Vinyl flooring clearly is a better choice in high-moisture environments than laminate flooring, making it an excellent choice in bathrooms. But for whole-house installations, laminate flooring often makes sense because it offers a wide range of choices.
The most popular choice for bathrooms is tile. Specifically, ceramic and porcelain tiles are great options for bathrooms. Tile flooring is resilient, waterproof, available in a variety of colors and designs, and generally less expensive than other hard surface options.
Vinyl is a standout choice for bathroom flooring. There are several different vinyl products, including luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and vinyl roll (also known as sheet vinyl), and both of these are excellent bathroom flooring choices. They're durable, moisture-resistant, easy to clean and maintain, and warm underfoot.
Laminate can withstand drippy towels and stand up to heavy traffic and dropped curling irons. It also resists even the toughest stains, from makeup to nail polish. Some manufacturers do not recommend putting laminate in the bathroom due to the worry of water damage.
If you are considering installing new floors in a kitchen or bathroom, which are susceptible to daily water spills, vinyl flooring is better as it is 100% waterproof.
Vinyl also has a longer lifespan and better overall durability than laminate. Although it can last twice as long as laminate, vinyl (especially luxury vinyl) may involve a larger investment upfront.
While costs are similar, the value of premium vinyl far exceeds that of laminate based on quality and value. Unlike laminate, premium vinyl is durable and stable, resistant to moisture and climate, and is easy to install and maintain. Laminate is restricted to light traffic and low moisture applications.
Consider wood-look luxury vinyl tile
You can use real wood in a bathroom. Engineered planks have the stability to weather the changes in temperature and humidity, but luxury vinyl can be a better and more practical idea for small bathrooms.
If you're installing a new floor, pedestal sink, and toilet, you should install the laminate flooring first so it's under the sink and toilet. Because laminate flooring floats above the sub-floor on top of underlayment, it will expand and contract slightly with the temperature and humidity of the room.
Floating laminate flooring can be installed in nearly any room, with a few exceptions. Because the inner core of the material is made with wood or fiberboard that is susceptible to moisture damage, installations in any room with a floor drain or sump pump should be avoided.
Con: LVP May Dent
Luxury vinyl flooring can dent and even scratch or scuff, especially from heavy appliances, furniture, or other weighty objects. Just because it's resistant to something doesn't mean it's impervious to it. However, do know that LVP resists scratches better than real hardwood.
If you are installing luxury vinyl planks in wet areas such as laundry rooms, bathrooms, or kitchens, installing a waterproof underlayment can give you extra peace of mind. If there should be a spill or a plumbing leak, you can be assured that the water will not penetrate into the subfloor and cause structural damage.
There's no reason you can't install vinyl plank under a toilet. The only thing to keep in mind is that if a toilet isn't perfectly flush (see what we did there?) with the surrounding floor, it could wobble.
Use large plain-coloured floor tiles
It's a common mistake to use smaller floor tiles in a small bathroom. This actually makes the room look smaller as it creates more dividing lines between the tiles. Choosing a large, plain-coloured tile will give the impression of more floor space and a cleaner, less cluttered look.
If you are looking for the easiest and best bathroom flooring to install, you should consider vinyl tile, water resistant laminate flooring and the rigid core engineered wood as they are of high quality and relatively easy to install.
As matt surfaces have better traction than gloss, they're the obvious choice for flooring – and particularly in bathrooms and wet-rooms. We do not recommend using a gloss tile for flooring in a wet-room or bathroom.
Unless you are a quick draw on the mop; dog urine will damage laminate flooring, real wood flooring, engineered wood and tile grout. Unfortunately with a lot of flooring the pee will be absorbed into the floor itself or underneath and this is what can make the issue very difficult and expensive.
We recommend that the toilet bowl be placed on top of the tiles on a finished floor. That's the long and short of it, unless you used a thin material for your tile, like vinyl.
The floor will be sealed a lot better with the tiles being laid under the toilet. 2. It is also easier to do this rather than trying to cut tiles around the toilet.
Extend the sight lines of a small bath by using a light color throughout the space. In this room, white finishes on the floor, walls, sconces, toilet, and shower make the small space seem bigger. A few gray and black tiles on the floor and wall add visual interest without overpowering.
Should bathroom floor be lighter or darker than walls? 'As a general rule of thumb, it's better for the bathroom floor to be a darker colour than the walls and ceiling,' says flooring expert Christian. 'This ensures that there is a good contrast without making the room seem too dark or compact. '
White tiles are still the most popular tile color choice, especially for small bathrooms. A light tile color will make your tiny bathroom feel bigger and brighter. Especially when you have little to no natural light coming into your bathroom, then a white tile will be a classic and right choice.
Vinyl stands up the best against excess moisture and spills, and it can be less expensive than laminate. However, laminate gives a more realistic wood look to enhance the design aesthetic in your home.
The initial costs associated with laminate flooring are typically lower than that of vinyl, with labor and materials starting at around $1 per square foot for laminate (versus $2 per square foot for vinyl).