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Criterias of choice
For bathroom floors to last as long as possible, materials must meet the following criteria:
- Water resistance... The bathroom cover should not deteriorate either from high humidity or from exposure to water that gets on it.
- Safety... Often we walk in the bathroom with bare feet, periodically step on with a wet foot - therefore, the coating should not be slippery.
- Tactility... Back to the question of bare feet: touching a cold surface is at least unpleasant.
- Hygiene... The bathroom has a high probability mold development - therefore, it is advisable to choose easy-care floor coverings that are not prone to the formation of fungus.
- Environmental friendliness... Hardly anyone wants to live in an apartment with toxic emitting finish.
We should also mention 2 more indicators: cost and durability. They are not fundamental for everyone, but the ability to lay the floors for years without spending a lot of money is a good bonus when renovating a bathroom.
TOP-8 best materials
For finishing the floor in the bathroom, 8 options are best suited, which we propose to consider in more detail.
Tile or porcelain stoneware
Ceramic tile and its "elder brother" - ceramic granite, already a kind of classic in bathroom decoration. The decision in favor of choosing a tile is made due to the large number of advantages and fixable disadvantages of this material:
| pros | Minuses |
|---|---|
| A wide range of... Refers to colors, shapes, sizes, textures, textures, designs and product prices. | Cold surface... In the installation of the floor in the bathroom, under the screed, a warm floor system is necessarily laid - without it, walking barefoot on the tiles is unpleasant. Fortunately, ceramics are not afraid of temperature changes - therefore they are compatible with the heating system. |
| 100% moisture resistant material... Suitable even for decoration shower trays. | The presence of seams... Seamless types of porcelain stoneware exist, but are expensive and rare. The bulk of the slabs are laid with seams that quickly deteriorate. |
| Wear resistant... Some manufacturers give a guarantee for porcelain stoneware for 10-15 years. Although if you follow all the rules, it can serve up to 50. | Complexity of work... Putting the tiles correctly means carefully preparing the base, making a screed according to the level, laying all the elements evenly relative to each other. It is almost impossible to cope with this without experience. |
| Easy to clean... High-quality flooring is easy to clean and is not afraid of even aggressive cleaning agents. |
In the photo, laying tiles under marble staggered
Cork floor
Original floor covering - bung! The basis for the production is obtained from the bark of a cork tree - at the same time, they do not suffer at all and can regenerate the bark in just 7-9 years. Advantages and disadvantages:
| pros | Minuses |
|---|---|
| Tactility... It is a pleasure to walk on the always warm cork laid on the floor. | Injury tendency... Not all dents from sharp objects, blows, furniture legs, the floor will be able to recover. |
| Depreciation properties... The coating is "springy", thereby having a positive effect on the joints. | Difficult care... To extend the service life, it is required to treat the coating with a protective compound once every 1-3 years. |
| Hygiene... The bark of the balsa tree is not subject to rotting, fungi. | High price... Everything is relative - a cork floor is cheaper than parquet, but more expensive than laminate or linoleum. |
| Antistatic properties... The cork does not attract dust, the floor stays cleaner for longer. | |
| Environmental friendliness... 100% natural material, safe for health. | |
| Safety... The surface is absolutely non-slip. |
Self-leveling floor
Significantly different from the previous two self-leveling floor... The process of "laying" is similar to pouring a concrete solution, but the result is not a rough, but a finishing surface. Compositions are epoxy, acrylic, polyurethane.
| pros | Minuses |
|---|---|
| Waterproofing... An important aspect for the bathroom is flood protection. If the base is prepared correctly and all seams are treated with a special compound, the probability of flooding of neighbors from below in case of leakage is close to zero. | Complex preparation... The right rough repair device will eat up a large chunk of your budget. |
| High impact resistance... After drying through the entire thickness of the layer, an incredibly durable coating is obtained that is almost impossible to damage. | Difficult dismantling... The self-leveling floor lasts ~ 10 years, but removing it from the screed even after the expiration date is an extremely labor-intensive process. |
| Possibility of restoration... Even if chips appear, they can be easily removed. | Cold outside... Necessarily requires addition of heating. |
| Hygiene... They are an unsuitable environment for fungi to live. In addition, it is not difficult to care for the floors in the bathroom. | High price... All together - rough preparation, warm floor, final filling - will cost a pretty penny. |
On the picture 3D floor example with drawing
Linoleum
To many roll coating seems not quite suitable for bathrooms, but it is not entirely true.
