Find out what types of flooring are most suitable for your bathroom, both in terms of how they look and the features they offer.

What Flooring is Suitable for Your Bathroom?

For most rooms, the type of flooring you choose depends almost exclusively on appearance. However, in the bathroom, it’s a different story. Not only do you want something that looks fab, but you also need it to be able to withstand daily moisture as well. 

When you’re considering waterproof bathroom flooring options, think about how it will perform under stress. Wooden floors were popular in the past, but they didn’t always offer the longevity homeowners wanted. The same was true of carpets. Moisture quickly saturated them, leading to odour problems and frequent replacements. 

In this post, we take a look at some suitable bathroom flooring options that avoid the pitfalls of historical materials. 

Key Features Of High-Performance Bathroom Flooring

High-performance bathroom flooring must:

• Be waterproof

• Feel soft and warm underfoot

• Pair well with underfloor heating

• Be easy to install and fit the shape of your bathroom

• Be hardwearing, even in moist environments

• Look beautiful, accurately mimicking premium materials

• Provide an easy-to-clean hygienic surface

Below, we discuss two types of modern bathroom flooring solutions that fulfil these criteria. 

Luxury Vinyl Tiles

Vinyl flooring comes in several varieties: sheet, tile, and plank. 

• Sheet vinyl flooring is usually best for bathrooms where large quantities of water are likely to spill onto the floor, such as children’s bathrooms.

• Plank vinyl flooring is usually between 2mm and 8mm thick and comes in strips about 5 inches wide and four feet long. Homeowners typically use it in less extreme situations, but it is still highly water-proof. It’s also a great DIY option. 

• Luxury vinyl tiles (LTV) mimics the appearance of regular ceramic but offers all the waterproofing benefits of vinyl. Again, it is something that many homeowners do themselves. LVT Flooring options are also affordable, starting at below £16 per square metre. 

All three of these options score highly both in the waterproofing and looks departments. Plus, they are all affordable, easy to install, and can last for many years. 

Waterproof Laminate Flooring

We already discussed how plain wood isn’t the best flooring option for bathrooms because it lacks water resistance. However, you can still get that wood effect you want using laminates. 

What is laminate flooring? Essentially, it’s a multi-layer product that simulates wood by applying a photographic layer under a clear, transparent, protective layer. The bottom layer gives the visual appearance of wood, while the top layer stops water from destroying it. 

Many people are surprised to discover that laminate is often less costly than vinyl. Prices start from as little as £8.99 per square metre. 

It also looks great too. Manufacturers have massively improved their processes. Like vinyl, it’s easy to clean, making it a viable option. 

So, in summary, there are two stand-out bathroom flooring options you’ll want to consider: vinyl (including tiles and planks), and wood-effect laminate. Either of these could dramatically improve your bathroom’s looks and make it more practical.

Top 10 Best Bathroom Flooring Products