Lvt in bathroom

Is LVT for Bathrooms a Good Idea? Everything You Need to Know

Bathroom flooring is a big concern for homeowners — mainly because not every flooring works in that area. Bathroom flooring must possess a few distinct qualities, including water resistance, slip resistance, and more.

Luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and luxury vinyl planks (LVP) are increasingly popular flooring options. But is LVT for bathrooms a good idea? What are the pros and cons of LVT for bathrooms? Let’s discuss.

Table of Contents

Can You Use LVT in Your Bathroom?

Can You Use LVT in Your Bathroom

LVT is an excellent choice for bathrooms because they possess a number of qualities to battle excess water and moisture. LVT is water-resistant, so you can clean it with water. LVT is becoming a popular choice for bathrooms because it offers a softer and warmer underfoot compared to ceramic tiles or stone flooring.

Luxury vinyl planks and luxury vinyl tiles replicate the look of hardwood or stone. You can recreate the same look as natural flooring with luxury vinyl without dealing with the drawbacks of stone and hardwood flooring. For example, fluctuation in humidity levels and standing water can damage hardwood, whereas stone flooring gets slippery and becomes a health hazard in wet areas. In addition, LVT is more affordable and easier to install than other flooring options.

What to Look for in Bathroom Flooring?

What to Look for in Bathroom Flooring

Bathrooms are regular recipients of water splashes and humidity fluctuations — and it means your bathroom flooring requires special attention. Not every flooring is suitable for the bathroom. Installing the wrong bathroom floor can either mean you will be spending an extensive amount of time maintaining them, or you will be looking at a hefty replacement cost at the turn of the year.

So, some of the non-negotiable qualities to look for in bathroom flooring are –

Waterproof or water-resistance

It’s inevitable that there are going to be wet spills on your bathroom floor. You are also looking at an area with very high humidity fluctuations. So, your floor needs to put up with it. Make sure the flooring of your choice is 100% waterproof. Water-resistant floors typically tackle moisture-caused problems such as mold and mildew quite well.

Slip resistance

Wet spills and standing water mean slippery floors. Accidents on slippery floors account for around a million ER visits per year. If you don’t want to become another number in the statistics, choose anti-slip bathroom flooring.

Durability

Durability is another important consideration when you are choosing flooring for bathrooms. Bathrooms are, beyond any doubt, a high-traffic area. The bathroom floor is likely to be cleaned and scrubbed using abrasive cleaners and brushes.

Easy to clean

How easy a bathroom floor is actually to clean is something you need to keep in consideration as well. Let’s be realistic — nobody likes spending a ton of time cleaning bathrooms. Consider how easy it is to maintain the flooring. Does it need special ongoing maintenance? Will you need to deal with grout lines?

Ease of installation

Whether you are remodeling or flooring your new bathroom, installation is expensive. Choosing flooring that is easy to install will save you time and money in both DIY installation and professional installation. Interlocking planks and tiles are a great example of easy-to-install floors.

What is LVT?

LVT is a high-quality flooring material that mimics the appearance of natural floorings. Although first introduced in the market as commercial flooring, it quickly gained popularity in residential use. Luxury vinyl comes in both tiles and plank forms. The most significant advantages of LVT are it is low-maintenance, affordable, highly durable, and elegantly designed — all at the same time.

Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) were first developed in the 1970s as a way to improve the realism of sheet vinyl. It gained popularity in the 2000s when the glue-down construction, aka “dryback,” emerged as a low-cost alternative to laminate, hardwood, and carpet. Luxury vinyl is typically made of four main layers of PVC vinyl. The manufacturing process of LVT has been perfected over the years, and various compounds are mixed with the PVC to improve its durability.

Today you get two main types of installation with luxury vinyl – glue-down LVT and interlocking vinyl planks and tiles. Interlocking vinyl planks and tiles have unique tongues and grooves on their edges to create a seamless interlocking system. With glue-down LVT, you will need to apply the glue to the substrate and lay the tile over it. There are also loose lay vinyl planks, although they are not recommended for bathrooms.

