Bathroom
Ideas

The best type of flooring to use in a bathroom depends on how the bathroom is used, how many people use the space and how the room is decorated. Bathroom flooring must be safe, water resistant and durable. The texture and color of bathroom flooring should also complement the room's overall decor. The best type of bathroom flooring helps you accomplish all of these goals without exceeding your remodeling budget. If you are planning to install your own flooring, ceramic tile or vinyl may be your best bets for easy installation.

Ceramic and Stone Flooring

Tile has been a popular choice for bathroom flooring for centuries. Water resistant, durable and long lasting, stone and ceramic tiles are also aesthetically pleasing. When you're selecting flooring for a bathroom, ceramic tiles give you a nearly unlimited range of colors and textures to choose from. Tile is sturdy, resists scuffs and scratches and is easy to keep clean with damp or dry mopping. Ceramic tiles are also affordable, which makes them even more appealing to homeowners on a tight budget and they can be durable when used with the right bathroom caulk.

Stone tile lends natural colors and textures to a bathroom floor. Granite, limestone, slate or travertine tiles can create an impression of strength, elegance and permanence. Available in rich, earthy hues like brown, gray or gold, or in luxurious shades of pink or cream, stone tiles give a bathroom timeless beauty.

Whether you choose stone or ceramic, consider how your bathroom is used. Textured ceramic or stone tiles are more slip resistant than glazed or polished surfaces. In an elegant powder room, polished marble or granite may be appropriate, but textured ceramic or travertine tiles are more practical and affordable in a busy family bathroom.

Vinyl and Linoleum Floors

Vinyl and linoleum have been used in family bathrooms for generations. Valued for its versatility, durability and affordable price, vinyl is available in a wide range of colors and patterns to suit any bathroom's decorating scheme. Vinyl squares are easy to maintain, and lightly textured vinyl surfaces are slip resistant. If vinyl flooring is not properly installed using the right materials, however, you may have noticeable seams between the tiles, spongy areas underfoot or discoloration of certain areas.

Linoleum is similar to vinyl in its appearance, strength and versatility, but vinyl is made from synthetic materials, while linoleum is made from products such as wood particles, cork and linseed oil. Linoleum may be preferred by homeowners who are concerned about using renewable bathroom flooring. Like vinyl, linoleum is an affordable, slip resistant option for bathroom floors.

Unique Bathroom Flooring

Cork and bamboo flooring may not appear in every bathroom in your neighborhood, but more homeowners are discovering the advantages of these unique products. Cork and bamboo are renewable, water resistant materials that bring natural beauty to your bathroom decor. Bamboo is a sustainable, environmentally friendly product that lends an exotic touch to your interior. If you and your family are concerned about the environment, bamboo flooring may be a desirable alternative to vinyl or ceramic tile.

To bring the appearance of wood or stone to a bathroom at a lower price, consider laminate flooring. Laminate products consist of a layer of fiberboard backed by a sturdy material, overlaid with a photographic image of stone or wood. A clear, protective layer is applied over the image to strengthen the flooring. In a bathroom that gets heavy use throughout the day, laminate may not be the best choice, as this product can be damaged by heavy exposure to moisture. The best bathroom flooring meets your practical needs while enhancing your decor.