Help me choose new bathroom flooring with some good ideas!

[Eusebius]

I'm up on the 2nd floor of an apartment building, old wooden planks on floor with small spaces in between. Presently has cork tiles which are disintegrating.

I want something watertight that will last a considerable time - wary of vinyl after seeing cork tiles wear out in 10 years. Wondering about stuff like:

- bamboo strip flooring, tongue and groove (is it OK for bathrooms?)

- stone or mineral or whatever kind of rigid tiles

- mosaic flooring (bit interested in this)

- aluminium (but how to join the sheets... maybe a wacky idea, may oxidise)

- something else?

Have to make a decision soon and I have no working knowledge of bathroom floors at all, though OK with DIY. I'd probably get the floor fitted. It's a small bathroom. I might use the same solution in the small kitchen next to it.

Over to you guys for some help!

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Eusebius writes

I have cork tiles over ancient floor boarding. Now 18 years use. The only difference is that our builders were told to fit thin plywood under the tiles (stapled down).

I quite like vinyl cushion flooring but for some inexplicable reason it isn't acceptable to the decision maker! I was lucky to get away with the cork:-)

[Lee Nowell]

I guess the obvious answer would be ceramic tiles which would be possible even with your floor situation. I find these are cold for a bathroom so underfloor heating could solve that.

However, we have just gone for bathroom laminate flooring (in our case walnut). I was very sceptical so we got a test piece and submerged it in the sink for a day. No impact at all.

[JimK]

Get off your arse and go shopping ffs?

Jim K

[Eusebius]

Research comes before shopping. Pretty obvious really.

[Dave Liquorice]

If the cork was laid direct on the floor boards without thin ply underneath is why it hasn't lasted.

Read the spec ... Some of these flooring types are specified for "wet" areas others not.

They'll all be cold on your tootsies... the aluminium particularly so. The stone/tiles/mosaic could have electric underfloor heating but that makes for a "thick" floor covering.

Personally I'd look at vynl or laminate/engineered wood specified for "wet" areas. Vynl needs to be laid onto thin ply.

[meow2222]

oor with small spaces in between. Presently has cork tiles which are disint egrating.

vinyl after seeing cork tiles wear out in 10 years. Wondering about stuff l ike:

floors at all, though OK with DIY. I'd probably get the floor fitted. It's a small bathroom. I might use the same solution in the small kitchen next t o it.

Vinyl's very practical, but you'd have to lay something on the boards first . Cork feels nice but isnt as easy to clean, and does rot.

Ceramic tiles need a very rigid base to be reliable, I never like to put th em on a wood floor. They feel cold and have greater injury risk. There's al so the grout to clean. A fair choice on concrete where they can last a cent ury, but on wood I wouldnt bother.

NT

[stuart noble]

A bigger bath mat. Job done :-)

[Eusebius]

I'll have to lay something on the floorboards as you say. Marine ply would be the material of choice, I presume. For rigid tiles I read that 12mm is necessary - that's getting pretty thick in relation to the rest of the flooring.

I'm still considering ceramic tiles - mosaic sheets would be more textured so less slippery. I'm not too worried about a cold feel underfoot, but I'm a bloke and ladies are more sensitive. Could put mats down.

Haven't ruled out some sort of engineered wood, like bamboo.

And curious about rubber flooring - it's a small space so money isn't an issue.

I'm reading recommendations for Karndean, Amtico and Flotex - still researching these.

[JimK]

Research comes before shopping. Pretty obvious really./q

window shopping?? Ideas gathering?? Talky to peopley?? You know those people who you are going to pay to do it for you anyway?

Jim K

[fred]

Quite :-)

For an off the wall one, how about one of those hospital/industrial kitchen/public utility area floors that are laid in strips about 3m wide and rise up the wall about 120mm or so, finishing under a shadow gap. Seams are sealed with a colour matched hot melt fill filler.

Ok, hospital shades would be wholly inappropriate but I've seen some that were quite nice & edgy. As an example, I've seen it in sparkly black, nice but I imagine difficult to keep looking clean. It's available as smooth (ala hospital) or textured for a better look.

Famously durable and waterproof.

Would need the existing floor stabilised with ply but less so than for ceramic tiles.

This kind of look:

or

or navigate from:

Apologies in advance for their annoying flash dependent website.

[Broadback]

We have Amtico tiles in out bathroom. Very long wearing and warm to the feet, at least not cold like ceramic tiling.

[meow2222]

d be the material of choice, I presume. For rigid tiles I read that 12mm is necessary - that's getting pretty thick in relation to the rest of the flo oring.

d so less slippery. I'm not too worried about a cold feel underfoot, but I' m a bloke and ladies are more sensitive. Could put mats down.

rching these.

Marine is OTT. Mosaic tiles make the cleaning problem 10x worse. If you use them, I would definitely lithofin it all. Rubber isn't cheap, and I'm not sure it has any upside over vinyl. There's one other option too, duckboard. Very practical, and helps with feet drying somewhat, not attractive though .

NT

[stuart noble]

Subject to joist spacings, just take the floorboards up (if you're allowed) and replace with waterproof mdf (or ply) of the same thickness. You could stick vinyl straight on to that. Nothing's worse than a small step that serves no purpose.

[meow2222]

Ply or 18mm water resistant chip yes, mdf no, unless you want to implement wallace & grommet style automatic delivery from bathroom to breakfast table.

NT

[Eusebius]

The Altro hospital flooring sounds absolutely great. Don't know anything about it but reading up on it.

I did think of taking up the floorboards and replacing them with marine ply. I assume that's quite a lot of work, though it is a small bathroom. If it's avoidable it would be a bonus.

[alan_m]

Ill fitting floor boards, covered with thin cheap hardboard and then a good quality (but soft) vinyl cushion flooring and has lasted well for

20+ years BUT in another location the same was easily damaged by someone wearing high heels.

[Bill]

In message , Eusebius writes

Whatever you put down, ply or hardboard, fix it well, then add more fixings and when you have finished add some more. Otherwise it will get moist and warp.

A colleague of mine recently did the floor in our works loo area with hardboard and stick down tiles, within a month it was a disaster with tiles popping off and ripples everywhere. As on interim fix we have gaffered the tiles down :-)

[Bill]

My son has had Polyflor recommended to him as material used in hospitals, which comes in various formats (tiles, sheets, strips) and can be used for wetroom style bathrooms.

He has the samples, but hasn't placed the order yet, so we would be interested in any results.

The plasterer recommended it be put on ply over the floorboards, which is what he had done in his house. He said his, all in, cost about £30 fitted, but I don't know how much he did himself.

In message , Eusebius writes

[Bill]

In message , Bill writes

Per square metre !