| pros | Minuses |
|---|---|
| Not afraid of water (if there are no seams). | Vapor tightness. At high humidity, there is a high likelihood of mold formation under the decorative coating. |
| Affordable price. | Insecurity. Standard views become slippery when exposed to water. |
| Easy to install (you can make repairs in the apartment yourself). |
Rubber cover
Modern bathroom floors can also be rubber. There are practically no minuses of the novelty on the market, except for an unpleasant smell - but it is found only in low-quality products. For the rest, solid benefits:
- rubber does not allow water to pass through;
- easy to clean;
- tiles are easy to lay;
- it is pleasant to walk barefoot on the rubber surface.
In the photo there is a colored rubber coating in the bathroom
Vinyl tiles
An alternative to two materials at the same time: tiles and laminate. Unlike the first, it is pleasant to the touch, vinyl is often laid without heating. The advantage over laminate is moisture resistance. PVC does not swell with water, because the basis is not pressed wood or paper, but quartz-vinyl.
The only drawback of vinyl tiles - high price. For the same square, you will have to pay 20-30% more money than for tiles or laminate.
Waterproof laminate
Due to hydrophobia, normal laminate it is not used in bathrooms - even models with water impregnation for more than a couple of years will not withstand constant exposure to high humidity and temperature changes.
Another thing is PVC-based laminate. It is not afraid of water, but it has one serious drawback - the chemical substance polyvinyl chloride, when heated, can release toxic substances.
Wooden floor
The most controversial option for wet rooms is natural wood. On the one hand, it is 100% environmentally friendly. On the other hand - intolerance to dampness, as well as "liveliness". Boards can bend, swell, shrink, rot outside and inside.
By choosing natural wood, you get an environmentally friendly, safe, warm floor. But be prepared for the need for regular maintenance: once every 6-12 months, the surface is thoroughly treated with impregnations and here environmental friendliness decreases.
Color recommendations
The colors are chosen according to 2 principles: combination with walls and practicality. In both characteristics, neutral shades (beige, grey) or a universal wood texture.
Too light as well as too dark is a controversial decision. On the one hand, it looks stylish. On the other hand, it is impractical in leaving.
The option of color solutions is worth considering if you want to emphasize: multicolored tiles or tiles with oriental motives are in trend.
In the photo there is an accent on the floor and inserts on the wall and screen
What to put on the floor?
If, after laying the floor without heating, you suddenly find that it is uncomfortable to stand on it with bare feet, they will come to the rescue rugs!
Models with a rubberized base will not allow water to flow onto the flooring, but may "fade". Options without substrates dry faster, but "share" moisture with the space under them - therefore, on a tree, for example, it is better not to use such.
Wooden or bamboo flooring deserves special attention: it is comfortable to stand on them with bare feet after a bath or shower. Plus, it's easy to care for - no wash or dry cleaning.
Beautiful examples in the interior
Finishing options are not limited to the popular eight: in addition to standard tiles, you can use, for example, natural pebbles. Looks stylish, and walking on uneven surfaces has a massage effect.
If you are looking for a way to perfectly match your walls, try the same tile for both surfaces.
In this case, it is advisable to glue the floor on the walls, and not vice versa - the wall tiles are still more fragile.
Last original solution - perimeter lighting... Please note that for this you will have to keep the room in absolute purity... But thanks to the originality, this solution can become a highlight of the interior.
All materials have pros and cons: decide what is more important to you and choose them for yourself.
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