It may sound strange to discover that bathroom flooring is not purely about the aesthetic – after all, this is the room where you do most of your preening – but also about usefulness. Before deciding on your flooring type, keep in mind the practical elements too such as how hardwearing the floor is, how easy it is to clean, and whether it will look dated in the next decade.
The flooring you go with will naturally depend on the style you want for your bathroom. Do you want that classic, clean look that won’t age? Or are you after an ultra-modern bathroom? Perhaps maintenance matters more to you or you’re restricted by your budget. Whatever you’re looking for, these are the most popular choices and each one has its own benefits. Regardless of the type you go with, just make sure it can cope with water, and will still look good in a few years’ time.
Tiles
Choose between porcelain and stone tiles for a clean, cool look and feel. If you want tiles but are looking for something less expensive than stone, porcelain is a worthy contender. Of course, it’s a great choice just on its own merits – easy to clean, lovely to look at and touch, porcelain tiles come in a range of colours too.
For that classic look, stone tiles are hard to beat. Available in various sizes and texture types too, so you can find the ones that are just right for your bathroom.
For example, you could create a dramatic look with Iron Bronze Plain tiles with mosaic tiles in the shower, as these give a strikingly modern feel to a room. Or go for S.Wood Brown Porcelain tiles for a lovely wood effect – these also work well with underfloor heating, which may be another reason to choose them.
Wood
Hard woods work well in bathrooms as they can generally cope with the damp atmosphere and water splashes – and wood always looks good, and benefits from being straightforward to clean.
Laminate
Cheaper than wood but often found with convincing wood grain-effect designs nowadays, laminate is also available in water-resistant options to boost longevity.
Vinyl
If you’re looking for a cheaper option to real stone or real wood, then vinyl could be the one for your bathroom. It is also quick and easy to install and clean, which is always a bonus when it comes to bathroom flooring.