5 May 2023

Best flooring for your bathroom

We all know that our bathrooms produce moisture. It’s important to allow your bathroom to ventilate. This can help prevent mould and unpleasant smells in your home. When it comes to the best flooring for your bathroom, water resistance is key. Due to advancements in technology, there are now more options available, but how do you know which is right for you? Here’s our guide to help you choose the right flooring for your home.

Size of your bathroom

The size of your bathroom is important to consider when choosing flooring. A smaller bathroom, will receive more foot fall in a concentrated area. This will mean that during use, your flooring will most likely have water spillage on at least 50% of the surface. It is therefore important to choose a flooring that is waterproof. LVT, Vinyl flooring or ceramic tiles are a great waterproof solution.

If you have a larger bathroom, the footfall on your flooring is over a wider area. Your flooring will still need to have waterproof properties but because your flooring covers a larger surface, water spillages will only occur on a smaller area. In this instance, any flooring with a water resistant layer, will be suitable.

Waterproof or Water Resistant

Due to technological advancements in the flooring industry, most flooring types are now available with a water resistant protection. Although not 100% waterproof, these types of flooring can withstand a reasonable amount of water spillage. If you are struggling to choose between waterproof or water resistant, the first thing to determine is how much water you think will come into contact with your floor? If your flooring receives a lot of moisture (waterproof) less moisture (water resistant).

Click or Glue

Glue (Dryback)

Each installation method comes with eventualities, worth considering. This is particularly relevant when is comes to the base of your toilet or sink. Let me explain why…

Flooring that is glued down, such as LVT or Vinyl, can be installed directly up to the skirting boards or walls of your bathroom. Although this installation type doesn’t require an expansion gap, it is still advisable to seal the perimeter of the flooring. This will help to prevent moisture being trapped beneath your flooring.

This type of flooring is roughly 2 – 3mm in thickness. It is therefore easy to scribe around curved or uneven edges, such as your radiator pipes or your toilet base.

Click 

Click flooring, is what is know as a floating floor. The flooring clicks together and sits on top of the subfloor. This type of floor requires an expansion gap, where ever the flooring comes into contact with anything (wall, radiator pipes, toilet) This can be covered installing beading up to the wall or skirting board.

It isn’t possible to attach beading around the base of your toilet. It isn’t mailable enough and there is no way to attach it. The gap would need to be filled with sealant. Pipe collars can be installed around the base of any radiator pipes.

Beading (also known as scotia) is typically made from MDF and is therefore not waterproof. This type of beading is usually associated with laminate flooring. If in contact with moisture, it will swell and become unattached. There are ways to help prevent this. Painting your beading can help to improve it’s appearance for longer. It is advisable to use beading against a wall but avoid using against your bath or shower tray.

With Rigid Core flooring on the up, there is now more and more waterproof accessories available. If you are wanting to ensure your beading survives, it may be worth considering a waterproof option.

Safety

Unless you choose a non- slip safety floor; most flooring can become slippery when wet. A non-slip safety floor can be limiting on design and unnecessary by following a few simple tips:

1. Choose a flooring that has a textured surface.
2. Add bath mats around areas that come into contact with water.
3. Mop up any water spillages as soon as it occurs. The will help to prevent falls and also protect your flooring from water marks or wear tear.

Need a little inspiration or advice?

There are hundreds of flooring manufacturers, suppliers and installers, so it can be hard to know where to turn.

At Beyond Flooring Direct, we understand the importance of getting the right flooring for your home – it’s a big investment. That’s why we focus on quality – quality products and quality service.

Every product in our range has been hand-picked by our team so you can have complete confidence that your new floor will be of the highest standards.

And with our measuring guide and choice of delivery and payment options, it’s easy to get your perfect flooring solution with Beyond Flooring Direct.

Browse our range for a little inspiration or come along and visit our showroom in Leeds. Our friendly team are always happy to help you select the perfect flooring for your home or commercial space.