When it comes to choosing the material for your bathroom flooring, there are three key considerations to balance:
1 Waterproofing:
This is an absolute given for bathroom floors. Not only does the flooring need to be able to cope with day to day splashes and a high degree of moisture, it also has to be capable of withstanding the occasional flood. Where inherently porous materials are used, consideration needs to be given not only to making sure that they are properly sealed, but also what substrate will be used under them. James Hardie Tile and Slate Underlay is ideal as an underlay under almost all bathroom flooring materials.
Read more about waterproofing wet areas, click here.
2 Personal safety:
Combine highly polished surfaces, such as timber, marble or ceramic tiles with water and you have a high risk area for slips and spills. Various surface treatments, such as honing, can reduce slipperiness. See featured products below for relevant information
3 Looks:
Although this is last on our list, it's likely to be first on yours. There are a huge variety of looks achievable; from the super sleek, to the rustic. The most important thing to bear in mind is that aesthetics need to be balanced with practicality and of course, cost!
What are the options?
Ceramic Tiles
- Ceramic tiles are made from clay fired at high temperature. Tiles can either be glazed or left unglazed. Glazed tile is more water resistant and easier to clean than un-glazed, but is more slippery when its wet. Un-glazed tiles are less slippery, but also more porous. They can be sealed to make them less porous and easier to clean.
- Tiles are certainly a very popular choice for bathrooms and a good tile job will add to your home's re-sale value. Having said that, a bad tiling job is hard to fix. It's usually a job best left to the professionals.
- Ceramic Tiles are one of the oldest flooring materials known properly laid, they will last for generations. That's a point worth considering when choosing colours and designs particularly decorative borders, or fashionable colours that might be out-of-fashion by next season!
- There are a huge range of looks achievable with tiles from the very slick, clean-lined minimalist look, to a more rustic, farmhouse look. Before you choose always take tile samples home and consider how they will look en masse.
- Ceramic tiles are naturally cool underfoot, but are ideal for use with underfloor heating.
- Consider the size and shape of the tiles. The smaller the tile, the greater the number of grout lines this can make them less slippery, but also harder to clean.
- The size of your bathroom may determine the size of your tile a very large tile in a small bathroom will make it more difficult to create a pattern. A very small tile in a large bathroom could create an overwhelming effect with so many grout-lines.
- Flooring tiles tend to be square, but rectangular, hexagonal and octagonal tiles are also available.
- Borders and inlays are a great way to break up larger expanses.
- Consideration needs to be given to the laying pattern. A straight installation, or diamond (45 degree pattern) or a combination of the two i.e; a section of diamond-laid tiles set inside a surround of straight-laid tiles.
Porcelain/ Vitrified Tiles
- Vitrified tiles are porcelain fired at extremely high temperature so that they are very strong and durable and non-porous. This makes them especially suitable for bathrooms.
Quarry Tiles
- Like ceramic tiles, these are made from clay, but it's a high silica aluminia clay, which is fired.
- They are hard and durable, but have a softer composition than ceramic tiles and are unglazed.
- If used in bathrooms they must be sealed.
- They come in a range of warm natural colours.
Stone Floors
- Stone is a classic timeless look that has been used in bathrooms for centuries.
- Granite a form of igneous rock made up of feldspar, quartz and mica it's a very hard floor surface with a distinctive shimmery surface. Highly slippery if polished, but can be honed to create a safer finish.
- Marble a form of metamorphic rock, it's a luxury product. Available as marble slabs, or in marble tiles. Care needs to be taken in terms of slipperiness a honed surface will make it suitable for bathrooms.
- Slate another metamorphic rock consisting of silica alumina and iron oxide. Slate is split into layers creating a rustic surface. It can be slippery and difficult to clean due to the textured surface. Usually in shades of black/grey through to green.
Terrazzo
- Marble or granite chips set into slabs or tiles it's a hard-wearing attractive product, long popular in Mediterranean countries, and now very popular here also as benchtops.
Concrete
Concrete is a very popular floor finish at the moment both indoors and out.
- Concrete needs to be well sealed in bathrooms
- Underfloor heating is perfect for concrete floos.
- Concrete can be coloured, or left in its raw state.
Cork Tiles
- Cork is a softer, more forgiving surface. In the past cork was usually a rich honey colour, which created a similar look to polyurethaned particle-board. Today it is available in a variety of colours. They provide sound and heat insulation, but must be properly sealed to be waterproof.
- Use Tile and Slate Underlay under cork tiles.
Vinyl
Often seen as the low-budget option, vinyl flooring actually comes in a wide range of qualities and prices, with the more expensive vinyls costing as much or more than tiles (laying is less expensive however).
- Many vinyls replicate tile-patterns quite convincingly.
- Ensure it is meticulously laid to prevent water getting under joins.
- Use Tile and Slate Underlay under vinyl for protection from water damage.
Hardwood
- A darker hardwood floor can help to warm-up' a bathroom.
- It is essential that it is well sealed usually with polyurethane and is resealed before problem areas develop.
- Be aware that timber is very susceptible to movement, which can cause gaps to open up which allow water to penetrate.
Bamboo
- A relatively new product, bamboo flooring is stronger, more stable and more resistant to water than other hardwoods.
- Available as pre-finished tongue and groove boards.
- Can be nailed down or installed as a floating floor over existing flooring or Tile and Slate Underlay
Wood-look Laminate
- A very cost-effective way to get the timber-look', wood-look laminate flooring consists of a HDF base with a photographic wood-look' veneer and a laminated surface.
- Can be laid over existing floor, solid concrete, or Tile and Slate Underlay usually with a foam underlay.
- Some brands click' together, others require glueing.
- Check the quality of the locking systems and the quality of the laminate layer for durability.
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