Kitchen & Bathroom Design Blog

Every day you walk right over it, drip water on it when you step out of the shower and drop make up on it.  It has to handle a lot of traffic, withstand moisture and dirt, hold up to constant cleaning, and all the while serve as a stylish complement to your bathroom design.  The floor is probably the most under appreciated part of your bathroom.  Yet the floor you select for your bathroom remodel project must meet both practical and style considerations as it must be durable enough to handle the extensive wear and tear of a bathroom, while also helping to pull together the features and colors of your bathroom design. 

There are a number of factors you should consider in selecting a flooring material for your bathroom renovation.   The most important factor is durability and in particular how resistant the material is to moisture, but also very important is how the flooring will feel on your feet and whether it is slippery since you are more likely to walk barefoot and with wet feet in this room than in any other.  Finally the suitability of your flooring choice for your bathroom design must be taken into account: availability of colors and textures to suit your tastes, as well as how the material complements the style of the rest of your house and the other features of your bathroom should all be considered.

In theory you could use any material for your bathroom floor but some are certainly more appropriate than others. Here are a few of the options:

Ceramic tile is a versatile, waterproof material that is available in a wide array of textures, colors, shapes, patterns, and sizes.   It can also be complemented with colored grout to further enhance your bathroom design.

Porcelain tile is fired at higher temperatures than ceramic and is more durable and waterproof than ceramic due to the fact that it is less porous.

Stone tile is a highly durable and attractive option for your bathroom floor, but it can also be a very expensive addition to your bathroom remodel.  Available in a number of different materials such as marble, limestone, granite or slate, the downside of natural stone is that it can be very cold and also slippery.  The latter issue can be dealt with by ensuring your stone is textured or honed, but the effect of stone on your cold feet must be combated by installing radiant heated tiles or else by keeping a pair of warm slippers nearby!  Underfloor heating can be a great addition to any flooring options for your bathroom renovation.

While these are some of the most popular choices, other options for your bathroom floor include vinyl, laminate, hardwood or even carpet or carpet tiles.  Nearly any flooring material can be incorporated into your bathroom design, but some materials are certainly superior to others when it comes to withstanding the environmental impacts in one of the most utilized rooms in the house.  Let your bathroom design expert help you decide which is the best bathroom flooring option for you.