We don’t often think about our bathroom floors, but they’re important. They greet us in the morning when we get ready, they’re there after a shower, and while we’re getting ready for bed. Picking the right flooring for a bathroom can make a big impact on daily life even if we don’t think about it. There are tons of flooring options out there today, but here are the best and worst ones when it comes to bathrooms.

 

The Best Floors for Bathrooms

Tile

Tile is king when it comes to bathroom floors. Whether it’s travertine, porcelain, cement, or slate, there’s a reason most bathrooms you enter have tile floors. Tile not only looks good and comes in tons of styles, but it’s durable and most importantly waterproof. We recommend tile for all of the bathrooms we build in custom homes due to the easy maintenance.

 

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring has come a long way since your grandmothers’ time. It’s not the most luxurious product, but it’s one of the most durable. Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) are being put more often into custom homes. It’s cost-effective, extremely durable, and waterproof. It comes in lots of styles these days and looks very realistic.

 

Marble

Marble looks stunning on bathrooms floors, and it’s one of the most common floorings we install in custom home master bathrooms. People should be warned that marble comes with some maintenance. It must be sealed, and the stone is naturally porous meaning it can stain easily. So if you use products with dyes in them maybe don’t go for real marble, but if you’re okay with natural patina then this material looks stunning!

 

The Worst Floors for Bathrooms

Hardwood

This one is tricky because hardwood makes a great flooring option in powder rooms. Hardwood just doesn’t do great around tons of water, so in bathrooms with showers or tubs, it’s best to avoid it as the moisture may warp the wood. Some people know the risk and still choose to put it in. Hardwood can be warm and soft compared to tile, so if you’re okay with the risk and use mats this isn’t the worst choice for flooring, it’s just not a great one.

 

Carpet

Carpet in bathrooms was popular in the 70s, and you’ll still find it in Europe. However, it’s one of the worst choices for flooring when it comes to bathrooms. While it might sound appealing to step on the soft warm carpet when getting ready in the morning, stepping on the wet soggy carpet after a shower is not. There’s also the fact that it’s unsanitary to have carpet near the toilet and unlike rugs, it can’t easily be washed.

 

Laminate

Laminate does not do well around moisture, even the ones rated for it. They’ve been making improvements and their “water resistant” lines are better than before. However, it’s still not an ideal choice. When laminate gets wet it warps, creating bumps and gaps.