LVT for Bathrooms: Pros and Cons

LVT for bathrooms is an increasingly popular choice for homeowners. The key reason being LVT holds almost all of the quality to be the best bathroom flooring.

The main reasons LVT is an excellent choice for bathroom are –

Pros of LVT for bathrooms

Waterproof: Luxury vinyl planks and tiles are constructed in multiple layers, the top being the PVC wear layer which keeps any water or moisture from penetrating the floor. Most natural floorings are not suited to handle water spills or humidity well. LVT offers the water resistance that is a must for bathrooms while replicating the aesthetics of the natural floor perfectly.
Slip resistant: Ceramic is the most common flooring choice for bathrooms. However, ceramic tiles can become extremely slippery when wet. Whereas in comparison, LVT does not get as slippery when wet. On top of that, LVT has a soft underfoot that can cushion your fall in case of an accident.
Comfortable: Luxury vinyl is one of the few flooring options suited for bathrooms that still have soft underwood. The natural look of LVT also adds warmth to the room. It offers better insulation in comparison to other popular bathroom floorings, such as ceramic tiles or stone flooring.
Easy to maintain: Luxury vinyl flooring is some of the easiest bathroom floors to maintain. LVT is waterproof, stain-resistant, and durable — meaning you don’t have to worry about scratches or dents. It also allows you to clean up spills easily. Additionally, ongoing maintenance only calls for regular sweeping and mopping.
Easy to install: Luxury vinyl, especially interlocking vinyl, is extremely easy to install. You basically only have to lay the tiles and lock them in place. You can also install LVT over tiles and other existing floors, which makes it even easier as you won’t need to remove any floor coverings.
Plenty of options: Appearance is one of the most appealing aspects of LVT. You will get an abundance of possibilities with LVT. Luxury vinyl planks and tiles can replicate the look of any flooring, starting from hardwood, ceramic tiles, and even stone flooring. The print layer of luxury vinyl is responsible for creating a luxurious and natural finish.

Cons of LVT for bathrooms

Difficult to repair: Although it’s not so much a drawback since LVT is highly durable, it’s challenging to repair LVT if it gets damaged. In case of any damages, you will have to replace the damaged tiles entirely.
Low resale value: LVT is quite affordable and easy to install, which can turn into a con if you are selling a house. So, if you are thinking about selling your home anytime soon, we recommend opting for another flooring material, such as ceramic tile, with higher resale value.
Non-biodegradable: Luxury vinyl is made of plastic entirely, which means it’s not biodegradable. Since the environment is an immense concern right now, homeowners should pay attention to this aspect.

Worst Flooring for Bathroom

As we have already mentioned, your bathroom flooring needs to possess a few properties. On the contrary, flooring materials excluding those properties are the worst flooring option for bathrooms. Some examples are –

Carpet: The dense fabric of carpet absorbs moisture. It also dries very slowly if you spill water on it. The worst part is that you can never really “clean” carpets — meaning a growth dish for bacteria, mold, and mildew.
Hardwood: Hardwood simply cannot handle moisture and wet spills. Even sealed hardwood floors can resist moisture on the top-most part only for a short amount of time. It can also buckle and crown due to fluctuations in the humidity level.
Linoleum: Linoleum is another flooring material that is susceptible to moisture-caused damages. Moisture can penetrate through linoleum which damages the inner part of the flooring.

Do you have any questions about LVT for bathrooms? Comment below and let us know!

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Luxury Vinyl Tile That Defies Every Idea About Vinyl

One of the main concerns homeowners have about installing tile in the bathroom is whether or not it’s waterproof or moisture resistant. With Luxury Vinyl Flooring, you’re in luck because it’s 100-percent waterproof! Whereas you would worry about splashes, leaks, and humidity damaging laminate, engineered hardwood, or real hardwood, water is no problem for LVT flooring. But its ability to resist moisture isn’t the only reason why this affordable and stylish option is a great idea for the bathroom.

