Surfaces for Bathroom Walls and Floors
If you’re tired of the overall appearance of your bathroom, or you want to make changes and add some new fixtures, it may be time for a bathroom renovation or remodel. However, if you’re new at this, the whole process may feel a bit intimidating since you’ll have to choose the materials and the fixtures, make design decisions, and much more. Here is where our experience comes in.
At Paro, we have expert knowledge on all the things related to remodeling different places in your home, and we want to share that knowledge with you.
In this article, we’ll discuss how you can choose the materials that will be used for the walls and floors in your bathroom and what the benefits of each material are.
Types of Surfaces in Bathroom
When we discuss the different surfaces in a bathroom, we generally think of the walls and floors in a bathroom. Each material has its specific characteristics, and when renovating or remodeling, you need to compare them in order to decide which fits your budget and the design for your bathroom best. Then, there’s also the functionality aspect of the material.
When working on a remodeling project, you obviously want to finish as fast as you can and enjoy the benefits of having a new bathroom. But, for this process to run smoothly, you’d want to choose and order everything even before construction starts.
This way, you’ll have all the materials on hand when necessary, and the remodeling goes stress-free. Now, let’s dive into the different materials you can choose for the surfaces in your bathroom.
Bathroom Walls
The walls in your bathroom, just like the floors, need to look aesthetically pleasing, be water-resistant, and be easy to install and maintain. Depending on your budget and preferences, you can choose from a variety of different walls and finishes. Let’s see what they are.
Fiberglass and Acrylic Wall
The first wall finish on our list is the prefabricated fiberglass or acrylic wall, which is one of the most budget-friendly walls there is. These types of walls are made in the factory and arrive on-site as wall units, which are then installed in a few hours.
Compared to other types of walls, such as tile, they take less time to put in place and leave less of a mess. Another benefit is that they give a very minimalist feel to your bathroom, especially if you choose a white finish. However, you can order them in many colors that match your bathroom's overall color scheme.
When comparing acrylic and fiberglass walls, at first, they appear to be identical and have similar properties, but there are some differences between them. The former has an appealing finishing gloss and is less prone to scratches and damage, while the latter can be damaged much more easily, but it’s more budget-friendly. If you take good care of them, both can look good even as they age.
That being said, when comparing them to other types of walls, both fiberglass and acrylic walls are more prone to scratching and age faster than porcelain or ceramic tiles. So, if durability is one of your top priorities, you may want to choose another material.
Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Walls
For people who are fans of versatility in terms of design options, walls made of ceramic or porcelain tiles will be ideal. Since tiles come in various shapes, sizes, and textures, you can design a unique bathroom that can be a mix of different styles, or you can choose a single color.
These walls will be more expensive than the prefabricated fiberglass and acrylic walls, but they can work with modern and classic designs and different color schemes. Moreover, bathroom walls made of tiles are extremely resistant to stains and water and are very easy to clean.
Just remember that the grout between the tiles should be cleaned regularly to prevent mildew growth. An added benefit is that tiles are easy to replace if you do damage or stain them.
Even though porcelain and ceramic tiles are similar, they don’t have the same properties. For example, ceramic tiles are easy to cut and are more affordable than porcelain tiles, while the latter are more durable and water-resistant. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are more expensive than fiberglass or acrylic but more affordable than most stone tiles.
Glass Tile Wall
Although glass tile walls aren’t very common, they have a lot of perks if used in the bathroom. For example, they’re perfect for small bathrooms since they reflect light and make the space appear bigger. Similar to porcelain and ceramic tiles, you can find glass tiles in many different sizes and colors, which allows you to customize the walls based on your preferences.
A benefit of using glass tiles in your bathroom is that you’re able to clean them easily, but soap residue is much more visible on glass tiles. They’re also more prone to scratches than other tiles.
Generally, glass tiles are more expensive than porcelain and ceramic tiles and are much more difficult to install. They do give a lot of character to a bathroom, though, and can give visual interest to the room when it’s filled with refracted sunlight.
Stone Tile Wall
Next on the list are stone walls, which are one of the more luxurious tiles that you can use in your bathroom. Since there are a lot of different options when it comes to natural stone, you can go for a more rustic look or a more modern one depending on your preferences. These tiles are perfect for bathrooms that already use other natural materials such as brass or even wood.
Since each stone has its unique pattern and color, they give a lot of textural interest to a bathroom that generally looks polished and smooth. When choosing stone tiles for the bathroom, people go for granite, marble, onyx, travertine, slate, and so on. Just keep in mind that each stone has different pros and cons.
