ᐅ Which type of flooring is best for a bathroom that needs renovation?
Created on: 2 May 2025 07:06
A
Axel900Good morning,
I would like to get your opinion on how you would handle the floor. I have marked the area for the shower in the picture.
- Remove the wooden boards, pour a screed, and install tiles – probably the best option.
However, I would prefer not to remove the wooden boards.
Another company wants to use a shower tray, leveling compound, and waterproof vinyl flooring.
As a layperson, I unfortunately have no idea.
Best regards.
I would like to get your opinion on how you would handle the floor. I have marked the area for the shower in the picture.
- Remove the wooden boards, pour a screed, and install tiles – probably the best option.
However, I would prefer not to remove the wooden boards.
Another company wants to use a shower tray, leveling compound, and waterproof vinyl flooring.
As a layperson, I unfortunately have no idea.
Best regards.
W
wiltshire5 May 2025 10:49If you love wood and the bathroom will be used by people who are open to less practical solutions that require some care, then keep it. Bathrooms with wood do need a bit more careful maintenance. But it works.
Option: Tile the shower area and the spot in front of it where you dry yourself. Make sure that water on the tiles cannot flow toward the wood. Everyone talks about "barrier-free" or threshold-free solutions. Here, a threshold or step might actually make sense. It can be tiled but also made of stone. Instead of tile, there are also special waterproof coatings that stay watertight.
Of course, for most Germans, bathrooms without full tiling are hard to imagine. But in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, I have seen some very nice alternative solutions.
Vinyl? It can be a solution – but I wouldn’t choose it as a wood substitute. It’s unsatisfying because it doesn’t feel like real wood at all. The grain patterns repeat, and the texture and underfoot feel have nothing to do with what real wood offers. I don’t like that.
Option: Tile the shower area and the spot in front of it where you dry yourself. Make sure that water on the tiles cannot flow toward the wood. Everyone talks about "barrier-free" or threshold-free solutions. Here, a threshold or step might actually make sense. It can be tiled but also made of stone. Instead of tile, there are also special waterproof coatings that stay watertight.
Of course, for most Germans, bathrooms without full tiling are hard to imagine. But in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, I have seen some very nice alternative solutions.
Vinyl? It can be a solution – but I wouldn’t choose it as a wood substitute. It’s unsatisfying because it doesn’t feel like real wood at all. The grain patterns repeat, and the texture and underfoot feel have nothing to do with what real wood offers. I don’t like that.
Hello,
It sounds like you have a typical old building setup with wooden floorboards on the ground floor. If the drywall partition is standing on floorboards that are on a higher level, it might mean that something was added or adjusted afterward. Having sand underneath and water pipes running through is not unusual for older buildings.
Wooden floorboards in the bathroom are possible, but it’s a bit like having a classic car for everyday use—nice, but it requires care. If you want to go this route and handle it carefully, it can be used long-term. The key is to make sure the wood does not come into regular contact with standing water. So, proper sealing, good ventilation, and ideally avoiding direct "splash zones" or protecting them specifically is important.
Using tiles only in the wet areas with a slight step down to the rest of the room is a sensible solution. Alternatively, coatings designed for bathrooms, like polyurethane or epoxy resin, can be used. But visually, that’s quite a different look.
Vinyl is a matter of taste. If you’re just looking for durability, it’s a simple solution, but as you mentioned, it doesn’t feel like wood, and many patterns are obviously repeated. If it’s meant as a compromise, it’s better to be upfront: it’s plastic, looks neat, but it’s not wood.
If the wood is still in good condition and you’re not planning a heavy-use wet area, honestly, I’d keep it. Wood is a living material and needs care, but it looks really great because of that.
Best regards
It sounds like you have a typical old building setup with wooden floorboards on the ground floor. If the drywall partition is standing on floorboards that are on a higher level, it might mean that something was added or adjusted afterward. Having sand underneath and water pipes running through is not unusual for older buildings.
Wooden floorboards in the bathroom are possible, but it’s a bit like having a classic car for everyday use—nice, but it requires care. If you want to go this route and handle it carefully, it can be used long-term. The key is to make sure the wood does not come into regular contact with standing water. So, proper sealing, good ventilation, and ideally avoiding direct "splash zones" or protecting them specifically is important.
Using tiles only in the wet areas with a slight step down to the rest of the room is a sensible solution. Alternatively, coatings designed for bathrooms, like polyurethane or epoxy resin, can be used. But visually, that’s quite a different look.
Vinyl is a matter of taste. If you’re just looking for durability, it’s a simple solution, but as you mentioned, it doesn’t feel like wood, and many patterns are obviously repeated. If it’s meant as a compromise, it’s better to be upfront: it’s plastic, looks neat, but it’s not wood.
If the wood is still in good condition and you’re not planning a heavy-use wet area, honestly, I’d keep it. Wood is a living material and needs care, but it looks really great because of that.
Best regards
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