Luxury Vinyl Tile is easy and quick to install. Plus, you don’t need messy mortar or grout like you would with ceramic or porcelain tile. The vinyl plank flooring is smaller to maneuver around those tight spaces in the bathroom and also easier to cut.

Another benefit for the bathroom is that vinyl flooring doesn’t get as cold as natural stone tiles do. Since they stay closer to room temperature, you’ll be more comfortable walking into the bathroom barefoot on your Luxury Vinyl Flooring. They also aren’t as hard on the joints as luxurious marble or another stone. The softer material provides more give when walking on them, so your knees and ankles will thank you!

The colors and installation ideas are just as attractive. And because they can be more affordable, homeowners can install LVT flooring from the floors to the walls and still stay within budget!

Elmwood Ash Wilmont

Recreate this look with MSI's Elmwood Ash Luxury Vinyl Tile (Photo Credit: Houzz)

Real wood would be a nightmare in the bathroom, especially when you have a freestanding tub where spills and splashes are likely to happen often. However, Elmwood Ash Wilmont LVP, similar to that above, is a homeowner’s dream! The 6x48-inch vinyl planks feature pretty greys and blues with subtle wood-look knots and grains. Even if you were to carefully use a bench like the blue-and-white one when getting in and out of the tub, your LVT floors still wouldn’t get damaged!

Fauna Prescott

Recreate this look with MSI's Fauna Luxury Vinyl Tile (Photo Credit: Houzz)

LVT flooring offers an authentic wood appearance without the worries that come along with real wood. Fauna Prescott offers 7x48-inch waterproof planks in light brown tones complemented by dark brown knots and grains. It’s one of the more traditional hues that could be in this historically inspired bathroom.

Charcoal Oak Wilmont

Featured: Charcoal Oak Luxury Vinyl Tile

When you get a closer look at LVT, you can see exactly why guests will be convinced that you have the real thing installed in your bathroom. Charcoal Oak Wilmont features greys and greiges with subtle wood-look accents, and as you can see, the knots and grains look so genuine and gorgeous. The extremely durable glue-down vinyl planks come in 6x48- and 7x48-inch sizes to suit your style and space.

Burnished Acacia Glenridge

Recreate this look with MSI's Burnished Acacia Luxury Vinyl Tile (Photo Credit: Houzz)

LVT flooring also comes in rich tones that help anchor a room. Burnished Acacia Glenridge Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring, similar to that in this rustic bathroom, comes with gorgeous graining against the deepest browns for an authentic look just like real acacia wood. The beautiful planks might as well be the 6x48-inch, glue-down vinyl floor tiles, and it makes you wonder if the stone feature wall and wood beams could also be faux!

Twilight Oak Glenridge

Recreate this look with MSI's Twilight Oak Luxury Vinyl Tile (Photo Credit: Houzz)

The light woods and whites in this airy bathroom scream Scandinavian design. While the floors may not exactly be Twilight Oak Glenridge, this LVT will create a similar effect. It includes a soft gray background with strokes of white, and the barely-there knots and grains contribute to the authentic, weathered-wood look. Adding the 6x48-inch, glue-down flooring to a bathroom like this one could be done in as little as a day because of its easy installation.

LVT flooring is ideal for bathrooms because of benefits like easy installation methods, extreme durability, and being 100-percent waterproof. It’s also an inexpensive bathroom upgrade that is easy to maintain. Check out the entire LVT collections online or at your local MSI showroom.

More on Vinyl Flooring

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Different Types of Vinyl Flooring
Signature Wood Look Luxury Vinyl Flooring Without the Worry

Quartz-vinyl in the bathroom - wall and floor decoration

For finishing rooms with high humidity, it is recommended to choose special finishing materials that can withstand temperature extremes and a high concentration of water vapor. Along with the traditional finishing material - ceramic tiles, waterproof pvc tiles for the bathroom are very popular. The technical characteristics of this material are similar to tiles, and in terms of laying technique and cutting method, vinyl trim successfully replaces traditional porcelain stoneware cladding.

