Pros and Cons to Bathroom Laminate Flooring

Most experts won’t recommend laminate for full bathrooms but outfitting your powder room or master bathroom with laminate flooring is possible. If you can pick the right laminate, you can outfit a small bathroom with it. There are lots of other alternatives to laminate flooring that may be better suited for a bathroom.

Pros and Cons to Laminate Floors in Bathrooms

Some luxury laminate comes in waterproof formulas, making it a possible solution for bathrooms. There are lots of reasons why laminate flooring works well for bathrooms. Here are some places where you can install laminate flooring. Any room listed as “maybe” should consider other options such as vinyl.

So what are some upsides and downsides to installing laminate in bathrooms and powder rooms then?

Also Read: Laminate vs. Vinyl Flooring Review

Affordable

Laminate is notorious for being incredibly affordable. If you’re outfitting the rest of your home with laminate and want your bathroom to match, laminate is a good way to save some money. However, other options like vinyl are just as inexpensive and waterproof.

Easy to install 

One of the best features of laminate flooring is that it’s often installed as a floating floor. All you need to do is literally click the planks into place. First-time DIYers find installing laminate floors is a breeze. 

However, if the board isn’t properly installed, water can seep through. This causes damage to both your floors and your subflooring that can also lead to mold. Consult a flooring expert before you install or consider going with another option if you’re not confident in your installation skills.

Also Read: What Are Floating Floors: Installation Tips & More

Easy to clean

It’s super easy to clean laminate flooring. But as we mentioned, it isn’t water-proof so messes need to be cleaned right away. Laminate flooring can be quite slippery when it’s wet, so just use a little extra caution when you get them wet.  

Functional and adaptable

Most laminate already comes with its own underlayment, which makes it easy to install, cheaper, and comfortable. We still recommend looking into installing an underlayment (especially in a bathroom) to prevent some of the common issues users have with laminate. 

The biggest plus side to laminate is that it looks amazing. From a decorative standpoint, it would make a great option for a bathroom. 

Installing Laminate in Bathrooms

The most important step you can take while installing laminate in your bathroom is to use a waterproof silicone caulk. Unlike normal grout, the silicone is flexible and waterproof. This type of caulk also expands and contracts to fill in gaps, which can often get worse with humidity. 

Laminate is adaptable. Although we discourage it over other options because it’s not traditionally waterproof, it’s adaptable enough to work with incorporate other solutions in splash zones, such as:

• Decorative tile design.
• Hard tile border.
• Waterproof baseboards and moldings. 
• Ultra-absorbant underlayment.

Your warranty will likely be voided if you use caulk or make cuts for tiles.  

Also Read: How To Handle Flood Damage Restoration

Is Laminate A Good Option For Bathrooms?

Most experts recommend you use vinyl flooring in place of laminate in bathrooms. As we’ve discussed in the article, vinyl plank flooring can compensate for laminate’s shortcomings. Both these options are super similar and are suitable for bathrooms in some situations. However, laminate may not even be suitable for high-humid areas like kitchens.

On the other hand, there are lots of things you can do that can make laminate a good option for a bathroom. If you’re set on installing laminate in your bathroom, consult with a flooring expert first to see if there are comparable options available or if you should use decorative tile in some spots.

Laminate is an affordable alternative to most flooring options but isn’t suitable for most bathrooms. Vinyl flooring is a better option for powder rooms and sometimes bathrooms. To get a free quote on outfitting your bathroom in either laminate or vinyl, contact our flooring partners today.