Bathroom and Powder Room space is a small area of your home that will probably be utilized more than any other room in your home. So why not have your bathroom space aesthetically appealing, and functional for your needs, if you are going to be using it everyday. This series will introduce you to some popular Flooring options for this space that is functional and durable, and affordable for renovations.

Consider Before Bathroom Renovations

Washroom Aesthetics

Do not have fixtures with mismatched materials. For instance, Your Sink Faucets and Shower faucets made from separate materials. If it is Metal, make sure they are both metal. If it is chrome, make sure everything else is also chrome. Sophistication and flow comes from repetition of materials, especially from small spaces, such as your bathroom. Keep the materials similar if they are metal, chrome, wood, copper, etc.

Lighting

A pot light or two in your shower or a vanity mirror is good from brightening the space. Get the Right bulbs that will brighten the area.

Spacing/Plumbing

Measure the plumbing clearances, and your contractor should make sure the spacing between the wall and toilet flange have at least a full 12 inches from back wall to the front of the stat of the toilet flange/drain. Also avoid moving around plumbing, since it may be the one of the most expensive parts of renovating a bathroom. At all costs, do not try to do it yourself either, unless you are professionally trained and a certified plumber.

Ventilation

Your bathroom should have excellent ventilation, to reduce condensation from building up, and bubbling up the ceiling paint. It is apart of the building code to have proper ventilation or windows. If you do not have window in the bathroom, a stronger fan is recommended. Investing in a timer switch that runs the fan 15 minutes after stepping out of the shower, helps keep the washroom ventilated.

Paint

Also relating to ventilation, use a moisture-resistant paint and always make sure, there is a high quality primer on your dry walls, that is moisture resistant. Do not rely on the 2-in-1, Paint and Primer in One Paints either.

Towel bars

Tower bars that are only supported by Drywall Plugs, will become loose and weak over time. Pre-plan your towel placement and make sure you install the towel bars into the wood framing. If you have yet to install drywalls, have wood blockings in the right place, that will support your towel bars, and give you strong commercial working support.

Washroom Flooring

Flooring comes down to appearance and functionality throughout most parts of the home. However Washroom Flooring, is more about how it can perform under stress, and with constant water and moisture. Here are some flooring Options for your washroom, and the Pros/Cons of each choice of Material.

Porcelain or Ceramic Tiles

Porcelain tiles are waterproof, Stylish and cost-effective. They have many styles that can give Luxury appearance to your washroom. Also work really well with heated flooring. If floors or room is not heated, it can become cold to the feet, and a slippery hard surface.

Vinyl Flooring: Plank, Sheet and Tile

Vinyl for dealing with extreme amounts of water (children’s washroom/ laundry). Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring is a popular choice. It is 100% Waterproof, Cost-Effective and an Easy DIY (do it yourself) Project. The only downside is, that it can be much lower for resale-value, and Bumps/Gaps in the Subfloor can reflect on the surface.

Natural Stone

Natural Stone is hard, durable, aesthetically pleasing, and a good choice if you can afford it. Real Stone flooring can be the most expensive flooring option. An Excellent choice for Luxury Homes giving it big resale value, and Extreme Durability. Coldness can be mitigated by radiant heating, and Slippery flooring can be changed to Textured Stone. Slate. Marble, Granite, and Limestone are some materials used. The major downside is, that it can be very expensive, and should not be done as a DIY project. Hire a Professional when dealing with such expensive material.

Engineered Wood

Better than solid wood in high moisture environment. Gives the Authentic wood look with real hardwood veneer, and has a plywood base that holds up well against moisture. Best choice if you want Natural wood in Bathroom. It is Dimensionally stable with real wood on top. However, over sanding can wear off the top wood layer, and can be moderately- high priced. Also, any wood floor, even well protected is prone to some damage, and wear/tear.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate, which is Resin-impregnated paper a top a wood chip base. Surfaced with an illustration of oak, cherry, slate, marble, or any other stone/wood. Laminate is inexpensive, and easy to install. However, it will only work if you take precautions to protect the base from water/moisture. Tight seems between the planks is a must, or else any moisture that makes it through will make the laminate expand, and bubble. At this point, the Laminate cannot be repaired and must be teared out and replaced. Although Laminate is very inexpensive, and easy to install, It is also unreliable to use in washrooms, compared to other materials.