Bathroom quartz vinyl

It is widely believed that LVT is used exclusively for flooring. However, finishing the walls and floors of bathrooms with pvc tiles allows you to give the room an original design and at the same time create a waterproof wall covering. A non-standard solution for laying quartz-vinyl on the wall meets the basic requirements of materials used in bathrooms, showers and toilets.

Vinyl tiles in the bathroom on the walls are a fashionable trend in creating a unique interior design.

The vinyl on the floor and walls pairs well with the shiny metal of the chromed fixtures and is perfect for design ideas. Products with imitation of natural materials and a combination of different color shades surprisingly transform the bathroom.

Top manufacturers of quartz-vinyl wall tiles

The construction market offers a wide range of vinyl - tiles for floors and bathroom walls from a variety of manufacturers. There are also products of unknown trade brands, which are sold at a lower price. It should be remembered that only those manufacturers who value their reputation and guarantee operation for decades can guarantee the high quality of goods.

Alsafloor (France)

The main feature of the vinyl products of the French manufacturer Alsapan from the trade brand Alsafloor is as follows:

Environmental safety of the material.
suitability for recycling.
Easy care without the use of special chemicals.
Recycled wood fibers and durable quartz-vinyl are used for the manufacture of coatings.
The strength of the coatings corresponds to 32-33 wear resistance class
It is attached to the wall using a special adhesive and connected into a single canvas using click lock systems.
Harmless to humans and does not cause allergic irritation.

Lamellas are great for laying floors in bathrooms. Wall panels in the bathroom, bathroom, kitchen and other rooms with special operating conditions look great from the same material.

Bolon (Sweden)

Vinyl floor coverings from the Swedish company BOLON in their appearance resemble a beautiful woven carpet that can decorate any room. The main advantages of the material:

Unpretentiousness in care.
Excellent wear resistance.
The material is produced in the form of rolls and tiles measuring 50x50 cm with a thickness of 3 to 5 mm. When cutting, the edges of the products do not crumble, which makes it possible to make a real mosaic for bathroom walls from pvc tiles.

To create a unique decor, the company's designers have created a whole line of different collections:

Flow. Reminiscent of the flowing serenity of the ocean expanses and gives a feeling of calm peace.

Silence. The creation of this collection is inspired by the images of dense forests and presented by LVT in a natural eco - style.

Artisan. Products with ideal aesthetic values, recommended for executive offices and suburban residences.

BOLON vinyl "carpets" can be used as an independent wall decor in bathrooms, create a single canvas or create a mosaic pattern, having previously selected the color palette of the coating.

FineFloor (Belgium)

The well-known Belgian company FineFloor produces a quartz-vinyl laminate with an extended scope. It is used not only to create durable and beautiful floor coverings, but also for wall cladding in rooms with high humidity. For laying in the bathroom, a special glue is used. Adhesive tile opens up wide opportunities for the implementation of original interior solutions. The material can be combined and create any geometric or abstract pattern.

FineFloor designers have created several popular collections that meet modern requirements for stylish design.

FineFloor Wood with classic wood decors.

FineFloor Stone with imitation of natural stone.

FineFloor Rich with premium decors inspired by precious woods.

Fine Floor Light. The collection includes natural oak decors.

FineFloor Gear with wood decors. The material is characterized by maximum rigidity of the products, which allows laying quartz-vinyl directly on tiled floors.

Quartz-vinyl tiles are laid on the prepared wall surface and fixed with a special adhesive such as Cerrazit 188 or Moment building adhesive mortar.

Quick-Step (Belgium)

LVT tiles from the Belgian company QUICK STEP LIVYN, a recognized world leader in luxury flooring, are ideal for creating floors in bathrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. Exceptional water resistance, durability, scratch resistance, beautiful design with imitation of natural wood bring the products of this manufacturer to the first steps in the rating of popular manufacturers.

Flooring and wall cladding in bathrooms with Quick-Step vinyl tiles is a great way to create a luxurious interior and maximize your comfort zone.

By their design, the plates are made of several layers, securely soldered into a single monolithic product. Locks with click fasteners securely connect individual slabs into a single sheet covering the floor area of any configuration. On the wall, quartz-vinyl is fixed with glue and interlocks.

