Vinyl is a top choice for bathroom floors because it’s water-resistant, durable, and beautiful. Best yet, there are three different types of vinyl floors to choose from—all of which look great in your bathroom. Here’s how to choose the best vinyl floor for your bathroom.
Bathroom floor vinyl options
| Bathroom vinyl floor | Water-resistant | Do-it-yourself floor | Durable | Easy-to-clean | Looks like wood |
| Luxury vinyl plank | Yes | Yes-fairly easy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Luxury vinyl tile | Yes | Yes-fairly easy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vinyl sheet | Yes | Yes-but more difficult | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Luxury vinyl plank
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is made of the same material as other vinyl floors, but is available in planks. LVP floors closely resemble wood flooring (sometimes so closely no one can tell the difference!) The resemblance to wood makes it an ideal bathroom flooring option if you want the look of wood in the bathroom—without the high risk for water damage. LVP floors are incredibly durable, easy-to-clean, and can easily withstand all the humidity and water spills in a bathroom.
Vinyl plank floors come in a variety of colors and styles. LVP floors can fit with almost any new bathroom décor, or come in a color and style that works seamlessly with existing bathroom décor. (Ask a local flooring pro to see the latest LVP styles.)
Because of their construction, some LVP products come with an easy-to-install snap together feature perfect for do-it-yourselfers. Vinyl plank floors can also be installed as a floating floor, which means it requires no adhesive. Before installing the flooring, you should take these tips for a smooth luxury vinyl plank installation to heart.
Luxury vinyl tile
Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is an extremely durable bathroom floor tile that is softer underfoot than porcelain or stone tiles. LVT floors look like stone or wood and are available in styles or colors that match any décor. Many luxury vinyl tile floors are incredibly affordable, making them an easy and low-cost update for an outdated bathroom. (Bathroom flooring tip: if your budget is tight, let your local flooring pro know so they can show you in-stock or low-cost options.)
Vinyl tile flooring are typically installed with an adhesive, so it is a more difficult install than luxury vinyl plank. Capable do-it-yourselfers can still tackle the bathroom flooring project, especially with these luxury vinyl tile installation instructions.
Like LVP, luxury vinyl tile floors are easy-to-clean. LVT flooring only requires a regular sweep or dry mop to keep them looking like new, making them an attractive bathroom floor for years.
Vinyl sheet
Vinyl sheet flooring resembles tile or wood flooring, but comes in a long sheet that is a bit more difficult to install than LVP or LVT floors. (If the difficulty is intimidating, request a quote for vinyl sheet installation.) In spite of the difficulty, sheet flooring is a very affordable vinyl floor for bathrooms. It also doesn’t require grout or additional tools which makes the installation cheaper than porcelain or stone tiles.
This bathroom flooring option looks great and is incredibly durable. Because sheet flooring has no seams, there is very little chance (almost none) that water can seep through and damage the subflooring. Vinyl sheet flooring has no grout to clean and is easy to maintain and clean.
Other bathroom floor ideas
Vinyl floors for bathrooms aren’t your only choice for this humid and wet room. If you are looking for another bathroom floor idea, these floors are also durable enough for a bathroom.
Ceramic or porcelain tile
Ceramic and porcelain tile are a common bathroom floor because it is affordable, attractive, and durable. These bathroom floor tiles are a fairly easy flooring installation project, requiring grout and a few additional tools. (If you are not a DIYer, you can contact an experienced tile installation pro for the job.)
As an added benefit, ceramic and porcelain tiles are a natural conductor of heat. Because of this property, ceramic and porcelain tiles are ideal for installing over radiant floor heating.
These tiles are also a long-term investment. Ceramic and porcelain tiles can withstand regular foot (and paw) traffic. These bathroom floors only require a regular sweep or damp mop, making them an easy floor to keep clean. If you are worried about stains, tiles can be installed with a dark grout that can hide any spills.
Cement tile
Cement tiles are an increasingly popular bathroom floor tile because it is available in beautiful, eye-catching patterns. These bathroom floor tiles are fairly easy to install and, like porcelain and ceramic tile, can be installed over radiant floor heating. It does wear over time, making it a bit less durable than its bathroom tile counterparts.
Like other bathroom floor tiles, cement tiles are fairly easy to clean and maintain, though they require a resealing every 2-3 years. Cement tiles are also fairly thick and heavy, meaning there is extra subfloor prep and work involved in the installation. However, when finished, cement tiles look great and give bathrooms a one-of-a-kind flooring style.
Stone tiles
There are many stone tiles suitable for a bathroom, such as marble, granite, slate, and travertine. These floor tile options give bathrooms an upscale look and come in unique colors that look extraordinary. Typically, stone tiles are one of the most expensive bathroom flooring options on the market, though there may be more affordable options during an in-stock flooring sale.
Like cement tile, stone tiles are very heavy and do require regular resealing. Stone tiles are cold (like cement, ceramic, and porcelain tiles), which is why many homeowners opt to install radiant floor heating underneath. In spite of the cons of stone tiles, these bathroom flooring tiles are incredibly stunning and may add to the value of a home.
Floors not recommended for bathrooms
On the flip side, there are floors not recommended for bathrooms. Because bathrooms are extremely humid and moist environments, laminate and wood floors can be damaged by high humidity and water spills. Both kinds of floors are also installed with seams, leaving them vulnerable to sub-floor damage from water leaks. Even engineered hardwood floors can be susceptible to damage, making vinyl and tile floors the best choice for bathrooms.
