by Pat Merewether

Created on: October 18, 2008   Last Updated: October 24, 2008

Flooring is one of the biggest decisions when adding or remodeling a bathroom. Choosing materials, cost, color and comfort are a factors in the final decision.

Water is a major factor in choosing bathroom flooring. Carpeting, for example, is just not a good choice for bathrooms as it will retain moisture and become a breeding ground for molds and bacteria.

Vinyl is an option. I personally have never been a fan of vinyl tiles. There are a lot of choices out there, including the peel and stick' that seem like a good DIY idea. However, you have to prepare the surface very carefully or they will become stick and peel.' Also, there are the many seams and to me that's just more places for things to come apart. If you go with vinyl tiles, I suggest you have it professionally installed, or be ready to spend a lot of prep time. Check the quality of the tiles, as there are a lot of grades available and if you buy cheap you may have to replace it in a couple of years.

There is also vinyl sheet flooring that is cut in one large piece. I really like this option as there are no seams at all. Some of the thicker, more expensive sheet flooring have the pattern molded all the way through, so the color never wears off. However, they are very thick and only come in six-foot widths. We had this in our kitchen. Our dog once heard a mouse or some kind of critter in the basement while we were gone for the day. She tried to dig her way down to get it. The result was a huge area of torn up vinyl flooring where the seam had been. Apparently, seams were not sealed correctly, so it was easy prey for a determined German Shepherd. Bathrooms tend to be smaller, so you may be able to install this type of flooring and avoid seams. I highly recommend it if this is the case.

Ceramic is a good choice, but again, the base floor requires careful preparation. It's an excellent surface if you want to install radiant heating under the floor. Ceramic tile is very cold in winter, so having it heated is wonderful.

There are some things to consider before installing ceramic. Again, it is labor intensive and requires a very flat, even surface. The ceramic tiles will eventually crack if the surface is not perfectly even and flat.

These days most shampoos, bath salts, and shaving lotion all come in plastic. But in those rare instances that you have a glass bottle of perfume and drop it, rest assured it will be a goner when dropped on ceramic. Glass does break on vinyl floors, but not as often or with the drama

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>