Hardwood Floors in Bathroom
When building or remodeling a bathroom, people avoid using hardwood floors in those spaces. The mantra that designers and architects have adhered to is “wood and water don’t mix”.
The inevitable humid environment in a bathroom, as well as the inevitable spills and splashes, have the power to warp hardwood floors, making them unattractive and encouraging the growth of potentially destructive and dangerous mold.
However, new hardwood floor finishes and creative designs make hardwood bathroom floors a viable option.
To begin with, you have to choose an appropriate wood to use. Choose hardwood flooring over softwood flooring, as softwood tends to absorb more moisture from the environment, making it more vulnerable to damage. Particularly tough and strong woods that might work in the bathroom are oak, maple, cherry, ash, walnut, and hickory.
Polyurethane finishes on hardwood floors make the floors resistant to most average bathroom conditions and should perform in all but the wettest and most humid conditions. This finish uses synthetic resins, plasticizers, and other film-forming elements to form an airtight seal that remains intact, without peeling, as the wood expands and contracts.
Even with this finish, it is necessary to take certain precautions in the bathroom. For example, large and even small spills need to be cleaned up quickly. Bathtub and toilet leaks need to be addressed immediately, something that needs to be handled regardless of the flooring you choose, but is particularly important with hardwood floors.
Other minor additions in your bathroom could add protection to your hardwood floor and make it easier to maintain. For example, placing mats with rubber backing around wet areas, like the toilet and tub or shower, will permanently absorb moisture and save you the hassle of paranoid and cleaning up every little splash. Another similar solution is to install a strip of stone or ceramic flooring around the wet areas and wood in the rest of the space. This will give you a completely waterproof area in the underbelly of the bathroom, while adding to the overall design of the bathroom and still giving you the warmth and comfort of hardwood floors.
Hardwood floors give spaces a warmth and style that no other material can match. The physical warmth provided by the floors is also attractive, especially on winter mornings, when the cold of the ceramic tiles makes it very difficult to get up.
Their unmatched versatility, style and adaptability have made them a premium material for every other room in the home, and now new finishes are making them a realistic option for bathrooms as well.
However, if you’re not convinced or willing to take on the minor maintenance issues that come with hardwood bathroom floors, perhaps you should consider ceramic tile made to look like wood. You’ll still get the warm look of hardwood without even the chance of water related issues.