Laying bathroom flooring can be easy; with the right expertise and a suitable choice of material you can have your bathroom watertight in no time! Of course, the main difference between the bathroom and any other room in your property is the fact that it is a wet environment which requires extra care and attention when it comes to refurbishment. Bathroom flooring in particular needs to be able to cope with regular water exposure; otherwise it can warp and damage the sub-floor beneath. This can cause extra hassle, time and money so make sure you pick the right material to begin with.
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The different types of bathroom flooring
There are many types of bathroom flooring which can meet your practical and design needs. The most popular options are:
Vinyl bathroom flooring – Bathroom vinyl flooring is an increasingly stylish, waterproof and durable product. Due to advances in technology, vinyl is a cheap but effective option for bathroom flooring; it comes in a range of easy-to-clean styles and can be made to give the appearance of real wood or stone.
Linoleum bathroom flooring – Linoleum tiles for bathroom flooring are hygienic, low-cost and easy to clean, perfect for the bathroom.. As it is made from natural materials like linseed oils, lino is also an eco-friendly choice of bathroom flooring.
Cork bathroom flooring – May not seem like a suitable material for a wet environment, but applying a sealant can transform this product into a quality bathroom flooring material. Both comfort and practicality are effortlessly merged to offer a desirable result with little maintenance required.
Laminate bathroom flooring – Certain types of laminate flooring are available such laminate wood flooring that are specifically designed for bathrooms and are surprisingly easy on the eye with a range of designs to pick from.
Rubber bathroom flooring – It is available in a range of colours, is soft, non-slip (especially useful for preventing accidents) waterproof and hard-wearing.
Tile flooring – Both ceramic and porcelain tiles are easy to clean and waterproof, but depending upon the size of your bathroom, tiles can be rather costly option.
Stone flooring – Can result in a luxurious aesthetic quality with almost unrivalled durability. Stone will need to be sealed before laying as it is a porous materials and it can be expensive, requiring a specialist to do the work.
Wood bathroom flooring – Might be attractive but it is not really suitable for bathrooms. Water will mark and stain the flooring and any penetration into the grain will eventually destroy it. However, some types of engineered wood may be suitable for wet areas such as the bathroom.
Installing bathroom flooring
The first things you should do are: measure the bathroom to find out the floor space and then decide upon the material you wish to use. You can then buy your flooring according to floor space; you may have to carry out some research to find out which material is affordable. At this stage you may consider DIY bathroom flooring installation, however it is advisable to contact a professional floor fitter as flooring can be difficult to install correctly. In addition to this, bathroom fixtures such as the toilet may need to be removed to fit the whole floor space properly.