While wooden floors are a desired look in toilets and shower rooms, it is worth bearing in mind that most types of wood flooring are not actually suitable for bath or shower rooms. The humidity in the atmosphere in these rooms as well as the direct threat of water spills and splashes together with the rise and drop in temperatures, leaves tub and shower rooms a really challenging environment for a wooden floor.
It is crucial once you're considering which type of flooring to install in your bathroom or shower room to bear in mind that in the event that you do not make the ideal decisions at the outset, you could be left really disappointed with all the long-term performance of your floor.
There are not many species of timber which might withstand the challenges a shower or bathroom throws at it. Because of this, instead of opting for solid hardwood floors in your bathroom or shower area, you should consider the installation of engineered timber flooring as an alternative.
Solid hardwood flooring, as the name implies is made from a single plank of wood whereas engineered flooring is composed of a thin layer of real wood fastened to a plywood base. Due to the structure of engineered wood flooring, it is better able to withstand the humidity and splashes and spills it'll come up against in shower rooms and baths. Assuming you choose to install engineered hardwood floors in your bath or shower space, it is important to elect for a minimum thickness of 14mm so as to maximise the stability of the floor.
When you've selected your floors material, you'll need to take into account the fitting process to use and regardless of which method you decide is best, you have to remember to be stringent about respecting the 20mm gap between the planks and the walls. This gap is very important in bathtub and bathroom environments due to the contraction and expansion that can occur on account of the humidity and temperature changes.
Finally, when your flooring was laid, it is crucial that you turn your attention into the hardwood floors finish. Both main finishing choices for bath and shower room floors are lacquer and hard wax oil. The advantage of lacquer is it'll leave your floor pretty much waterproof but the downside is it isn't a natural product. Hard wax oil on the other hand is a natural product and will definitely help protect your floor by massaging deep into its center.
