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.
