When you’re looking at redoing your bathroom flooring or thinking of it in the future, figure out what looks best for your home, with so much to choose from and consider. What kind of shower or tub do you have? What wall color or paint do you have? Is it a smaller bathroom or a larger one? In no particular order, let’s look at the differences and see what is best for you.
Laminate
Laminates are a great option for many people. Laminate is strong, hard to scuff or stain, and easy to clean, install, and repair. It is lower in overall cost compared to other flooring methods. Laminate floats on the sub-flooring which allows for better accounting for shrinkage and expansion over the sub-floor or underfloor heating. It is also water-resistant and ideal for a bathroom setting. The downside is without underfloor heating it gets cold and can stay cold longer in a larger bathroom or multilevel floor. While not a total drawback, it is much less decorative than other flooring methods.
Patterned Tile
Possibly the most design-forward method of flooring is patterned tile. This isn’t a detraction from other flooring methods, they can be decorative as well. However, tile can change an entire bathroom from the floor, walls, and fixtures. Tile can be used on the walls and fixtures alongside the floor itself. Tile, much like Laminate, can work with underfloor heating but also can be cold to touch without. Even more so than Laminate, tile has great resistance to water and can repel it completely. While affordable, tile can be more difficult to repair depending on the damage, which can make it a bit of a job to fix a tile that cracks. If one falls out, however, the repair is not a hurdled challenge and can be worked on simply. Tile can easily create patterns or visual effects by mixing and matching shapes, colors, and sizes to make a room feel exactly how you want it to.
Vinyl
Vinyl flooring is common enough that you know it’s an option, but it’s important to note why it is a good choice for you. Like Laminate and tile, it works with underfloor heating. It is possibly the most cost-effective and especially easy to fix or replace if you want to regularly update your home. Vinyl is also water-resistant. It can also be eco-friendly whereas the adhesive and the vinyl can be eco-friendly. It can come in so many patterns, colors, or designs that it decorates well.
Wood
Wood is less “over the top” decorative– it’s a more toned-down decorating method. The general thought, though, is that wood isn’t good to be around water and steam consistently because it will splinter and warp. While that is generally true, it is possible to have gorgeous wooden flooring in a bathroom with the right kind of wood and proper care. Engineered lumber is perfect because all the layers work well together to stay in place and now swell as regular wood planks or boards would. You mainly coat the wood in a lacquer such as polyurethane to keep the pores from taking in water, or UV hard wax oils. This also helps the wood become wear-resistant. Wood bathroom flooring can make a connection between rooms clear and seamless to keep your home consistent. Wood also doesn’t feel as cold as other floorings.
Resin
Resin flooring is probably the least known option for flooring methods. Places like these have examples of different methods for a bathroom resin floor. Resin flooring is possibly one of the easiest flooring systems to clean. It’s also highly durable so that you can have a floor that lasts for years. This method is great for colorful flooring that can look like so many things and fit any aesthetic, from marble to a metallic look. The drawback of resin is that it is a timely process, and might not be something you want to DIY for your home like other methods above. It is also a chemical install, so while it can work well in most instances, it might not necessarily work for your project bathroom, especially depending on your budget outright if you’re going to hire professionals. The longevity is a selling point for sure so you know it’s an investment. However, that longevity means you might not be able to regularly change the floor as you can with tile or vinyl.
No matter what your house looks like, you can find a flooring solution that fits your budget and style in the list above. You’re likely to be able to work with a few of these options and weigh the pros and cons. The next step for you is to pick your method and think of the aesthetics you want to get out of the redesign. The options are limitless so you can let your imagination go and have fun with it.