Elaborate bathroom upgrades usually involve floor tile replacement. The minor or medium renovation projects mainly focus on walls, fixtures, features, furniture, etc. Since flooring requires precision and patience, it becomes time-consuming work too. But you cannot avoid this if your bathroom floor has started looking dull and damaged. You would want to restore your retreat to its best shape and form. And in this effort, anything and everything deserves attention. Luckily, options in tiles are endless. Contractors are also happy that designing a bathroom floor has become easy due to the availability of advanced processes and procedures. Anyway, what flooring style do you prefer in your bathroom? Here are a few choices. Let’s take a quick look at them.
Ceramic bathroom tiles
These are clay materials found in various shapes and burned at high temperatures for durability. You can get them in the glazed or unglazed finish. If you want it for the bathroom, opt for a glazed surface. It will be non-porous and hard. The glazed finish also comes with matt, high gloss, and anti-slip qualities. It would be best to consider these aspects to ensure your safety in the bathroom against slips and falls. Homeowners trust these low-maintenance materials for easy installation and budget-friendliness. You can pick it for its ability to emulate any style or appearance. A vessel washbowl made of quality materials can be an ideal match in a bathroom with ceramic flooring.
Porcelain bathroom tiles
It can be similar to ceramic, but it consists of finer clay particles. For density, glossiness, and toughness, the clay dust has to go through a dry-pressing and kilning process. Only then it becomes a suitable choice for bathroom walls and floors. Again, there are glazed and unglazed options. Unglazed materials can be available in many finishes, such as matt, textures, and high gloss. Glazed surfaces can feel polished. These can give your floor a flat look. One of the best things about this type of tile is the sizing. You can get its size rectified for proper fitting. Plus, these tiles can sit close to each other, requiring thinner grout lines.
Maintenance is not an issue. Whether it is a busy bathroom or a modern setup, you can rely on porcelain tiles to meet your expectations. Someone who enjoys the feel of natural stone can find this most attractive. Since it is not demanding also, one can pick it purely for this reason.
Natural stone tile flooring
Variety is not an issue with this. But most of these tiles lack in density, due to which they absorb water. To maintain these tiles, you will have to seal them at regular intervals to keep your flooring safe from water and stains. However, these are easy to cut. So you can rectify their sizes to cover the floor area adequately. Again, these need a thin grout line as they also sit close to each other like rectified porcelain. So your maintenance job becomes easy.
River rock or pebble flooring
You can bring the love and touch of nature inside your bathroom through different materials, and what can be the best way to achieve this than using river rock or pebble tiles. You can have a unique feeling while standing on these types of flooring. These tiles come in sheet format. Designers recommend getting them from a reputable tile store to avoid any error. You would want to be aware of the grout line, which can be more in this case than any other standard tiles. Also, water may not drain quickly. Nevertheless, you can tackle this issue by elevating the floor pitch a little.
There can be many reasons for opting for this. If you wish to give your bathroom a casual, holiday home-like vibe, you can trust it. In a coastal home, it can be a perfect companion. You cannot go wrong with this, even in a family bathroom. But for a nature lover, the material’s close association with nature can be everything. Easy maintenance and durability are additional highlights.
Cement floor tiles
These sand and mortar tiles don’t face high temperatures. They follow a set of traditional manufacturing methods. Usually, a person pours a color mixture into a mold, and another person adds a layer of cement to bind the cement, sandy layer, and color. After this, it has to go through underwater treatment. These non-vitreous surfaces need sealing. If your bathroom has an industrial theme, you can opt for this style for sure.
Marble tiles
You cannot talk about materials and surfaces without referring to marble. The sophisticated smooth stone has been present in yesteryears and is still around. Both modern and traditional bathrooms take pride in this. You can leverage its natural veins to increase drama in your bathroom with the help of colors like blue, white, black, rose, and grey. Marble comes in gloss and high-gloss polish. You also get satin marble tiles with a bit of shine or nothing.
As for the size, you can find this material in mosaic, tile, and slab format. All these are pretty popular. Since marble looks good everywhere, including walls and floors, it is up to you to decide its application. On a smaller budget, you would want to use it as a feature, though. Of course, it involves care and maintenance. Hence, you have to consider this aspect before making any decision.
Things to consider
When shopping for bathroom floor tiles, you have to focus on two critical aspects of a surface – slip-resistance and non-porous nature. A material without proper density will absorb water, requiring sealant periodically for maintenance. An anti-slip surface is a must for your safety and security.
Every option has something positive and something negative about it. You can compare it and its relevance for your bathroom décor to determine a choice. If you are not confident, you can discuss it with a professional designer to understand why a particular option can be good or bad for your room. But before this, you also need to know your budget.
