The Best Bathroom Flooring Options

When choosing which flooring type is right for your bathroom, it’s important to consider the practical benefits, as well as the visual design of each flooring type available. Let’s take a look at the best bathroom flooring options and their benefits to suit your specific requirements.

With a range of bathroom flooring options, each with its own practical and aesthetic benefits, it can be difficult to know which option is right for you. 

From the sleek appeal of tile effect to the organic warmth of wood effect flooring, every flooring type offers varying levels of water resistance, ease of installation and maintenance needs. But which bathroom flooring type is the best for you? Let’s delve into some of the popular bathroom flooring options and what you should consider with each.

Vinyl flooring is a popular bathroom flooring option due to the wide range of colours and styles available to suit a variety of bathroom interiors. At Wood2U, we stock waterproof vinyl flooring in tile effect, stone effect and wood effect, as well as colour ranges from light to black, so you can be sure to find something to suit your interior design.

As well as their diverse selection available, vinyl flooring boasts many benefits and things to consider when being used in a bathroom:

Benefits

• Waterproof and resistant to moisture.
• Easy to clean and maintain.
• Slip-preventive surface.
• Ease of installation.
• Comfortable underfoot.
• Compatible with underfloor heating.
• Treated with a protective wear layer to defend against scratches, dents and stains.
• Low cost.

Considerations

• Requires proper installation for an effective and watertight seal.
• Sheet vinyl is more susceptible to punctures and tears.

Overall: Vinyl flooring is a versatile option, boasting a wide range of benefits, including its versatile designs and practical appeal when used in a bathroom.

Available in a wide range of colours and styles, laminate flooring can add warmth and character to any bathroom. However, there are some things you need to consider when choosing laminate flooring in a bathroom. Here’s everything that you need to know:

Benefits

• Cost-effective.
• Ease of installation. 
• Wide range of design options. 
• Durable and resistant to scratches and dents. 
• Water resistant.
• Easy to clean and maintain.
• Compatible with underfloor heating.

Considerations

• Professional installation is recommended for a watertight seal.
• Water-resistant, but not waterproof. To mitigate potential issues with water damage, it's crucial to select laminate specifically designed for bathrooms, which typically features a water-resistant core and tighter locking systems to prevent water seepage. 
• The surface of laminate can become slippery when wet, so opting for laminate with a textured or slip-resistant finish is advisable. 
• It’s advisable to clean up standing water to preserve the life of laminate flooring.

Overall: Laminate flooring is a versatile and durable option. However, it's important to ensure that you opt for a bathroom-specific laminate to prolong the integrity of the flooring. If you’re not sure if the laminate flooring that you’re interested in is suitable for bathrooms, contact our team and we will be happy to help.

Engineered wood flooring is another elegant option for those looking to bring the natural beauty and warmth of wood into their bathroom. Unlike solid hardwood, engineered wood is constructed from multiple layers of plywood and a top layer of hardwood veneer, enhancing its stability and reducing susceptibility to moisture-related expansion and contraction. This makes it a popular choice for areas with higher humidity and moisture levels, such as bathrooms.

As well as its durability, engineered flooring boasts many benefits and things to consider when being used in a bathroom:

Benefits

• Thanks to its multi-layer construction, engineered wood is more resistant to moisture and humidity than solid wood, making it more suitable for use in bathrooms.
• Durable to withstand wear and tear.
• Available in a variety of wood species, colours and styles.
• Water resistant.
• Compatible with underfloor heating.

Considerations

• While engineered wood is more resistant to moisture than solid hardwood, it is not waterproof. Direct water exposure should be minimised and dried promptly to prevent damage.
• Regular maintenance is necessary to keep engineered wood flooring in good condition.
• Engineered wood flooring can be more expensive than other bathroom flooring options, such as vinyl or laminate.
• Professional installation is recommended to ensure the best performance and appearance.

Overall: Engineered wood flooring offers a compromise between the authentic beauty of solid wood and the practicality required in a bathroom. With proper installation and maintenance, engineered wood flooring can add warmth and elegance to any bathroom setting.

Considering and understanding slip ratings is one of the most important elements to consider when choosing bathroom flooring. 

Due to bathroom flooring being regularly exposed to water, the likelihood of slips and falls increases. To address the issue of slippery flooring, flooring materials are often rated for their traction under wet conditions, with standardised slip ratings indicating the level of slip resistance each material offers. 

Now that you’ve got a better understanding of the importance of bathroom flooring slip ratings, let’s delve into what the slip ratings are.

Slip ratings are guidelines for measuring how well flooring can prevent slips when wet. These ratings are generally represented as follows:

• P0-P5: These ratings are used with vinyl flooring, with P5 providing the highest level of slip resistance.
• A, B, C: A slip rating of C indicates the highest level of slip resistance and A represents the lowest. It measures the friction of the surface when a foot lands on the wet flooring.

Choosing the right slip rating depends on the users' needs and the specific functionalities of a bathroom. For households with individuals with mobility issues or people who are unstable on foot, higher slip ratings (B, C, P4 and P5) are preferable. For bathrooms used by individuals who are more stable on foot, you can opt for a slightly lower rating without compromising on safety. 

The bottom line remains: Balancing safety, aesthetics and overall costs is imperative when designing a bathroom. If you’re unsure whether your desired flooring is suitable for your needs, always consult a professional.

Underfloor heating is becoming increasingly popular in home design, particularly in bathrooms as it adds an additional layer of comfort and luxury. But which bathroom flooring options are compatible with underfloor heating?

• Vinyl flooring: Vinyl is an excellent choice for use in a bathroom with underfloor heating. It conducts heat efficiently, meaning that it can quickly adapt to temperature changes while remaining energy-efficient. However, it's important to check with the manufacturer for the maximum heat the vinyl can withstand to prevent any damage to its integrity.
• Laminate flooring: Laminate flooring can distribute the heat generated by underfloor heating systems evenly across the surface, ensuring a comfortable warmth underfoot. This feature can enhance the cosy ambience of a bathroom, especially during colder months. However, care must be taken to ensure that the manufactures maximum heat recommendations are adhered to, as excessive heat can cause the laminate to warp or become distorted over time. 
• Engineered wood flooring: Similar to laminate, engineered wood allows for even distribution of heat across the floor. However, much like the other bathroom flooring types, it’s important to check the maximum temperature that the manufacturer recommends.

Choosing the right bathroom flooring is pivotal for ensuring safety, functionality and aesthetics. Slip resistance is a non-negotiable factor that contributes to a well-designed and functional bathroom, with other factors like cost, compatibility with underfloor heating and the range of styles being secondary factors. 

While all of the flooring options that we have discussed are suitable for use in a bathroom, the best option for bathroom flooring is arguably vinyl due to its versatile styles and functional appeal. At Wood2U, we stock a range of quality vinyl flooring, in a range of colours and styles, including wood and even stone or tile effect for you to choose from.  

If you’ve recently embarked on a bathroom project, share your project with us and let your journey inspire others.