Floor made of records, coins or pebbles. Unusual coatings that can be applied in the bathroom

The main material for finishing the floor in the bathroom is ceramic tile with its external attractiveness and excellent performance. Despite this, users are looking for alternative flooring for the bathroom. They will help to create an unusual interior, and in some cases save money.

Content:

• Bathroom Floor Requirements
• Varieties of decorative finishes
• Pvc tile
• Linoleum
• Carpet
• Terrazzo
• Bung
• Quartz vinyl
• Laminate
• Rubber cover
• Pebbles
• Concrete
• Natural wood
• Log house
• Glass
• Various little things
• Coins
• Belts
• Records
• Wood trim

Bathroom Floor Requirements

The main criterion that most affects the choice of flooring is the moisture resistance of the finishing material. In the bathroom, even with powerful ventilation, air humidity is often increased, and the floor undergoes direct contact with water daily.

If the coating is afraid of moisture, microscopic gaps will appear on it. Water sooner or later gets to the substrate, make it rot and mold. Moreover, insufficiently moisture resistant materials can cause flooding of neighbors and detachment of the coating. Ideally, if the floor will also have waterproofing properties, that is, protect the inner layers of the flooring from water.

Other requirements for flooring:

1. Safety and environmental friendliness. The material will be used inside the housing, subject to temperature extremes. In the presence of toxic substances in the composition there is a risk of their release in gaseous form. The coating should maintain 100% safety even when heated and wet, and also not support the reproduction of microorganisms.
2. Strength. The intensity of using the floor in the bathroom is high, and accuracy in handling it is not always observed. Therefore, the material is required to withstand shock loads, scratches, other types of mechanical loads without problems. In addition, it should not be pushed from installed plumbing fixtures.
3. Easy installation. If the repair in the bathroom will be carried out independently, it is better to choose the available materials. They are easy to install, do not require complicated pruning, purchase of expensive tools. Ideally, if the floor lining does not involve dirty work, which leads to the appearance of a large amount of dust.
4. Ease of leaving and chemical resistance. The less dirty the surfaces in the bathroom are, the less often they will need to be washed. This requirement is met by materials with a finely porous structure, on which dirt does not linger. During washing, the coating should tolerate contact with standard detergents without problems and not deteriorate from other types of aggressive influences.
5. Long service life. In the bathroom, repairs are not carried out too often, because it is expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, the floor covering must be wear-resistant and serve for a long time, at least 10 years without the need for restoration.

Well, if the floor material is pleasant to the skin, it is not cold to the touch.Also, the coating should be aesthetic and modern, fit perfectly into the interior of the house. A good floor creates a cozy atmosphere in the bathroom.

Varieties of decorative finishes

There are several types of materials suitable as flooring for the bathroom. They have different properties, have their advantages and disadvantages.

Pvc tile

Tiles or panels made of cellular polyvinyl chloride look like chopped linoleum and have a variety of colors. Most often, PVC coating with element sizes of 30 * 30 or 40 * 40 cm is on sale, but there are also more overall lamellas (width - 80-200 cm, length - 150-300 cm).

PVC is easy to install because it has an adhesive base. To fix it, it is enough to remove the film and lean the element against the prepared surface. If an individual tile is damaged, it is easy to replace it by tearing and gluing a new one. At a low cost, PVC tile imitates more expensive materials - stone, parquet. It is smooth, pleasant to touch, can withstand severe loads.

Cons of this material also has:

• many seams into which water penetrates;
• risk of peeling off when wet;
• unaesthetic appearance during long-term operation;
• frequent bloating around the edges;
• exposure to burnout from ultraviolet radiation.

These problems can be solved by applying an additional protective layer that enhances the water resistance of the material and its external attractiveness, as well as prolonging the service life.

Linoleum

This is an inexpensive floor covering for the bathroom. Linoleum is elastic, laid with a single piece of fabric, which eliminates spoilage at the edges and water penetration under the formation. It is durable, with good quality and high strength does not react at all to falling objects and other mechanical stresses. Linoleum can be quickly washed from dirt, grease. It is better than a laminate that keeps the floor warm. The material has a variety of patterns, shades and textures.

The disadvantages of linoleum are as follows: if you do not wipe the moisture accumulated in certain areas, the material may become deformed over time. From hot water, another type of heating, dragging heavy objects, the coating can warp or stain, and from household chemicals it can discolor.

For the bathroom, it is better to use embossed material that will not slip when wet. Thin linoleum should be handled as carefully as possible, because it can break even from a small impact.

Carpet

Carpet - soft, pleasant to the touch material, which can be natural and synthetic. It creates an incredibly cozy atmosphere in the bathroom, makes the floor pleasant for the feet, comfortable. Resistance to wear, good performance can boast of artificial carpet. However, even it deteriorates with constant wetting. The coating will not be able to dry well, therefore it will begin to rot, mold will inevitably settle under it. The longer the pile of the carpet, the higher the risk of colonization of microorganisms. Therefore, it is worth putting small rugs in the bathroom that dry quickly.

