Bathroom Flooring: Crucial Things to Know

A specific and most visited place in the house is the bathroom. Its decoration requires a special approach, because it’s important to consider many factors. The materials selected for the bathroom must be resistant to high humidity and temperature fluctuations. Floor covering must meet the requirements of safety, but be aesthetically pleasing.

The Main Requirements for the Floor in the Bathroom

Before you cover the floor in the bathroom and choose an option for its facing, study the most important criteria of the floor finish:

Moisture resistance. In the room itself, the level of humidity is much higher than in the rest of the house. Besides, the floor covering is constantly in contact with a lot of water. In case of emergencies, such as a burst pipe, maximum protection against water penetration to the lower level is required.
Heat. Ceramic flooring requires the additional installation of a water or electric underfloor heating system.
Anti-slip base. For safety purposes, materials should be used that will not slip when water gets on the surface.
Long service life. Covering for the bathroom should be dense and resistant to deformation.
Durability. Finishing materials together with the floor structure should withstand high loads. In the bathroom, besides the bathtub, which is periodically filled with water, we often install a washing machine and various furniture.
Durability of the coating depends on the quality of selected materials and compliance with the technology of floor installation.

Flooring Options

There are many ways of tiling the floor in the bathroom. The main thing to consider when choosing – compliance with the requirements. The totality of all parameters and the presence of individual features allows you to find the best option for finishing.

It would be best to have professionals do it to avoid inconveniences and excessive cost, Luvanto Flooring for example has the best professionals when it comes to floor guides.

Ceramic Tile

It’s a traditional option and hence one can choose for ceramic tile flooring. Similar to live roulette, this material has a number of advantages. These are just a few of them:

It doesn’t absorb moisture, isn’t deformed by prolonged contact with water and is resistant to mold.
Easy to care for.
Hygienic.
Resistant to abrasion (applies specifically to floor tiles).
Non-slip surface.
Fire resistance.
High level of heat conductivity – especially valuable in arrangement of “warm floor” systems.
Wide range of colors, shapes and sizes.

The installation of ceramic tiles requires careful preparation of the base. It’s necessary to waterproof the floor. The floor in the bathroom must have a reliable layer of waterproofing and thermal insulation material. There are no exact instructions on how to create such a base. Everyone chooses the most suitable option for themselves. Building materials are on the market in a huge range, and every year there are new improved products.

Waterproofing is the most important step in the installation of a ceramic floor. It protects against leaks when the floor is in contact with water for a long time and in case of unforeseen situations, such as leaks. Besides, attention should be paid to the treatment of the joints between the floor and the wall. They should be coated with a special sealant that can hold moisture on the surface.

Stone Flooring

Natural stone is sometimes used to decorate the bathroom. It is an expensive material, but its use creates a luxurious interior.

The advantages of such a floor:

Elite appearance.
Resistance to high loads and temperature differences.
Durability.

Wooden Flooring

Under certain conditions of installation, this finish can be quite appropriate. This type of foundation has its own advantages:

Eco-friendliness.
Warm coating with a pleasant texture to the touch.
Pleasant appearance, which creates an atmosphere of coziness.

However, high-quality wood, which is suitable for finishing the floor, is much more expensive than low-grade counterparts. It is worth understanding that wood tends to deform when exposed to moisture. On this basis, choose these types of wood, which are resistant to moisture. Such specific species were previously used in shipbuilding. But this also costs quite a lot. As an alternative it is possible to apply protective coatings, which will have a higher level of moisture resistance.

A suitable option for finishing the floor in the bathroom will be teak wood. Its properties have been tested for centuries. Because of the dense structure of the fibers, the wood blade does not absorb moisture and has the property to accumulate heat. The texture of the tree is rough, so it doesn’t slip. Besides, it is resistant to wear and tear and isn’t subject to deformation of mechanical and chemical nature.