Bathroom Flooring

Choosing the right type of flooring for your bathroom can present a few problems as there are quite a few different floor coverings available, and all have their advantages and disadvantages

We have details on the main types of flooring used in UK bathrooms

bathroom carpet
carpet tiles
ceramic floor tiles
laminate flooring
bamboo flooring
vinyl flooring

with each page listing the pros and cons of that particular floor covering. There are also links, where available, to online sources of the relevant products.

It is also possible to leave the floor uncovered (if you have floorboards) but this has its own set of problems:

PROS	CONS
the most authentic look in a period style bathroom can be quite cheap relatively warm underfoot	floor boards need to be thoroughly sanded before sealing boards need to be sealed/varnished can be draughty can be slippery when wet can let spilled water through to the ceiling below requires maintenance to keep it looking good

Your choice of bathroom flooring will depend on several factors including cost, availability, personal taste and also the substrate i.e. if you have floorboards or a solid masonry floor.

Because most bathrooms are quite small the cost of bathroom flooring is relatively cheap - you can need as little as 2 or 3 square metres - so cost can be less of an issue than the flooring in other parts of the house. You still need to be sure to include all of the costs associated with your chosen flooring: tiles might need a lot of preparation or specialist boarding; carpet tiles or vinyl needs the floor to be level and smooth so boarding might need to be fitted before these are installed; carpet might need underlay.

Tiling onto floorboards can be problematic unless the correct products are used to get the job done properly. Ceramic floor tiles and wood expand and contract at different rates which can cause problems. Backing boards need to be used and the special adhesive used to ensure the tiles do not work loose or crack.