ᐅ Parquet Flooring in the Bathroom – Any Experiences?

Hello everyone,

We really like the look and feel of hardwood flooring in the bathroom. However, we have some concerns since we will be moving in with a toddler, and there will probably be some water play in the bathtub. Has anyone had experience with this?

Elsewhere, I came across acacia ship deck flooring—would that be the most durable option?

Kind regards

There are certainly some who don’t mind it so much—especially if you say that hardwood flooring is meant to have character and can show signs of wear.

It wouldn’t be for me: I would always be anxiously chasing after water. This cleaning compulsion imposed on me from outside would personally feel very limiting. Ultimately, the truth is that water damages wood. And then it just looks shabby.

KnibbelDibbel schrieb:

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Unfortunately not.

KnibbelDibbel schrieb:

Elsewhere, I was already advised to use acacia ship decking wood. Would that be the most durable option?

Teak is the classic choice for ship decks.

The wood must not swell when exposed to moisture (which it inevitably will).
I imagine combining underfloor heating with wood and water is quite problematic.

From a German perspective, there are surprising approaches; in the US and UK, I’m aware of bathrooms with carpet flooring.
Ultimately, not much can go wrong except that the floor might not last as long as possible or may become less attractive sooner than expected. In that case, you just replace it. It’s not a life-or-death decision. If you think it’s a good idea, give it a try.

hampshire schrieb:

The wood must not swell when exposed to moisture (which it inevitably will).
I imagine the combination of underfloor heating, wood, and water is very problematic.

KnibbelDibbel schrieb:

Does anyone have experience with this?

Parquet is natural wood flooring, equally suitable for bathrooms as any other covering.
However, the choice of wood must be carefully considered (teak, jatoba, merbau, doussie, pitch pine, etc.—mostly tropical hardwoods; I have never heard of acacia being used in this context). These woods are regularly used for ship decks and outdoor terraces, lasting for decades with proper maintenance. Water can be allowed to sit on it temporarily but must eventually be wiped away.
Installation is extremely important! For maximum safety, similar to boatbuilding, the joints between parquet pieces should be sealed with a permanently elastic sealant (also around the edges near the walls to prevent water ingress).

In the shower area, a proper substrate is necessary. However, there are also shower drain systems designed for the entire shower floor, which are simply placed on top of the substrate. You might have seen this on vacation—this method is often used in outdoor showers.

KnibbelDibbel schrieb:

We would really love the look and feel of hardwood flooring in the bathroom.

Then for me, there would be NO other choice!
If you want that, then you’ll also need to take good care of it. I don’t recall our bathroom ever flooding, even with children around. I often read about horror stories involving kids, but they haven’t happened to me to that extreme. If that were the case, then you probably shouldn’t have expensive furniture or a costly TV either, since a child might scratch them.
Of course, some precautions need to be taken, and maybe it’s better not to have wood right on the floor near the shower. But if something does go wrong, you can always replace it; I just don’t believe it will.
So I would particularly consider my own and my family’s lifestyle, but if I really liked hardwood floors, there would be no second thoughts for me. It’s definitely doable without special boat varnishes or similar treatments – it’s entirely up to you.
I often see tile floors with wood-look finishes, which I personally can’t imagine for a bathroom, but it shows that the wood look is very much desired. People just tend to worry about the challenges that come with the material. That would not be an option for me; if I want wood, I’ll take it and live with both its advantages and disadvantages. I wouldn’t want to give it up.
By the way, we also once considered a part of the bathroom with carpet, even though it’s currently not very trendy (but coming back!). I’ve seen some beautiful bathrooms with it.
Often, materials are altered or “forced” to meet our modern, all-encompassing demands. Hardwood floors are supposed to be scratch-proof, wooden kitchen countertops as well, and there are stone-look surfaces that are supposedly better suited for kitchens, etc. Everything is adjusted so it fits everyone. Personally, I find it a shame that materials aren’t appreciated for their natural characteristics and limitations. That’s just my view on it.

I’m also in favor of “do what you really want.”

pagoni2020 schrieb:

I often read about horror stories with kids that I haven’t experienced to such an extreme degree.

pagoni2020 schrieb:

Maybe there is no wood on the floor in the shower area, but if something actually “goes wrong,” it can be replaced; although I don’t really believe that will happen.

Our boys were so preoccupied with brain and hormone changes during their teenage years that sometimes water would run out into the hallway while showering. “Oh, I didn’t notice,” was their genuinely surprised comment.