Don’t Walk All Over Your Bathroom Floors!

Sure they are just floors – but the floors in your bathroom are not to be taken for granted! Bathroom floors are a in a high traffic area and are subject to plenty of wear and tear. They are subject to sudden changes in temperature and humidity and see their fair share of water and it is precisely for these reasons that any floors that are laid down in a bathroom must be tough and durable.

The most common choice for a bathroom is tile of some sort. Ceramics are very big on the list of bathroom floor tile currently being used in home construction, although in higher end dwellings such luxury materials as granite and marble are also quite common. In the seventies and eighties some people experimented with putting wall-to-wall carpeting down in the bathroom - but that craze was thankfully not popular on a wide scale. As wet carpeting is a breeding ground for bacteria it is never a good idea to put some down in a bathroom – unless you are using removable throw rugs that you can pick up and wash every week. Some homes have linoleum or vinyl as a flooring – both of which are also good choice for a bathroom.

Once you have chosen the perfect floors for your bathroom it is wise to get professional help installing them unless you are already experienced at such work. Laying the floor down correctly is imperative in order to prevent leaks and subsequent water damage to the structural support underneath. Be sure to use a mildew proof caulking/sealant so that you do not have to constantly worry about cleaning mould from the joints.

People who live in colder climates might also consider getting electric floor warmers placed underneath the ceramics to heat up the tiles on cold mornings. These nifty heaters are placed just below the surface of the tiles when a new floor is being laid and, depending on the model, can be controlled either by a dimmer switch or some other kind of mechanism for choosing the right setting. Although this may not be a big draw in places where the sun shines for a greater part of the year, they are being placed under more and more bathroom floors in cities where summers are shorter and winters are colder.

Finding the right floor is just like finding anything else – you have to look! By looking through interior design magazines and through catalogues you will get a feel for what is available. By shopping around you will be able to determine what is in your budget and what is not. Being prepared before you hit the stores is always a good idea – and one that will save you time and trouble in the long run.