Bathroom flooring: Which material? Cork or vinyl
Wednesday, 16 March 2011 7:23 PM
When it comes to bathroom flooring, everybody has their own ideas about what makes for the ideal surface. Variations in taste and issues of practicality will both play a part in determining the outcome of any choices you will have to make.
Some items, such as carpet, are obviously not so suitable for a bathroom, given the high maintenance of such a floor covering and the likelihood of frequent spillages and splashes. Practical considerations mean that the best options are most likely to be vinyl bathroom flooring or cork bathroom flooring.
The advantages of bathroom vinyl flooring are numerous: its chief attribute is that of being waterproof, which is particularly useful in the wettest room in the house. Whatever may be splashed, dripped, or spilt directly on it, or whatever may settle as rising steam cools, vinyl will deal with it all.
In addition to this, the development of vinyl flooring down the years has meant the products can be enjoyed in a range of styles and colours, which means it is far more likely that a design can be found to match the decor of the bathroom, giving the room a unified style. And for comfort underfoot, cushion vinyl flooring can help ensure that sensitive wet feet have something pleasant to step onto when climbing out of the bath.
This aspect is one of the major benefits of cork flooring, with this being suited ideally for bare feet. The material comes with a natural softness and give that other flooring does not possess and this will help caress the feet gently. Cork is also a particularly warm material and the natural aspect of it - as well as its green credentials as a renewable material - may also appeal.
Like vinyl, cork is hard to scratch and this durability is a good quality for both materials to have. Cork is a water-resistant material rather than a waterproof one, although a vinyl lacquer can reinforce this aspect and no damage is incurred unless the water is allowed to stand.
Cork is available in various tinted shades so, although the level of choice is less than vinyl, there are still plenty of options.
So for those looking for the right bathroom floor, both cork and vinyl offer some excellent prospects and the final decision may simply be a matter of taste.
