Bathroom floor

[dcastellano1]

Anyone have any ideas on the best wood for a medium sized bathroom floor?  The shower and toilet are in a separate area so only have to worry about water from the tub and sinks.  Don't want to use tile as too cold (here in the midwest).  Maybe Teak or ironwood??

Thanks!

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

Just about any wood can be used for the floor as long as it is prepared and installed properly.  My dad had a house built in the late 80s in Pittsburgh which had cherry trim and floors including several of the bathroom / powder room floors.  No problems to this day...  I think it mostly depends on what wood you want, the look you want and getting it installed properly.  Good luck.

Best,
Todd

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I never did a bathroom with a wood finish floor, but I did a family room in 7/8" thick red oak below grade on what used to be a concrete garage floor, and had no problems in the 27 following years I lived there before moving.  The key was preparation to seal out intermittent sudden exposures to high moisture, e.g. due to humidity and spills.  In the case of my below grade floor I also had the risk that any leakage of the plumbing to the hot water tank, water softener, washer, lower bathroom and A/C drains would cause water to flow across the higher grade of the basement floor and onto and mostly under the wooden floor I installed.  I used waterproof plywood under my finish wood floor and sealed all but the top surface of each T&G flooring board before installation.  Any spills were mopped up quickly.

Dave R.

 

[jaegerhund]

Dave -- what did you use to seal the wood?  How did you finish it ?

Thanks,

Justin

 

[Dave Ronyak]

First coat - diluted shellac, then oil-based paint on the underside (a good way to use up old stocks since color is not relevant), then oil-based pigmented stain, then a coordinated solvent based intermediate and top coats finishing system I purchased through one of Sherwin Williams commercial (industrial) supplies stores.  I recall first coat over the stain was a phenolic material, which was intended to seal and provide a surface that would bond well to the top coats of polyurethane varnish that were applied within the stated time intervals.  All of these could be applied with a brush.

Keep in mind the above finishing schedule was based on materials available >25 years ago.  Many new finishing products have been developed since then.  If I planned to tackle a project like yours or another like my old one (and I plan to in a few years), I will consult with various finish suppliers.  The information and products marketed to industry and professionals back then by SW was very different than what was being taught to and offered by their retail store outlets which target the mainstream consumer products.

I suspect some of today's catalyzed finishing products are superior to what I had available for my flooring project.

There are undoubtedly many other members of FOG who know much more about this subject than me.

Dave R.

 

[robtonya]

    I put laminate flooring down, both over the tub, and toilet. I know most would not approve, and I was sceptical, but was told that if I ran a bead of silicone around the perimiter (hidden by the baseboard) and not leave water for an extended amount of time it would be alright. I even ran silicone where the floor met the toilet flange, just in case I had a wax ring go bad. I haven't had any problems thus far, and it was inexpensive to do.I also did not run it fully under the tub, just in case it did have to come out, the new floor could still slide under the tub. I'm sure some will disagree with my decision, but it has worked out.

 

[jaegerhund]

Interesting Robert ----- I'm wondering if an engineered wood flooring might be the best compromise here --- not as moisture sensitive  but it does seem that a properly sealed hardwood flooring should be O.K. as long as you don't let water sit for long.  I guess I would worry about the laminate floors deteriorating with water exposure but my parents have a laminate floor (looks like tile) in their kitchen and it's doing alright.

Justin

 

[nickao]

I had the best laminate money could by at the time and the laminate was approved for bathrooms. NEVER again!. Two times in three years the entire floor had to be replaced because of water. In the bathrooms with hardwood no noticeable problems whatsoever in ten years.

If you get on overflowed toilette or overflowed bath or even the kids trashing the floor with water, the laminate is not going to hold up. This is my personal experience and I will never go laminate in a bathroom or anywhere a floor can get really wet. A kitchen is nothing like a bathroom when you consider there is not toilette, bath tub, shower or potential for moisture build up like in a bathroom. The laminate will hold up, but one accident with water that sits for more than an hour and forget it.

I would go hardwood or tile. Any hardwood is fine and ten times better than laminate in a bathroom or anywhere. If you are worried get a flooring that also is used outside or even White Oak, but even Red Oak is nicer that laminate and I had no problems at all.

I have been through so many Home appraisals and the only flooring that actually increases a homes value on the actual appraisal forms is Hardwood and there is a reason for it. Its easily a 100  year material.

 

[robtonya]

yeah Nick, I do worry about it alot, and have made measures that if it did need to be replaced it could be done. I made sure to make the kids aware, and they have been good at drying off in the shower. I too was told it is alright to put in a bathroom, and I looked at my other options, cost wise it was inexpensive, and I got the look I want. Of coarse while I was typing this my youngest son decided to get sick in the bathroom, and I had to go make sure he did not get it on the floor (he didn't), so maybe the fact that I always have to check on it, might not be such a good deal after all.

 

[waterguy22]

Anyone have any ideas on the best wood for a medium sized bathroom floor?  The shower and toilet are in a separate area so only have to worry about water from the tub and sinks.  Don't want to use tile as too cold (here in the midwest).  Maybe Teak or ironwood??

 

[Holzhacker]

Having done far too many floors over the years I would not recommend laminate at all for a bathroom. The risk factor for a spill from general use, visiting kids or your drunk uncle is just way too high. Laminate and water like each other less than water and oak. Oak and maple hardwood are fairly common around here for 1/2 baths and once in a while full baths. With proper sealing and expansion joints along the walls you should be fine short of a flood event.
Cold tile? Oh well that's just a good reason to put in a floor heat pad for the misses.