What’s the best flooring to put in the bathroom?

Don’t let water get in the way of your bathroom flooring – you can easily create designer looks without the damp.

THE WARMTH FACTOR

While carpet couldn’t be said to be the best flooring for bathrooms you don’t have to rule it out completely. Just make sure you look for one that’s water- and mildew-resistant. If it’s the warmth factor you want, most flooring options can be used with underfloor heating (UFH). It’s all about thermal conductivity – which means how fast and efficiently heat moves up from the UFH system to the surface of the floor. In this respect, vinyl and engineered wood are the two top contenders for the best bathroom flooring.

SO LONG LAMINATE
Laminate may be a budget-friendly flooring option, but when it comes to bathrooms it’s a no-no. It may be easy to clean and scratch- and stain-resistant but it’s just not water resistant. When moisture meets laminate’s wood chip base it will cause warping – and the only way to solve the problem would be to tear it out and put in new flooring.

WHEN IT’S GOT TO BE WOOD
Some people just love the look of wood and have it throughout the house. The bad news is that hardwood isn’t the best idea for bathroom flooring as moisture will cause it to warp. You could still give it a go, but you’ll need to ensure that when it’s installed there are no gaps left for moisture to get through, and have it sealed, too. A better option is engineered wood – its construction of cross-ply layers with real wood on top is much more resistant to humidity.

VERSATILE VINYL
The new breed of luxury vinyl flooring has versatility written all over it. It’s water resistant, which ticks the top box for the best bathroom flooring, and as well being water-resistant vinyl is also durable, easy to clean and non-slip as well. As for style, vinyl can give you whatever look you want thanks to the way it mimics natural materials like stone, wood and marble. And with high-end brands like Karndean and Amtico, you can really get creative with mosaic, metallic, pebble-effect and slate. There are thousands of colour and design combinations to choose from, which makes vinyl one of the best bathroom flooring options if you want to make a statement.