We may think we have everything figured out when it comes to bathroom flooring, I mean, tile is the only good flooring for a bathroom, right? Wrong! There are so many other fantastic options, as well as tile.

 There are a couple of rules when it comes to bathroom floors. First, the floors must be waterproof. In a wet room like a bathroom, it’s essential to protect your subfloor to prevent issues in the future. Second, your floors must be safe. Your floors need to be suitable for your lifestyle. Having a nonslip, warmer, or softer floor may be beneficial for the overall safety of your bathroom floors. Finally, your floors shouldn’t cause you undue stress. If you don’t have the desire or the ability to scrub grout regularly, don’t install a floor with lots of grout lines. If you have little ones who splash in the bath, a lot, choose something that will protect your subfloor so you don’t have to worry about water damage.

 With those rules out of the way, let’s dive into the best bathroom floors you could install.

Ceramic tile

The most common bathroom flooring is ceramic tile. Tile is an incredibly durable material, which is one of the reasons that it is so common. It’s also completely waterproof, and because it’s attached to the floor with mortar, it basically becomes part of your subfloor, protecting it from water damage. Tile stands up to things being dropped on it and dragged across it. It can withstand standing water and splashes. But ceramic tile can also be very cold and hard underfoot. Especially if you are kneeling at the edge of a bathtub assisting little ones. This can be rectified by installing tile with a heat coil running under it. This makes the tile warm and more comfortable to stand on, but it doesn’t make it any softer. While tile is the most durable of our options, it is not the most comfortable by a long shot, so if comfort is on your list of must-haves, I would recommend a different floor or a very cushy bath mat.

Glue Down Luxury Vinyl

 There are a couple of types of glue-down luxury vinyl; tile and plank. While they look different, their application and benefits are essentially the same. These floors are made of tough, flexible vinyl. The flexibility makes them softer and warmer underfoot than ceramic tile. They are waterproof all the way through, and because they are glued down, they protect your subfloor that much better. Vinyl tile can be installed with or without grout, depending on your style, but also if you don’t have the luxury (ugh) of being able to clean grout lines. The tile comes in hundreds of styles and colours, so it’ll fit anyone’s style. We have had Alterna vinyl tile down in our showroom for roughly ten years, and it has held up like you wouldn’t believe. We experience heavy foot traffic, strollers, walkers, high heels, and steel-toed boots, and it still looks new. If it can stand up to our showroom, it can stand up to your bathroom. Glue down vinyl plank is very similar. There are tons of colour options, and while “wood” flooring in the bathroom is less common, it looks really sleek if it continues from one room into the bathroom, like an ensuite or a powder room. Glue-down plank is also very durable, and because it is stuck to the floor, you don’t need to worry about end joints snapping apart, or the hollow sound sometimes associated with floating vinyl plank. Both of these products are a DIY favourite. They can be cut with a utility knife and a snap. So as long as you are comfortable with glue, and possibly grout, you could tackle doing this project on your own. Overall, this is my favourite bathroom flooring solution.

Floating Luxury Vinyl Plank or Tile

 One other bathroom floor covering is floating or click together LVT/LVP. Having just as many, if not more colour options, being available in This option is extremely DIY-friendly. It’s easy to put in, and easy to take out should there be any damage done. Like glue down LVT/LVP, floating is durable and thoroughly waterproof. The main difference is that it does not adhere to your subfloor. If there is a leak or standing water, you risk moisture slipping between the flooring and your walls or bathtub base. This is solved by using silicone around the edges of your floating floor. Because floating floors need room to expand and contract, we recommend installing your vanity before the flooring or cutting out your flooring when you install the vanity later. The silicone that you install around the perimeter of your room is flexible, so it can withstand movement as well. This type of flooring is great for those DIY’ers out there.

Sheet Vinyl

Sheet vinyl is possibly the most bold of all of these options. While you can find more neutral sheet vinyl, typically when you think of sheet vinyl (or linoleum), you imagine exciting patterns and colours. This is one of the biggest draws for sheet vinyl flooring. Other perks of this flooring; it’s durable, waterproof, inexpensive, and comes in as many patterns and colours as ceramic tile. There are a couple of things to consider when it comes to sheet vinyl. Because it is installed in a sheet (Shocker, I know) If there is any damage, you’ll need to either patch it or replace the entire floor. Patching isn’t difficult if you’ve got leftover vinyl from when the floor was installed. And if you choose not to glue down the entire sheet of vinyl, you risk water getting trapped under the flooring. This can be prevented by sealing up the flooring along high moisture areas ( in front of the bathtub, under the toilet, etc.) There is a reason that most of the sheet vinyl that was installed 15 years ago is still down, it was a winner and still is.

So there you have it, the top four bathroom flooring options. My favourite is glue down vinyl plank or tile, but hopefully, with all of the information set out like this, you’ll discover your favourite as well.