The flooring in your home is, perhaps, one of the last considerations when it comes to renovations. However, here at Virtuoso Flooring, we truly believe that the right flooring will make or break a room. These surfaces are subjected to impact and weight throughout the day, are required to last for many years to come and can add value to your home. So, taking the time to choose wisely can improve the return on your investment. In this guide, we’ll take a look into one of the most challenging rooms in the home and provide you with tips on choosing the ideal bathroom flooring option for you.
Unique Demands of Bathroom Flooring
When we look around the home, most rooms have the same requirements from the flooring. But rooms with high moisture, such as the bathroom or kitchen are different. In these settings, the flooring needs to stand up to the high possibility of spills and leaks. Even if you’re careful to direct the showerhead away from the edge or prevent splashes at the sink, water is likely to cling to every surface. Walls, ceilings, furniture – they will all become wet. Alongside this, your floor needs to be able to deal with fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. And, specifically to the bathroom, it needs to have a level of slip resistance to minimise the risk of tripping.
Perhaps most important in homes with small children and those with limited mobility, safety needs to be at the height of importance when it comes to choosing bathroom flooring. And you can pair this along with comfort. Nobody likes stepping onto a freezing cold bathroom floor in the early morning or even in the middle of the night. So the right flooring for this unique space needs to stand up to a very specialised and ever-changing environment.
Family Requirements
Another thing to consider when choosing bathroom flooring is your family’s requirements. If you have chosen to install a wet room to help minimise access issues, for example, you’ll need to consider a floor option that helps users to maintain stability at all times. Families with small children will likely see them running in and out of the room without much adult supervision.
Again, there is the need to have slip-resistance in place to reduce the risk of injury in the event of a slip or trip.
How long a floor takes to install should also dictate your decision. With a busy family and heavy demands placed on your bathroom, you want something that can be installed and ready-to-walk on quickly. You don’t want to have to wait for the glue to set or fumes to evaporate before the toilet or bath can be used. And, you want an option that fits within your budget.
Choosing flooring that fits practically within your family life ensures that you only have to spend once and invest once.
Types of Bathroom Flooring
So, what are the different types of bathroom flooring available on the market?
Vinyl Flooring
A highly resilient option, vinyl flooring has long been a very popular choice across both residential and commercial environments. It has high durability, is able to bounce back upon impact and is very easy to maintain. Sheet vinyl provides vast coverage of floors, making it the ideal choice for particularly wet bathrooms such as those with children.
In this environment, vinyl flooring is 100% waterproof and can be seamed to heighten this. However, over time, it can become bumpy or gapped and then needs to be replaced in full.
LVT
Luxury vinyl tiles are one of the most popular and ever-growing flooring trends in the industry to date. And, they are ideal for bathrooms. The multi-layer, compressed design offers exceptional strength and durability. Those designs that have a textured surface provide slip-resistance and you can opt for styles that bring the charm of wood or stone into your bathroom.
LVTs won’t scratch easily, they have good heat and sound insulation and are moisture-resistant. Perfect for styling a bathroom to fall in love with.
Natural Stone
If you have the budget, natural stone is a truly beautiful option for bathrooms. These natural materials are highly resistant to any moisture damage and have a truly charming look that offers a sense of luxury. They can also increase the value of your home, bringing true quality into any space. As each time is sandblasted or naturally textured, you also achieve good slip-resistance – even when wet.
Ceramic Tiles
The most popular option on our list, a large number of bathrooms are finished with ceramic or porcelain tiles. They come in a wide variety of colours with high waterproof qualities and are cost-effective. Porcelain tiles have a high water absorption rate which makes them ideal for very wet bathrooms. And with options from standard rectangle through to hexagonal or scale-shaped tiles, you can be as creative as you want.
How to Choose the Right Option for You?
The right bathroom flooring for your home will depend on a number of factors. If you’re looking for the right choice, ask yourself:
- What is my budget and what can it stretch to?
- What style am I looking for?
- Can I afford to be without a bathroom for a period during installation? Or do I need the floor to be fitted quickly?
- How long do I want this flooring to last?
- How much time do I have to maintain my bathroom flooring every day/week?
- What impact-resistance do I need my chosen floor type to have?
Our team here at Virtuoso Flooring are always on hand to help you find the right flooring option for every room. If you would like to speak to a member of our expert team, please do get in contact today.
