Are you interested in making some changes to your bathroom this spring? Why not consider a new bamboo or cork floor to give it a fresh, updated look? Both of these choices are eco-friendly and will look beautiful.
Should you Choose Bamboo or Cork Flooring for your Bathroom?
1. Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo flooring is made from a grass, which gives it the following properties:
- Water resistant
- Mildew resistant
- Mold resistant
- Germ resistant
If your bathroom has high humidity levels, you may want to choose a different type of flooring. This choice does not hold up well if water is allowed to soak into the bamboo planks.
Bamboo floors can be sealed with a polyurethane finish that will protect the flooring against water and stains. The sealant would have to be applied to the flooring and the seams.
Engineered bamboo flooring is another option. It is made when a thin sheet of bamboo is fastened to a fiberboard backing. The material is sealed with a waterproof wear layer on top and a water layer on the bottom, which makes it impervious to moisture penetration. The finished product looks like genuine bamboo flooring.
2. Cork Flooring
Cork floors have a warm and soft look that makes them an attractive choice for bathrooms. This type of flooring is filled with air cells that make them naturally spongy when stepped on. They are made from the naturally-shed bark of the cork tree (which leaves the tree intact). This is also a material that is naturally mold and mildew-resistant.
Rather than choosing a floating floor, your best bet is to go with cork tiles for a bathroom. To make certain that water won’t seep in between gaps in the tiles, choose unfinished cork and use a low-VOC adhesive and finish to glue the tiles firmly in place.
Adding a polyurethane topcoat after the cork floor tiles have been put in place will help to protect the floor from minor spills. You’ll also want to use an area rug or mat near the bathtub and sink for extra protection against large amounts of water. Sweep and dry mop the floor regularly to help protect the finish, which would need to be reapplied every 5 or 10 years.
Installing this type of flooring in a bathroom can be challenging, especially in the area around the toilet and tub. Your best bet is to have it professionally installed. Call or stop by the showroom at Tony’s Flooring Centre to learn more about water-resistant bamboo and cork flooring today.