bathroom flooring

jetcat

when i moved into this house, as money was seriously short, i laid some pound shop self adhesive tiles on the bathroom floor - mainly so DDs had a decent floor to walk on.

But, i am now thinking of replacing them, as they are lifting at corners when wet etc. and look very very cheap.

Money is still tight, so looking around under £15 metre (only need 3 metres) and as i need someone to fit it, i am thinking of laminate tile effect?? Does anyone have any recommendations - or details of where to go for decent low cost (hate to use 'cheap'!) stuff??

U've_been_framed

I cannot give you any recommendations, but be very careful when buying laminate flooring; most of it is unsuitable for bathrooms and kitchens as it can warp in damp conditions. I prefer a bathroom carpet.

jetcat

U've_been_framed wrote: »

I cannot give you any recommendations, but be very careful when buying laminate flooring; most of it is unsuitable for bathrooms and kitchens as it can warp in damp conditions. I prefer a bathroom carpet.

Now i'm confused (easily done lol). I thought carpets weren't a good idea in bathrooms?? Get too damp etc??

olias

You can now get moisture resistant laminate that is suitable for bathrooms

Olias

TomsMom

jetcat wrote: »

Now i'm confused (easily done lol). I thought carpets weren't a good idea in bathrooms?? Get too damp etc??

There's also the hygiene aspect. We had carpet in the bathroom at our previous house. Now OH is a good aim so no worries, but grandson isn't and mother's partner was known as Sid Splash so if there's anyone in your house like that stay away from carpet. And if you've got youngsters who like to splash around and slosh water over the side of the bath, then again carpet wouldn't be a good idea.

Aqua Step do a 100% waterproof flooring but it's about £25 per sq.m.

We had this tile effect vinyl by Armstrong Rhinofloor and paid £14 per sq.m. for it from our local shop. It's absolutely lovely. They also do other tile effects and wood plank and strip effect vinyl which is supposed to be £18-£20 per sq.m. retail.

Sheet vinyl has come a long way from the old fashioned lino, there are some really nice ones.

Hope that helps.

thechippy

TomsMom wrote: »

There's also the hygiene aspect. We had carpet in the bathroom at our previous house. Now OH is a good aim so no worries, but grandson isn't and mother's partner was known as Sid Splash so if there's anyone in your house like that stay away from carpet. And if you've got youngsters who like to splash around and slosh water over the side of the bath, then again carpet wouldn't be a good idea.

Aqua Step do a 100% waterproof flooring but it's about £25 per sq.m.

We had this tile effect vinyl by Armstrong Rhinofloor and paid £14 per sq.m. for it from our local shop. It's absolutely lovely. They also do other tile effects and wood plank and strip effect vinyl which is supposed to be £18-£20 per sq.m. retail.

Sheet vinyl has come a long way from the old fashioned lino, there are some really nice ones.

Hope that helps.

The plank strip vinyl is not too bad if laid properly. Focus do a self adhesive one for about £5 sqm and it's not bad quality. It's bathroom and kitchen rated as well.

jetcat

thechippy wrote: »

The plank strip vinyl is not too bad if laid properly. Focus do a self adhesive one for about £5 sqm and it's not bad quality. It's bathroom and kitchen rated as well.

ooh, that sounds good! Self adhesive, does that mean that a non-diyer like myself could possibly fit it, therefore saving money on the fitting?? That means i could get some new taps as well!!!

Will look at the previous links as well, many many thanks. And yes, i have a little one who thinks the bath is just a small swimming pool - and splashes about wildly. She has also been known to pour water over the bath onto the floor :eek:

thechippy

jetcat wrote: »

ooh, that sounds good! Self adhesive, does that mean that a non-diyer like myself could possibly fit it, therefore saving money on the fitting?? That means i could get some new taps as well!!!

Will look at the previous links as well, many many thanks. And yes, i have a little one who thinks the bath is just a small swimming pool - and splashes about wildly. She has also been known to pour water over the bath onto the floor :eek:

Yes you can do it diy. To cut it you can pretty much score it with a stanley knife and snap it. Difficult shapes can be cut with scissors. I've fitted it a few times for people and it's quite good. Make sure the floor is totally dust free though, or it won't stick very well....;)

zzzLazyDaisy

Have a look at NON-SLIP cushion floor. The good stuff is almost indistinguishable from tiles (or laminate or whatever you choose). But do get non-slip because the other stuff is lethal when wet - and that goes for laminate too.

Decent cushionfloor is expensive but you can often pick up roll ends big enough to do a bathroom (thats what I did)

underlay_guru

Hi,

Because bathroom carpets are manufactured from polypropylene (basically a plastic fibre) with a rubber backing, they are completely waterproof. They do tend to start to smell after a while.

Regarding laminate, think of it as a very thick piece of cardboard! Although the top of the laminate is a thin plastic layer, the joints are completely unprotected, meaning any liquid or moisture can seep in. This will cause the HDF plank underneath to swell, which is irrepairable damage.

I would go for a decent vinyl floor: It will be waterproof, some have a good degree of slip resistancy (look for R10 RATED products), and are relatively easy to fit for a competent fitter!

mikey72

Some laminates are better than others. I've put a laminate floor in our bathroom. It's been there for years, with 3 kids as well.
It is showing faint swelling at the joints, nothing too bad, just that the joint lines are visible now. It was a b & q special offer, it was rated for bathrooms though.
Another trick is to seal the edges with pva to stop the damp getting in, or just wipe the floot dry when you finsh, not leave half the bath or shower on the floor with a pile of wet towels for the day!