Take a Wide Look at Your Choices for Bathroom Flooring

For a lot of homeowners, the bathroom is a prime target for renovation.

You can make your bathrooms a lot more appealing with some smart choices when it comes to materials and fittings. Don't be too quick to pick out your flooring material! Some of the greatest options available to you might be materials you haven't even considered yet.

The Old Standby: Tile

Of course, when you think of bathroom floors, the odds are that your mind turns first to ceramic tile. This reliable material hasn't become the standard for covering bathroom floors just out of fashion; it's a thoroughly sensible choice. Tile is easy to clean and holds up very well to moisture and damage. Of course, tile is also quite heavy. It can be tough to install if you are not experienced with it, so getting a tile floor put in properly might require professional help.

Bear in mind that ceramics are not your only choices when it comes to bathroom tiles. Porcelain is an even older alternative, one which modern-day ceramics were intended to replace. Porcelain tiles are more durable and come in an attractive variety of colors and patterns. Of course, you'll have to deal with the same installation challenges, and genuine porcelain will cost more as well.

Glass tile is worth considering, too. Don't worry about breakage; tempered tiles designed for flooring use are virtually indestructible. They also have some wild finish options that can really make your bathroom floor distinctive. Glass tiles frequently come with a slip-resistant coating, so this can be a great way to reduce the risk of falling in the bathroom.

Vinyl Floors: Maximize Your Budget

To get a decent, durable floor installed in your bathroom when a budget is limited, vinyl still reigns supreme. Although the very cheapest options are not likely to earn much admiration for their looks, spending a little more can get your higher-grade vinyl with your choice of attractive finishes. Many types of vinyl even mimic tile, stone or wood without those materials' drawbacks. Beyond its affordability, vinyl also offers longevity and easy cleaning.

Wood and Associated Options

Thanks to modern finishes, wood in the bathroom is not the non-starter you might think it is. A properly finished wood floor is highly moisture-resistant and will not have any difficulty standing up to spills and splashes.

For bathroom use, consider laminates or engineered wood flooring. These factory-produced products come with the toughest possible finish coat, and they are quite affordable. Natural wood will cost a little more, but you can also resurface it for years to come to extend the life of your floors.

Stone Floors

When you've got ample money in your bathroom renovation budget, consider going with stone for maximum luxury and appeal. Choose your stone carefully to fit your needs, your finances and your taste. Marble strikes many homeowners as the last word in luxury, but it is also about the priciest material you can choose. It is also dangerously slippery without a textured finish coat. Slate is a cheaper alternative that still looks great. It holds up to water extremely well, and its natural texture is one of the most sure-footed choices you can make when it comes to stone.

For a really interesting bathroom floor, you might consider falling in with the current trend for pebbled flooring. These floors are created by embedding attractive stones in an acrylic epoxy layer to produce a varied and attractive surface. Good pebble floors give you the aesthetic appeal of natural stone combined with the durability and easy maintenance of a synthetic finish.

Picking your flooring is an important part of planning out your bathroom renovation. The right material can make your bathroom more beautiful, easier to clean and even inform the rest of your design choices. Just remember to take the time to explore all of the varied options available to you.

from Home Improvementer //
Take a Wide Look at Your Choices for Bathroom Flooring