Bathroom Wooden Flooring may not have been the Best Option

I know that I have made a few mistakes in my lifetime and that I have had to live with the consequences, but at least I feel that I have learned from them. One of the costly mistakes I once made was to have bathroom wood flooring installed by a friend who claimed that it was easy and that he knew exactly what he was doing. Needless to say I learned the hard way that you should get the professionals in or at least someone who has had experience of installing bathroom wooden flooring.

 

Bathroom flooring is a tricky area as you need to take into account a few considerations before you make your decision. The main thing to remember is that the bathroom not only sees a lot of use but that there is usually a large amount of moisture involved in various forms. Even apart from things going wrong, such as leaky pipes, there is water from the sink, the bath and shower and even around the toilet. All of this can seriously affect the bathroom flooring you have. 

Some options are bathroom floor tiles, bathroom laminate flooring and bathroom vinyl flooring. When it comes to bathroom flooring vinyl is a popular choice for a variety of reasons. Solid hardwoods are not suitable for a full bathroom because it is sensitive to humidity and the potential for pooling water. Water from tubs and showers can cause hardwood floors to buckle or warp. However Solid hardwoods can be used in a half bathroom, as long as the room does not contain a bathtub or shower.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Vinyl Floors

Vinyl flooring is durable and stands up well to heavy foot traffic. It is comfortable under foot and reduces noise, which can be important for owners with kids or pets. It is also less expensive than many other flooring options and is easy to install and maintain. Vinyl flooring comes in a broad range of colours and patterns to match every décor, including a variety of lifelike wood grains.

On the other hand, vinyl floors do not stand up well to heavy loads and can be damaged by sharp objects. Also, colours can fade with exposure to too much direct sunlight and floors can be damaged by extreme temperatures. For that reason, vinyl is not recommended for outdoor or indoor/outdoor uses.

Printed vinyl tiles and sheets have a clear wear layer that acts as a surface barrier, protecting the floor from stains and spills. These materials are very easy to clean and maintain. Solid and composite vinyl tiles do not have this surface protection, and will be more susceptible to stains, requiring occasional stripping and polishing.

Vinyl floors are a popular option among homeowners, particularly in kitchen and bathroom applications. A synthetic cousin of linoleum, bathroom vinyl flooring is water and stain resistant, versatile, and provides good durability for the cost. Thanks to a number of advances over the years, today's vinyl floors are attractive and economical as much better than bathroom wood flooring.

Balterio Pure Stone Laminate Flooring is Part of a Large Range

Balterio is a name to be reckoned with in the flooring industry and you will find that the Balterio Pure Stone Laminate flooring is just one of a large range of options available at a very reasonable price. The Balterio Axion Laminate flooring is a popular choice and is widely available. 

The revolutionary system of wood laminate flooring ensures an attractive and fast installation and this rotation system makes it easy to click the panels together with a sturdy, seamless floor as a result. Moving the wood laminate is also possible as when moving house or renovating, you take the laminate out and click them back together easily. 

Maintaining wooden laminate flooring is also easy and cheap. For everyday maintenance purposes, you should use a dry microfibre cloth. The magnetic properties of a dry microfibre cloth make sure that even small dust particles are removed from the grooves. You can also use a vacuum cleaner on the wood laminate floor, provided you have a parquet brush for your appliance. Other stains and dirt can be easily removed without leaving any trace.

As with almost everything you will find that even laminate flooring has disadvantages. For instance, wood laminate flooring can be easily ruined by water damage from a high-volume leak. Scratches also damage the surface of the printed coating, which is virtually irreparable. Another criticism of wooden laminate flooring is that the nature of the printed covering makes for a repeated pattern that has an artificial look. The laminate flooring industry has addressed many of laminate flooring’s drawbacks in the last few years.

Multi-layer wood

Multi-layer or 'engineered' wood floors comprise either two or three layers of wood, which are laid at right angles. For those who do not wish to buy wood laminate this is another flooring option. The top layer is hardwood and the layers below are also wood-based products, for example, high-density fibreboard and pine. These floors are available in a wide range of formats and thicknesses, including 20mm self-supporting floors, 13 or 15mm standard floors and 7mm 'veneered' floors, which offer a low-cost real wood alternative to laminate.

Hardwood floors can be an expensive choice for bathroom floors. Laminate materials that mimic the look of wood are a less costly option for those on a budget. Consider your budget when making the decision to use wood for your bathroom floors, and you may decide that wooden laminate flooring may be the better option, especially in a bathroom. 

There are two main types of real wood flooring: multilayer and solid wood floorings. These differ from each other through their construction. If you are determined to have the real thing then you will need to make a decision as to which type you want to go for. However, you will find that more and more people are now choosing to opt for a wood laminate flooring as opposed to a solid wood floor. This could be due to many reasons such as the cost, the variety, and the appearance.

Anti slip Vinyl Flooring Seems to be a Sensible Idea

Much to the consternation of my friend who works for the solid wood flooring company in our area, I decided to eschew the ash wood flooring that he was pushing me towards and opted for an Alicante carpet in my bedroom. Carpet has so many things going for it. It’s soft, safe, warm and quiet. It’s stain-resistant and gives excellent value for the price, and it saves energy. Carpet is also proven to trap allergens and dander (which can easily be removed with the right vacuum used regularly). 

Although I chose an aubergine carpet for the bedroom, for the other floors in the house I went for textured vinyl flooring. While it is important for your flooring to look good, you also want it to be safe.  Flooring options such as tile, stone, and concrete look fantastic but there can often be a slip risk associated with them.  It is possible these days to have the best of both worlds, safe and good looking flooring, by using anti-slip flooring treatments. 

Anti-slip treatments can be effectively used on flooring such as:

·         Tiles – ceramic, vitrified, porcelain, mosaic or quarry tiles

·         Terrazzo

·         Stone – such as marble, granite, limestone, and travertine

·         Reconstituted stone

·         Concrete

·         Brick

Benefits of Anti-slip Flooring

Anti-slip flooring is very beneficial for a number of reasons.  Firstly, you can apply the treatment without affecting the look of your floors.  Anti-slip flooring gives you instant slip resistance as soon as it is applied and it helps to eliminate the risk of slipping in wet areas.  Anti-slip flooring works in all kinds of conditions, such as wet, dry, or greasy.  Because the anti-slip treatment is so fast to apply, you don't have the inconvenience of waiting for the floor to dry.  Anti-slip treatments are also guaranteed for up to five years or more.

There are different types of anti-slip flooring treatments including:

·         Micro etching – this uses a chemical solution in order to create microscopic channels in hard mineral surfaces (such as granite, porcelain, or tiles).  These channels increase traction as water goes into the microscopic channels, creating a non-slip surface.

·         Polyurethane – this is a single pack polyurethane coating.  When it cures, it forms a strong, flexible, and abrasion resistant coating that has an attractive textured finish.

·         Penetrating sealers – these seal porous surfaces such as natural stone, tiles, and pavers against stains and water damage while still retaining a non-slip surface.

There are anti-slip treatments which can be administered at home once the flooring has been laid but it is also possible to buy flooring which has already been treated at the manufacture stage. 

Installing anti slip vinyl flooring seems to be a good idea, especially in a home where there are young children or old people. These are the most prone to slipping and falling on smooth floors and this can lead to serious injuries. Even on an anti-slip floor you still need to try and mop any spills as soon as possible as a wet floor will still constitute danger, especially when you are distracted.