. Porcelain tiles absorb less water than any other ceramic product. Ceramic and porcelain can handle even pools and puddles of standing water, which makes them great options for shower tile.
Tile is a hard surface, so it’s often called “hard” or “cold” or even “sterile”. While it’s true that standing for extended periods of time on tile can be uncomfortable, that is true for any hard surface, and temperature of the floor can be addressed as porcelain and ceramic both works well with radiant flooring systems. As for sterile, that’s great! Tile doesn’t absorb water and germs and cleans easily, which makes it a great option for sterile environments.
For tile flooring, especially in a shower, find a tile with a textured surface for safety.
Natural Stone Tile
Another great bathroom flooring option is natural stone. Natural stone offers many of the same positives of ceramic and porcelain tile. Resilience to wear, waterproof, variety of naturally occurring colors and patterns, stone is offered in tiles, planks, even mosaics backed with mesh to hold the smaller tiles together.
There are a few things to consider when looking at stone as an option for bathroom flooring, however. Stone can be difficult to install for the do-it-yourselfer. Be aware of this if you attempt this project on your own. Stone can be slippery like tile, but grout patterns and finishes applied after to “rough” the surface can minimize this. It can also require more regular maintenance than other options, as some stone products require periodic applications of sealant to maintain the stone finish and prevent penetration of dirt and debris, or absorption of moisture.
The largest drawback to many customers looking at natural stone is cost. Natural stone offers a luxurious finish for any bathroom, but it can come at a cost. Stone is one of the most expensive flooring options available. It is a natural, and therefore limited resource which accounts for the additional cost.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl, however, is on the less expensive side of bathroom flooring options. Vinyl is a great waterproof option for bathrooms and other wet, high traffic areas. Vinyl can look like wood planks, stone, and even ceramic tile. It is more commonly offered in planks but can be found in square tile as well. The core of these products are made from wood or stone polymer compounds and protected by a wear layer, making both of these great waterproof options for bathroom floors.
We welcome you to contact us to discuss your bathroom flooring options.
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