What Kind of Flooring is Best for My Bathroom Renovation?

There’s never been a better time for a bathroom renovation in Sydney! Whether you’re renovating a small bathroom, or creating a whole new en-suite, your flooring choices will significantly impact how your bathroom feels when you step into it, as well as how it looks. The wrong floor could make an otherwise bright and airy bathroom feel depressing and unwelcoming: not ideal for a place of rest, relaxation and solitude.

A Question of Style: Choosing the Perfect Bathroom Floor

Choosing the perfect bathroom floor is an exciting adventure into the world of flooring! Do you want a sleek tile look, with large tiles? Or a more chessboard-style approach? Perhaps you’re looking to make wood and greenery the theme of your bathroom. If so, then a gorgeous faux-wood vinyl floor would work for those on a budget!

Choosing the right flooring style is critical to creating a harmonious space that flows with the rest of the decorative choices you make. Let’s break down what your flooring options are and some key considerations that you should be wary of during an Aussie bathroom renovation.

Key Considerations for Aussie Bathrooms

Moisture Resistance: It’s no secret that Australians deal with extreme heat and humidity, let alone the increased moisture in the bathroom due to daily usage. Consider how different materials handle moisture absorption. Untreated wood, for example, will absorb plenty of moisture and this can cause it to bow or encourage mould growth and rot. Similarly, the grout in between tile flooring can also absorb moisture, causing cracking and promoting mould growth.

Slip Resistance: Slippery flooring can increase the risk of trip-and-fall injuries. Ensure that your flooring material can either absorb moisture without risking damage or consider placing anti-slip mats down when stepping out of the shower or bath. A few of the more slip-resistant flooring options include concrete and ceramic tiles.

Durability: Aussies are a hearty bunch, so too should their bathroom floors be! Consider how daily use affects your bathroom flooring. Is your bathroom heavily trafficked by multiple family members who forget to take their shoes off? Do you have pets that like to keep you company? If so, consider the durability of materials like wood or vinyl that is easily scratched, versus tile or concrete, where scratches and heavy foot traffic won’t do so much damage.

Comfort: Your bathroom renovations are supposed to create a place of zen and comfort. Your bathroom flooring is a key factor in the comfortable nature of the room. You don’t want to step out of the shower onto a hard, cold floor! Consider using in-floor heating when renovating the bathroom if you’ve chosen concrete or tile, which tends to deflect heat, rather than absorb and store it.

Maintenance: Ideally, your bathroom floor should be as low-maintenance as possible. Easy to clean or vacuum, without needing to scrub down on your hands and knees each week. Additionally, consider the longevity of each type of bathroom flooring and how often you may need to replace sections due to wear and tear or accidental dropping of heavy items, causing cracks or breaks.

Style and Design: Consider the rest of your bathroom’s aesthetic. The style and design of your flooring should flow seamlessly with the rest of your overall aesthetic. Long, rectangular wood slabs or faux-wood vinyl tend to look fantastic with plain white or cream wall paint and wood furnishings. Whereas concrete or tile floors tend to blend in well with plants and darker stained wood furnishings. The overall style and design of your bathroom impact what type of flooring you go with!

Budget: Like most renovations, bathroom renovations aren’t cheap and neither is bathroom flooring. Of course, there are more and less economical options to choose from. If money is no object for you, then you can just about choose whatever type of flooring you want! However, if you’re on a budget, then settling for a lesser-grade wood type for a hardwood floor might be an option, or choosing porcelain tiling over say, granite or marble. Make sure you factor the cost of your flooring into the overall cost of your bathroom renovation.

Popular Bathroom Flooring Choices in Australia

Below are a few of the most popular bathroom flooring choices made by other Australians renovating their bathrooms.

Ceramic & Porcelain Tiles

Pros: Ceramic and porcelain tiles offer excellent durability, moisture and slip resistance. Porcelain tiles are one of the most cost-effective methods of bathroom flooring.

Cons: Porcelain and ceramic tiles could be more strenuous to clean, as the grout in between tiles can promote mould growth if it absorbs excess moisture. You don’t want to be scrubbing your flooring on your hands and knees weekly! Depending on your style choices, certain tiles can be more expensive to install than a more straightforward, larger tile design.

Vinyl Flooring

Pros: Vinyl flooring is a cost-effective and diverse option for bathroom flooring. As it is produced to mimic wood, tile, stone and many other materials. It offers versatility in colours that mimic different wood stains.

Vinyl flooring is laid atop a sub-floor which can make it a bit more comfortable and less ‘hard’ on the soles of your feet. It’s also perfectly flat, making it a great option for those with accessibility challenges.

Additionally, vinyl is a water-resistant material, making it easy to clean and less susceptible to water damage!

Cons: Unfortunately, while vinyl may be resistant to water damage, it is not resistant to scratches and scrapes. If you have dogs or accident-prone children or family members, your pristine vinyl flooring might be short-lived.

Additionally, certain types of vinyl flooring aren’t compatible with in-floor heating. Check whether the vinyl you’re eyeing up will be compatible with any in-floor heating you want to install.

Timber Flooring (Engineered Wood)

Pros: Engineered wood is for those who want a luxurious look in their bathroom renovation! If you’re transforming your existing bathroom into something of a spa, then timber flooring is the way to go. If your bathroom has proper ventilation, then treated wood is a fantastic, water-resistant option for that wood look.

Cons: Engineered wood will require regular sealing (once every four years is a typical benchmark) to maintain it’s water-resistance. However, it’s worth noting that despite this, it’s rather unsuitable for high-moisture areas such as around showers. However, can be a great combination piece with a more water-resistant material.

Tiled Flooring

Pros: Tiled flooring offers a smooth, comfortable surface underfoot. It is also naturally water-resistant and offers insulating properties.

Cons: Tiled flooring can require more cleaning, like ceramic or porcelain tiling options. It also is pricier than its ceramic or porcelain cousins.

Concrete Flooring

Pros: Concrete flooring offers a very modern and industrial look to any bathroom. Blending in well with metallic or dark wood accents and cabinetry, concrete is contemporary.

It will last decades and is extremely water resistant, providing it is poured properly (not a DIY bathroom renovation job). It can also be polished for a smooth finish and works well with in-floor heating!

Cons: Concrete flooring is a very hard floor to stand on for extended periods. Because of its super-hard nature, it may not be a suitable option for those with feet or joint problems. It can also be cold underfoot.

Final Thoughts

If you’re performing bathroom renovations in Sydney for the first time and are looking for guidance on the best type of bathroom flooring for your new renovation, don’t hesitate to contact us at Crystal Bathrooms, our experts will be happy to help you make those tough aesthetic decisions, while our building team can assist you with the installation process!