The bathroom is the most whimsical room to design. This is especially true for the bathroom floor. If beauty, comfort and durability of the coating are important to us in a normal room, then additional requirements are added to this room: safety, resistance to moisture and temperature changes, hygiene and ease of cleaning. Fortunately, today there is a large selection of materials: from different types of tiles to the latest vinyl floor.
Bathroom flooring: which one to choose
Content
When the question arises of which floor is best done in the bathroom, the first factors to consider are the following:
- Room size
- Separate or combined bathroom
- Does the apartment have a second bathroom with a sink
- Interior solutions
From this input data depends on what design will be implemented and what functional load the room will bear. In a small apartment of an old layout, the bathrooms are, as a rule, adjacent and their area is very small. Accordingly, family members will often visit this room and it is unlikely that they can relax here. In addition, the complexity of cleaning in a small space is added. The simplest coating is suitable here - ceramic tile, linoleum or bulk floor.
In modern apartments, bathrooms are made separate, while their area is much larger, the apartments are often equipped with a second bathroom. Therefore, the bathroom turns into a relaxation room and personal care. The room can be zoned, combining several materials in the bathroom flooring. The space in the “wet zone” can be tiled, and the more remote areas with furniture - natural wood. Zoning visually increases the space and makes it more convenient.
Finishing Material Requirements
The basic requirements are obvious - it is resistant to changes in humidity and temperature. The floor in the bathroom must have waterproofing properties, since water is not inevitable here. To do this, an additional waterproofing layer is always mounted on the floor, on top of which a concrete screed is already being made and decorative materials are laid.
The floor in the bathroom should not be how much even if moisture gets on it. Many cheap materials - smooth tiles, linoleum sin with this.
Another requirement is aesthetic appeal. For small rooms it is better to choose dark or gray tones and a simple pattern, since here the floor will quickly get dirty. For spacious rooms, the choice of colors is more extensive. The light floor visually expands the space, but it is not recommended to do it in the same tone with the walls, this slightly disrupts the orientation. The dark floor gives a sense of stability, subconsciously it seems that it is more difficult to slip on it. Ideal - the floor is a few tones darker than the walls.
Coziness and comfort of the floor in the bathroom gives the system of underfloor heating. It can be either electric or water. This is especially important when using ceramic tiles or porcelain tiles, since they themselves are cold.
Varieties of flooring for the bathroom
Today, the industry offers a large number of natural and synthetic materials that can be selected for rooms of any size, design and functionality and for any budget.
The most common materials for flooring in the bathroom:
- Ceramic tile
- Linoleum
- Porcelain Tiles
- Bulk floor
- Bulk floor with 3D effect
- Natural wood
- Laminate
- Bung
A common option is ceramic tile or tile. This type of decoration has been used indoors for several thousand years! The first tile appeared in the Interfluve of the Tigris and Efvrat, then it was also trimmed with courtyards, living quarters and baths. And the most interesting - according to the production technology, it did not differ much from the current tile.
Today, special bath tiles with anti-slip properties are produced. The tile does not absorb moisture at all, has good waterproofing properties, and is easy to clean. Moreover, it is environmentally friendly, natural material. It has two drawbacks - fragility and coldness.
Linoleum is the cheapest and easiest material. For flooring for the bathroom, special types are made - moisture-resistant and with anti-slip properties. The main disadvantage of linoleum is the complexity of its installation. It must be laid so that the joints fall on the most “wet” places, the joints with the wall must be finished with a waterproofing baseboard. In the event moisture gets under linoleum, a fungus will be introduced there, which will later be very difficult to remove.
Porcelain stoneware is a more modern material than ceramic tiles. It is made of clay, spar, quartz sand. Combines the properties of tiles and natural stone. Therefore, it is more preferable to use than ceramic tiles.
Bulk floor today is becoming increasingly popular. This is a solid floor covering in the bathroom, which is poured from acrylic, epoxy or polyurethane. It has the best waterproofing properties, durable, non-slip and comfortable. Its disadvantages are the high cost and complexity of production. Installation of such a coating may take several weeks. The main feature is the ability to apply any pattern, including 3D. The floor in the bathroom can turn into a deep pond, a beautiful flower, a romantic clearing or any other landscape.
Natural wood is suitable for flooring in the bathroom only in certain areas. The wooden floor creates a cozy microclimate; it is tactilely pleasant. It is convenient to stand on it barefoot. One of the disadvantages is the low moisture resistance. Larch and teak are the most resistant to moisture, and oak is also possible. It is worth paying attention to a tree that has undergone special steam treatment - the so-called thermal tree.It is more resistant to moisture.
Laminate in its properties is similar to wood and can be used only in certain areas of the room. A distinctive feature of the laminate is a special coating with a moisture-resistant film.
Natural moisture resistance has a cork. In addition, it differs from all other materials in its tenderness and shock-absorbing properties. The floor in the cork bathtub will be very cozy, soft and warm. The disadvantages of cork are the high cost and complexity of laying.
But whatever floor covering for the bathroom would be chosen - the most important thing is that it will please the owners and create coziness.
VIDEO: Realistic 3D floors for the bathroom.