Do I must have tile floor for bathrooms?

8 years ago

We're having radiant heat throughout the house, including bathrooms. We have picked out a dark wood engineered floor elsewhere, except bathrooms. Can I extend my engineered wood floor to bathrooms?

Yes

Featured Answer

Lauren Richey

8 years ago

You can, but keep in mind that engineered hardwood is layered wood, and it's easier to damage it with moisture than other flooring options. My mother installed hardwood floors into her bathroom, but did a 1.5 foot tile buffer around her tub. Her floors look fantastic 5+ years later. However, I have engineered hardwood floors, live in Washington State, and there are several pieces that need to be replaced by the front door, despite always having a rug there. Here's a pic to show you what I mean can happen with engineered hardwood:

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Comments (11)

sabra900
8 years ago
Get wood look tile that is similar in colour and grain if you want an extended look.
Nyla W. thanked sabra900
PRO
Maison de Kristine
8 years ago
I meant no
Nyla W. thanked Maison de Kristine
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Nyla W.
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi Lauren, thank you so much for sharing. Do you think it would be better with radiant heat? I'm thinking using wood will cost me $6 per sqf including installation, while tile will be $18 per sqf. If it's easy to replace a few pieces of wood plank once a while, it may still be worth it. I think your floor actually looks acceptable, to my standard :)
PRO
Inspiration Kitchen and Bath
8 years ago
I would suggest to use a wood look porcelain tile in a bathroom.

Wood flooring looks great in a bathroom but I feel it is at risk of getting water damage and also not as easy to clean as tile would be. If grout is the issue, select a large format tile so you have less grout joints and also select a darker grout color so it will not show the dirt.
Nyla W. thanked Inspiration Kitchen and Bath
Ruby Stewart
8 years ago
personally dislike the first picture, go for the second, and do that flooring.....
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
8 years ago
Engineered hardwood is a nice product in the midrange price and better. An engineered floor that is $6/s (and includes install) means this is a LOW END engineered hardwood (assume $2/sf for install = $4/sf for hardwood). That is LOW. I mean LOW! I prefer to see engineered hardwood sit around $6-$9/sf. That means the installed price = $8-$11/sf).

Still cheaper than $18/sf for tile. I would use engineered hardwood in a powder room...NOT a full bath. Especially not a low end product such as the floor you are looking at.

As for the photos of the damaged planks in Laura's post...those are BADLY damaged. You can't see it but there are HOLES in her floor! Step on those with bare feet and you will need stitches.

#1...do not use hardwood in a full bath

#2...find another hardwood product to work with. The one you have chosen is low end....and nothing good comes from low-end engineered hardwood. Except for the flooring store...they will sell you two floors in 5 years. They like that.
Nyla W. thanked Cancork Floor Inc.
Nyla W.
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you for sharing. The floor I picked is $4.99/sqf, I only included $1 for installation because it's a new construction and I wasn't sure where to draw the line between radiant heat floor prep and floor installation. Thank you for pointing it out. I'll now check on the quality of the floor material. I wasn't paying attention to that and assumed it was alright.
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
8 years ago
Whether it is a new build or an existing home, the "concrete slab guys" will assume the "flooring guys" will do their own prep...and leave the concrete in a "ready" but raw state. That means that floor prep is still required for new builds.

Radiant heat = different set of tricks for installers and is normally a different price range for install. Glue down over radiant heat will be more than $2/sf...simply because of the adhesive (can be $1-$3/sf for the glue) plus labour. Glue down hardwood is one of the more expensive ways to install hardwood.

Floating hardwood over infloor radiant is a way to go (certainly cheaper than glue down)...but many people feel the floating install feels fake.

Please check to ensure that your choice of hardwood has all three "allowances":

1) Acceptable for In-floor Radiant heat (for the system you have)

2) Floating floor is an option

3) Glue down install is an option

Most engineered hardwoods are allowed over hydronic (water/oil/gel) radiant but only a few are allowed over electric. Please check to see the floor you choose is allowed over your form of radiant heat.

Make sure acclimation is done PROPERLY for the wood AND the radiant heat system. There are very strict regulations (for both the heating system and the wood) as to how to go about this. That's why this is so tricky. One wrong thing done at the wrong time and you need a new floor...and that's when the fighting begins between installers.
Nyla W. thanked Cancork Floor Inc.
Nyla W.
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you Cancork floor. May I have a follow-up question on "floating install feels fake"? That's exactly what my husband said when he stepped on such floor at a model home. I felt very little difference. Our builder mentioned that we can have wood pieces placed at some intervals, which will greatly reduced any feeling movement. What's your experience on that?
PRO
Siena Decor Inc
8 years ago
If you want a wood look in your bathroom but don't want to risk the water damage, we have plenty of wood look porcelain tiles that are perfect for areas that have a lot of visitors.

Best,

Siena Decor

Do I must have tile floor for bathrooms?

Lauren Richey

Comments (11)

sabra900

Maison de Kristine

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