Dream It
Achieving the bathroom of your dreams starts with inspiration. This inspiration is the foundation of creating a bathroom that is uniquely yours. We encourage you to look far, dream big, be different. There are so many different products and great options available today. Why not check out the latest styles and trends at your local home improvement center. Collect ideas anywhere, anytime… the more the better.
Visiting the box stores, local retailers, and searching the internet to gather ideas is a good place to start, but inspiration will often occur when you least expect it: flipping through a magazine, watching television, or visiting a friend’s home. Be prepared to gather these ideas using quinju.com on your mobile device! quinju.com is an easy home renovation planner tool, free and allows you to even invite your family and friends to help gather inspiration and ideas. Start by sharing your favorite images and having them comment, but remember, this is your project.
Dreaming is a fun and necessary part of your home renovation. Shaping that dream takes you one step closer to reality. Not every product is right for your bathroom project. Not every product will fit your budget. Start defining your dream by identifying the products that are right for you.
Need some ideas on painting along with this project, check out this article for trends and design ideas.
In the past, selecting a bathroom flooring product was usually determined by the look you wanted. If you liked the tile look, you selected a ceramic tile. If you wanted the look and feel of natural stone, your selection was limited to granite, limestone, slate or marble. Today, the lines differentiating these products have become blurred. The ceramic tile look and feel can now also be achieved using laminate or vinyl tiles. The hardwood look and feel can now also be achieved using laminate, engineered wood, vinyl planks, and even ceramic tiles. Even the look of natural stone floors can now also be achieved using laminate, vinyl tile, and ceramic tiles. Today, you are able to select your product based on functionality, durability and cost while still achieving the look you want.
Beyond the replacement of the bathroom or powder room flooring you might consider the bathroom vanity or other aspects in your makeover. Either way, check out our related articles for vanities and powder rooms.
10 Things You Should Consider When Defining the Right Flooring for Your Bathroom:
Design
When defining the “appearance” of your bathroom floor, consider these 3 questions:
Do you want the flooring to be the “feature” of your bathroom? The “feature” is what people notice first when they walk in the door. It could be an eye catching counter top, an old claw foot tub, a vanity made from an antique piece of furniture, or amazing stone flooring. Budget may require you select only one feature for your bathroom project. How will the flooring look with the other part of your bathroom? Creating project boards containing images of all the various aspects of your project will give you an idea of how the finished project will look. Create multiple project boards, keep changing product images, and get input from family and friends until your project is perfect. How will the flooring look with the flooring in the connecting room or hall? Your bathroom it is just one room in your house; thus, the design must consider the decor of the rest of your house. If you have ceramic tile in the hall, switching to a different tile or stone can be tricky.Durability
Although bathrooms are usually not considered high traffic areas, large families with teenagers may argue this point. Over time this wear can start to show. Some products like ceramic tiles may have a ‘PEI Rating’ which indicates the product’s resistance to wear. The higher the number the more wear resistant the product. For tile, a rating of 3 is recommended for most residential floor applications. Look for the “PEI Rating” icon on the product packaging. Pets, especially if you have a large dog, should add to the importance of the durability of your flooring product.
Water Absorption
News flash… bathroom floors get wet. So, choosing a bathroom flooring product that resists absorbing water is probably a good idea. Some products, like tile, have a Water Absorption Rating (ANSI Test). It is recommended that tile used for bathroom flooring and showers have a “vitreous” rating (water absorption of more than 0.5% but not more than 3.0%) or an “impervious” rating (water absorption of less than 0.5%) Look for the W. A. (Water Absorption) icon on the packaging. Caution: not all tiles called “porcelain” are rated “impervious”. Only tile with the PCTA “Certified Porcelain Tile” logo has been tested and approved. TCNA – Tile Council of North America
Hardness
Some people have sensitive feet that get sore quickly when walking on hard surfaces. Softer products like laminate, vinyl or engineered wood may be a better choice.
