Among the different parts of your home, the floor in your bathroom requires the most consideration. You not only need to think about aesthetics, but you also have to make sure that you and your family won’t slip on the floor when it’s wet.
Since functionality and practical issues are now part of your considerations, finding material for your shower floor would be more complicated. Since there are different types of shower flooring, let’s find out how they fare against each other so you can find the material that fits your preferences.
Types of Shower Flooring
1. Concrete
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Let’s start with the most basic type of shower flooring that you can use. With the different shower floor options that you have, many people will discourage you to use concrete as flooring. This is because it looks uninviting and water can easily penetrate it.
However, there are a lot of different ways to make sure that your flooring won’t be penetrated by water. With a proper floor heating system and water sealant, concrete can be a good choice for your bathroom. There are also different methods to make concrete look beautiful and vibrant.
Concrete is customizable and there are so many dyes and stains that you can introduce to change its color and design. You can make it look like marble or you can make it as black as onyx. Affordability is also one of the reasons why many people opt for concrete.
The problem with concrete is that it becomes slippery when polished. If you leave the surface raw, it would have a slip-resistance feature, but it would be very uncomfortable to step on it. This will not look good as a shower base, especially if your shower walls are very exquisite.
2. Porcelain Tile
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Porcelain tile is the most common material used for shower flooring. The tile can be large or small depending on your preference. Porcelain tiles are made from a dense clay body, which means that it is very durable and waterproof as well. It is perfect as shower flooring.
This type of shower floor tile is very easy to clean as you only need a cloth and mild detergent for maintenance. As long as you do it regularly, you won’t have to deal with discoloration in the future. When it comes to durability, porcelain is also great as it can last for many years.
Porcelain tiles come in different colors and designs. You can even find designs that are very similar to hardwood, which would make the floor look like wooden planks. This kind of material can also increase the resale value of your home since most homebuyers prefer this type of shower flooring.
The only issue with porcelain tiles is the grout line around them. The tiles are very easy to clean, but you will have a difficult time scrubbing a lot of grout. It can accumulate dirt fast. If you opt for larger tiles (less grout), the floor would be slippery as grout can improve the grip of the floor.
3. Glass Tile
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If you prefer aesthetics more than anything else or you don’t have any kids in the house, you might want to consider glass tiles. When it comes to beauty and sophistication, this kind of material is one of the best in the industry.
With different choices of styles, colors, and designs, you will literally have a hard time choosing the glass tile that you will install in your bathroom. Aside from beauty, another reason to opt for a glass tile is that it doesn’t stain. Since this tile can be cleaned easily, you don’t need to expect stains on the surface.
Like typical glass, all you need to do is to wipe the surface and it would look like new. This type of flooring is quite slippery, but with small mosaic as well as tumbled glass tiles, you can have that extra texture for better grip and traction.
One of the issues with a glass tile is its costly installation. Since glass under your feet is not a good idea, the installers will have to make sure that the glass will not break easily when you step on it. Scratches on the surface are very common as well.
4. Ceramic Tiles
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If you’re on a budget and you want something that would make your bathroom look good, you can go with ceramic tiles. This type of shower flooring is one of the cheapest that you can get in the market, but it’s durable and you can find textured designs that would provide that extra grip and traction.
It comes with a large array of designs like porcelain tiles. The most difficult part is choosing a style that would fit your bathroom design. Since there are so many options available, you can definitely find a tile that would complement your bathroom.
The bad thing about ceramic tiles is that you’ll have to reseal them once the glaze gets cracked or damaged. Remember that as soon as it’s damaged, moisture can easily enter the floor and your tiles would get damaged. If this happens, you will spend a lot of money replacing everything.
In combination with that, ceramic tiles are not as durable as porcelain tiles. Since it is a cheaper option, you can’t expect it to be extremely durable. Well, as long as you properly maintain the tiles and avoid dropping anything that would damage it, you’re good to go.
5. Vinyl
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Just like ceramic tiles, vinyl is another low-cost option that you can consider. This is almost the same as linoleum, but it offers more benefits. Vinyl can be installed as a solid piece or you can add planks if you want as long as the seams would be properly sealed.
If you want to use vinyl flooring, the most important concern would be the sealing of the seams. When you install tiles, you can use grout to make sure that water will not enter the spaces in between. The same thing is done for vinyl.
Failing to seal the seams can cause mold and mildew to grow underneath the floor as the water will leak underneath. This would lead to expensive damage so you need to be very careful. It’s better to hire a professional to help you with the installation.
Vinyl comes in a variety of styles so you can definitely find a design that would fit your preferences. It also has a soft finish so it’s very comfortable to stand on it. This flooring also offers good grip and traction.
6. Travertine
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Travertine is a very popular material for shower floors because of its natural beauty. If you want to prioritize aesthetics over everything else, this is a great choice for you. The beautiful tan finish can provide a warm feel to your bathroom and it can increase the resale value of your home.
One of the advantages of travertine is that it can last for a long time since it is extremely durable. You can also find a travertine with a high-grip surface so you won’t easily slip while walking on it.
A primary problem for travertine is that this kind of material is porous. It means that water can seep through the cracks of the bathroom flooring if there is no proper sealing done on the surface. This is why you need to hire a professional to properly seal your floor.
This tile is also prone to staining, which is completely different from granite floors. You will have to clean it regularly if you want to prevent this from happening.
7. Marble
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Marble is a natural stone and it is one of the most popular types of flooring anywhere in your house. It has a luxurious look and feels to it, which would add up to the beauty of your interior design.
When it comes to bathrooms, marble can be a good choice since it provides that gorgeous vibe to the bathroom. It can improve the elegance of the space and will attract future buyers as it is a high-end floor material.
However, marble tiles are very slippery when wet. You can get small marble tiles so you can get that extra traction and grip, but it will have to be sealed properly.
8. Fiberglass
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Most of you may not think that a fiberglass floor is not a good option, but some people are now using it because it is affordable and it gives a unique vibe to the bathroom.
Fiberglass provides a plain and clean look to your bathroom. It doesn’t have too much design so it would work perfectly for minimalist styles.
The only problem with this is that it can easily get damaged. Once the surface cracks, you will have to replace everything. You cannot place tiles and grout on top as well as it usually flexes, causing the tiles to crack.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a type of shower flooring should always depend on functionality more than anything else. You can always find a great design for the floor, but you have to make sure that your flooring provides adequate traction to prevent you from slipping.
If you have any concerns or suggestions about this, you can comment down below and we will help you.