For instance, slate is a very durable stone, but it’s much harder to install since it has a layered structure. As a material, marble looks very stylish, but it stains easily. Furthermore, travertine has a rich color, but it’s very prone to scratches. So, when choosing stone wall tiles, weigh the pros and cons before deciding on one and learn about the different characteristics of each stone.
All in all, natural stone is a lot more porous compared to other materials, such as porcelain or ceramic, so it absorbs moisture a lot more. To minimize this drawback, most stone tiles are sealed, and the sealant needs to be reapplied regularly to prevent permanent damage to the stone.
Out of all the materials we’ve discussed above, natural stone is the most expensive choice, but it’s also the most visually appealing one. Although, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option that is simple to install and maintain, you should opt for some of the other materials mentioned above.
Bathroom Floors
Bathroom floors need to be durable, slip-resistant, and water-resistant. But even if we take all these limitations into account, there are a lot of different options left to choose from.
In the end, the material that you go for needs to have all the characteristics that we’ve mentioned above, as well as suit the aesthetics of the bathroom. Having a waterproof floor should be a top priority.
So, let’s find out what your options in terms of bathroom floors are and the pros and cons of each material.
Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Floors
Similar to bathroom walls, ceramic and porcelain tiles are popular choices for bathroom floors. This is due to their waterproof properties, low cost, and patterns and colors that mimic more expensive materials like wood and stone.
Even though these tiles feel cold to the touch, they are a great choice if you want to add a heating system underneath. The drawback to using porcelain and ceramic tiles for a bathroom floor is that they’re very slippery, so if you do use them, go for a tile that has more texture or smaller tiles that have more grout between them.
Natural Stone Floors
Natural stone floors are another option for your bathroom since they look luxurious. However, compared to ceramic and porcelain tiles, they aren’t completely waterproof, which isn’t a good idea for bathrooms, especially if you use them to tile the floors. To prevent this, the natural stone needs to be resealed often, so this means there’s an additional cost attached to using it.
Underfloor heating can also be installed under stone floors, which naturally feel cold to the touch. If you do decide to use them in your bathroom, opt for stones that have more texture to them to prevent slipping.
Vinyl Floors
The next option for bathroom floors is vinyl, which is a material that’s easily installed, water-resistant, and budget-friendly. Vinyl comes in tiles, planks, and sheets, and if you intend to use this material, it’s best to go for vinyl sheets that look seamless once installed.
Vinyl is an extremely durable material that comes in two types: wood plastic composite (WPC) and stone plastic composite (SPC). Even though both have a waterproof core, WPC is the more resilient of the two.
A potential downside to using vinyl in your bathroom is that it’s prone to damage from sharp objects and can develop curls and gaps after a couple of years. So, it isn’t as durable as ceramic and porcelain tiles and doesn’t increase the resale value of your home as much as other materials do.
Concrete
Concrete is one of the ideal materials when it comes to bathroom floors. Since it's impervious to water damage, it’s great for homes that already have slab foundations. The benefit of using concrete as a flooring option is that it can be dyed, painted, stamped, and polished, which allows you to incorporate it into the overall design perfectly.
This material is also budget-friendly if you also consider that it lasts for a long time, and you don’t have to do anything special to maintain it. Just keep in mind that this material is a bit hard and cold to the touch and can be slippery if you apply a smooth finish. To prevent this, mention that you want to leave some texture while the floors are being done.
Engineered Wood
While hardwood floors aren’t a great idea for bathrooms since they are prone to rotting and sensitive to moisture, engineered wood can be a good idea as a bathroom floor. This material looks like real wood but has a plywood base that isn’t as sensitive to moisture as real wood.
Remember that even though it holds up against water, it’s still not as good an option as other floors. However, if you do want a floor made of wood in your bathroom, this is your best option, even though it’s a fairly expensive one.
Cork Floors
Finally, we have cork flooring as a bathroom option, which is perfect if you want to build more sustainably. Cork is a great choice for the bathroom because it’s comfortable, looks aesthetically pleasing, and is waterproof.
Moreover, it’s a material that has a natural texture, so it isn’t as slippery as flooring made from other materials. On top of being budget-friendly, it also has some unique patterns that can look great in a bathroom if you want to go for a design that isn’t as common. Just remember that cork floors need to be resealed every couple of years to protect them from moisture.
Final Thoughts
The floors and walls you choose for your bathroom should give the room character but also have water-resistant and anti-slip properties. Depending on your budget and your personal preference, you can choose from a lot of different materials.
However, you should also focus on choosing materials that are more eco-friendly and will last for years to come, on top of the other benefits that they have. If you’re still unsure about which materials to choose, you can use our budget estimator to compare prices. It can also be beneficial to talk to a designer or an architect who can help you decide on what’s the best option for your specific needs. Good luck with your bathroom remodel!