Texture
Some products, like slate, can have fairly rough surfaces and edges, caused by small chips and pits, a feature that makes it very appealing. However, if you have infants crawling around your floors, or if you have elderly parents that rely on canes, walkers or wheelchairs, the texture of your flooring may be an important consideration. Other products, like tiles, may have a very smooth surface which become slippery when wet. Obviously, a concern in a bathroom. To avoid this problem, look for a C.O.F (Coefficient of Friction) Rating which tells you how resistant a product is to slipping. For bathrooms a WET rating of 0.7 or higher is recommended. Look for the C.O.F Rating icon on the packaging. WFCA – World Floor Covering Association
Cleaning
If you are a clean freak and have young (or older) boys that have difficulty hitting their target, products with grouted joints may be easier to clean.
Temperature:
Are you sensitive to cold floors? Ceramic tile and natural stone tends to look and feel colder than vinyl and engineered wood. Electric in-floor heating can resolve this but it will increase the cost and complexity of your bathroom project.
Consistency
Most manufactured products tend to be very consistent in their size, thickness, texture, color and patterns. With natural products, like stone and hardwood flooring, every piece is unique, one of a kind. Colors will vary, wood grains or mineral veins will vary, and even size and thickness may vary. This is what makes the natural product distinctive. If you are after perfection, avoid natural products. WFCA – World Floor Covering Association
Installation
Depending on your skill level, some products can easily be installed yourself, while some products are best left to the professionals. DIY may reduce your costs, but it could also increase your frustration. Make an honest assessment of your skills, tools, time, and expectations of the finished product.
Cost
Not every product will fit your budget, so the initial “costing” is usually a high level calculation based on the “square foot” price of the flooring product itself to establish an approximate price range for the various flooring products you are considering. This is useful in defining what products fit your budget and which do not. Do you need some inspiration on what you can accomplish in a budget? Check out this article on bathroom renos on a budget!
Once a flooring product has been selected, it is important to determine an accurate “all in” price based on actual material and labour prices. The following list is some of the things that might be included in your “all in” price for your bathroom flooring project:
• Removal/disposal of existing flooring
• Site Preparation (sub-floor preparation, leveler)
• Flooring Material (including wastage and packaging factors)
• Product Delivery (usually not included in “square foot price”)
• Accessory products (under pad, tile cement, grout, sealer, fasteners, etc.)
• Installation (often there is a minimum rate for small areas like bathrooms)
• Financing Fees/Interest
Do It!
As you move into the planning and implementation phases of your bathroom project, there are three key phases which, if applied effectively, will help ensure your project is a success.
Knowledge is power: Whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring a professional, the more you know, the more control you will have. So, do your homework. Collect as much reliable information as possible: product information, installation procedures, best practices, warranties, maintenance tips. If you are hiring a contractor, share this information before the work starts. Apply this knowledge when planning your bathroom project.
The more writing, the less fighting: Detailed contracts and agreements help reduce conflicts and avoid additional costs. The agreement should clearly outline the following: the work to be done; who is supplying the various materials, tools and equipment; when the work is to be completed; payment terms; required worker’s insurance and liability insurance; and permits and compliance, and related documents like installation procedures. Agreements written by contractors tend to be very vague. You may want to prepare a detailed “Scope of Work” prior to getting quotes.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew: There is a lot of satisfaction in doing a home renovation project yourself and doing it well. However, when things don’t go quite right… well, you might have to literally live with that failure for a long time. And, when things go terribly wrong… well, it might be a costly learning experience. They say we are our own worst critics. Make sure your skills can live up to your expectations.
Share It!
There is no better feeling than showing off your beautiful new bathroom to your family and friends. So what, you’re going to parade all your guests up to see your bathroom? What about the people who live out of town? Will seeing your finished bathroom give them the full story about all the work you did to get it there?
In recent years, home renovation shows have become the hottest programs on television. Homeowners love watching experts take an old, run-down, out-dated area of a home and transforming it into a fantastic new space that almost anyone would be proud to have as part of their house. It makes them dream about the possibilities their home can offer.
Maybe your bathroom project deserves the same recognition as those projects on those home renovation shows? And maybe your friends and family would be more than interested in seeing and learning about your bathroom project?
Using online resources, like Animoto.com, you can create a dynamic media presentation about your bathroom project. Include before, during and after pictures. Include images of people doing the work, especially if you are one of those people. Include images that show the care and pride you put into every aspect of your project. Make sure your presentation tells a complete story about your bathroom project for all who see it. Then, using social media, share your project with your friends and family.
This presentation can also be added to your quinju home improvement portfolio tool and be used to build value in your home when it comes time to sell.
Great article!