Best Types of Tile for Your Bathroom Floor

There’s a reason that tile is almost universally found in bathrooms. As the wettest room in the home, it’s important to have flooring that can withstand water. Tile fits the bill, as it’s affordable, durable, and water resistant. 

We’ll talk about the best tiles for your bathroom floor that will help with the longevity of your bathroom—and look good, too!

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile for your bathroom floor is cost effective and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. It’s made by forming the ceramic materials into a mold and then heated to ensure durability. A glaze is usually added, which is a great option for the bathroom as it makes clean up easy. Installation of ceramic tile is about $2 to $5 per square foot.

Porcelain Tile

Very similar to ceramic tile, porcelain tile is made almost identically. It also can be made in an endless array of colors and shapes to suit your design needs. Where it stands apart, though, is that it’s fired at a higher temperature, which makes the tile harder and more durable. This makes it a little bit more expensive, with installation of porcelain tile ranging from $3 to $10 per square foot.

Vinyl

You can really let your imagination run wild with the use of vinyl flooring. Vinyl has grown in popularity because of the improved quality and its affordability—it’s the least expensive flooring option out there, starting at $1 per square foot. Vinyl, which is a printed sheet that can mimic the look of hardwood flooring, marble, tiling, or whatever else you desire, comes in sheet or plank form. It has multiple layers that make it easier on the feet and soundproof, as well as the best part: it’s completely waterproof and stainproof.

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What Flooring NOT to Use in the Bathroom

Ceramic and porcelain tile and vinyl are so popular in the bathroom because of their affordability, waterproof nature, and ease of cleaning. In the bathroom, you also need to consider safety. Because there’s so much water, either from bathtub and shower spills or humidity, you don’t want any slips on the floor. 

Textured or smaller tiles for your bathroom floor are good choices for this, and bath mats are also a way to ensure safety.

Here are some materials that aren’t suited for bathrooms:

• Carpet: This might sound silly or even obvious, but carpeted bathrooms were a thing in the ‘70s and ‘80s! While the idea of a soft bath mat taking up the entire floor might sound appealing, this is asking for trouble with mold and mildew, as carpets will absorb the moisture in the air.
• Laminate: People might think that vinyl and laminate are interchangeable, but that’s not the case. While vinyl is waterproof, laminate flooring needs to be wiped up immediately to avoid warping. That’s a big ask for a room as wet as the bathroom.
• Concrete: Durable and eco-friendly, sometimes concrete is used in the bathrooms. However, in order for it to hold up, it needs to be properly sealed and possibly resealed over time because of its porous nature. Concrete could be a suitable choice for you depending on how much maintenance you want in your bathroom flooring. 
• Natural stone tile: Like concrete, this is not unheard of in bathrooms and is a beautiful choice to bring the outdoors in. However, it also requires sealing to combat its porous qualities. It’s also very expensive. So think carefully about whether the beautiful design will be worth the costs and upkeep.

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