Vinilam (Belgium)

The products of the Belgian company Vinilam are represented by a wide range of materials for laying floors and wall cladding in bathrooms. The properties of vinyl - repel water, are used to the maximum by the manufacturer to create moisture-resistant coatings intended for rooms with excessive humidity. By lining the walls with Vinilam quartz-vinyl tiles, you can not be afraid of the smell of dampness in the room and the appearance of mold spots on the wall covering.

In addition to the unique technical characteristics, the products surprise with their unusual external similarity with natural materials. In the bathroom with Vinilam wall and floor finishes, a lasting impression of fine wood paneling is created.

All manufacturers of quartz-vinyl wall and floor coverings are constantly replenishing their collections with products that take into account the most fashionable trends in interior design and increasing consumer demand.

PVC bathroom tile, bathroom vinyl floor application

PVC bathroom tile is a modern budget alternative to porcelain stoneware, tile or ceramic tile. However, quartz vinyl is not only more practical than classic flooring, but also opens up new interior possibilities: decors cannot be distinguished from the texture of oak and other species! Finishing with wood without the use of wood is an important advantage of quartz vinyl tiles in the bathroom and an advantageous difference from ordinary tiles.

Article content

★ Pros and cons of waterproof quartzinyl

★ Types of PVC flooring

★ Video: bathroom installation example

★ Photos of interiors

Vinyl bathroom tiles can be used on both floors and walls: create an interior in one style!

7 benefits of PVC bathroom tiles

100% water resistant. Both adhesive and interlocking vinyl flooring can withstand long-term direct contact with water without changing size or thickness by a millimeter! Under PVC tiles it will always be dry, the seams are sealed.
100% moisture resistant. Quartz vinyl withstands an unlimited number of cycles of sudden changes in temperature and humidity: steam and cold will not provoke swelling or swelling (there is nothing to swell, there is no HDF in the structure) of vinyl tiles.
Underfloor heating. A heating system will add comfort to the feet, but is optional: quartz vinyl is warm on its own.
Anti-slip surface. Thanks to the embossed PVC surface, the tile does not slip when wet.
Impact resistant. Falling heavy objects will not leave a scratch on quartz vinyl.
Seams do not blacken. The joints of PVC panels are almost invisible, in contrast to the thermal joints of porcelain stoneware, which will inevitably turn black over time.
Easy cutting. Quartz vinyl laminate is cut very easily with a utility knife. Unlike, for example, porcelain stoneware, which can only be safely cut with a special tile cutter.

Among the disadvantages of quartz vinyl for bathroom flooring is the artificial origin of the flooring. But the evolution of the vinyl floor is directed towards naturalization: already now in the composition of a typical quartz vinyl - up to 70% of quartz sand. In addition, a number of manufacturers offer mineral-based SPC floor coverings, which are essentially pressed and improved stone floor !

✔ Attention! All of these advantages are valid only when choosing a branded vinyl floor from trusted manufacturers in a specialized salon!

This is interesting!

Floor Comparison:

✔ Quartz vinyl vs laminate.

✔ Quartz vinyl vs linoleum.

✔ Quartz vinyl vs parquet.

✔ Quartz vinyl vs porcelain stoneware.

✔ Parquet board vs solid parquet.

✔ Parquet vs laminate.

Types of vinyl tiles for bathroom floor

There are 2 types according to installation method (suitable for bathroom) :

► Interlocking vinyl laminate. The planks are connected to each other by locking joints, like a laminate: simple and quick do-it-yourself installation, 100% tightness of the seams, the ability to disassemble the floor if necessary, as well as the operation of the bathroom immediately after completion of work. In addition, thanks to the interlocking laying, the unevenness of the subfloor is compensated: differences of up to 2 mm per meter are allowed, and for some manufacturers - up to 3 mm.

► Adhesive PVC floor tiles. Adhesive quartz vinyl per m2 is cheaper, but it is also necessary to take into account the cost of glue (in Polov stores we give glue for PVC upon purchase) and the services of installers.