Terrazzo

This name hides a seamless mosaic coating consisting of cement, particles of natural stone, marble chips, glass. Now it is considered very fashionable, trendy, looks spectacular and luxurious. Terrazzo is a solid, durable, wear-resistant material that can be washed without difficulty and serves for a long time. It is very practical and fits into all interior styles. The disadvantages of this flooring are few. Its price is very high. Terrazzo laying can only be done by a true professional. In addition, the coating will be so cold that it is better to immediately take care of installing the underfloor heating system.

Bung

Cork floors have become popular recently. They are environmentally friendly, soft, very warm, pleasant to the touch, and also resilient and resilient.It’s nice to walk barefoot on such a coating; it is not afraid of falling heavy objects. This material is considered moisture resistant. It does not support decay, reproduction of fungus and mold, bacteria. Other advantages of coverage:

• easily gets rid of any pollution;
• does not accumulate static electricity;
• has a variety of textures;
• It boasts a long service life.

Only sharp objects can leave a mark on the coating, so they must be handled more carefully. Excess moisture from the cork must also be removed on time, although material with a special varnish or wax layer is as moisture resistant as possible. Cork flooring requires highly skilled craftsmen due to the complexity of installation. It is quite expensive, because finishing with a bathroom stopper is not available to everyone.

Quartz vinyl

This coating is great for the bathroom. It is multi-layered, durable, has high wear resistance, it is not afraid of falling and moving heavy objects. The material is not only completely waterproof, but can easily endure complete immersion in water for several days. It does not deteriorate from the influence of water, does not fade, and retains its appearance. Other advantages of the material:

• does not support the development of mold, fungus;
• easy to install, requires a minimum of tools;
• stacks very quickly, does not create dust, noise;
• has a high coefficient of obstacles to slip;
• withstands temperature extremes;
• does not crack, does not crack.

Quartz-vinyl in ordinary rooms is installed by the castle method, but it is recommended to glue it in the bathroom in order to increase the reliability of fastening. It is sold in a wide range. Some options pretty accurately mimic more expensive materials (cork, marble). The disadvantage of the coating is the need for careful alignment of the base before laying.

Laminate

This floor covering looks very beautiful and stylish. It is available in a variety of solutions - for certain types of wood, stone. Laying the laminate is possible with your own hands, it is easy to work. If individual lamellas deteriorate, they can be replaced without dismantling the entire coating.

The material is characterized by resistance to high temperatures, strength, pleasant texture. Its disadvantage is a poor response to prolonged contact with water. If you do not wipe the floor in the bathroom in time, the coating will swell and deform, and gaps will appear between the lamellas. When moving furniture, the laminate can scratch, and from household chemicals - go stained, lose color. If the material is not additionally glued to the lock joint, moisture will seep in the gap and mold will settle on the substrate.

Rubber cover

Rubber is a very durable, environmentally friendly and safe floor covering. This material is practical, has high strength indicators, is not traumatic, because it does not slip. The rubber floor does not allow moisture, is resistant to abrasion and is very easy to clean, has a variety of shades. The downside is low aesthetics: rubber does not look very attractive.

Pebbles

River or sea pebbles can also become the basis for the floor in the bathroom. It allows you to get a beautiful rough surface with an original massage effect. The manufacture of such a floor covering will not require special knowledge and effort if the basis is a cement mixture. In the case when pebbles are combined with epoxy resin pouring, it is better to entrust the work to professionals, and the price of the issue will be high.

Concrete

Concrete coatings are very popular when designing an industrial-style bathroom. They are considered the most durable, but dismantling them is a huge problem. Concrete is heat-resistant, moisture-resistant, does not deteriorate from mechanical stress. If the floor is bored, a new coating can be laid on top of it. With proper processing, the fill will resemble a natural stone. Cons also have concrete:

• the floor will always be cold;
• it is not easy to lay concrete beautifully and perfectly perfectly;
• the material is porous, so it is difficult to clean;
• To prevent stains, a protective coating will have to be applied.

Natural wood

Wood can also be used as an alternative to tile, but with certain reservations. Ordinary wood should not be laid on the floor in humid rooms, as it will quickly swell, rot and become moldy. But a number of moisture-resistant rocks, which even withstand the action of sea water on the decks of ships, are allowed to be used. These include teak and wenge, characterized by a high content of resins and essential oils. Such wood is characterized by minimal water permeability and a long service life.

In addition, any wood that has undergone special processing is suitable for flooring in the bathroom. For example, on sale you can find a thermal tree - wood that has been in hot steam under pressure. She is not afraid of moisture, temperature extremes and even tolerates direct contact with water. The advantages of a thermal board are as follows:

• ecological cleanliness;
• natural, beautiful texture;
• low thermal conductivity;
• hygiene;
• aseptic properties;
• resistance to decay;
• long service life;
• high hardness;
• resistance to loads.

Unfortunately, wood is difficult to assemble. When installing the floor, you will have to very carefully adjust the boards so that there is not a single gap. Even special wood must be regularly treated with water-repellent impregnations (at least once a year). The cost of wood is quite high, especially of materials from valuable species.

Log house

The flooring from wood saw cuts looks unusual and very interesting. It is not difficult to lay it, but in order to consolidate and improve operational characteristics, it will be necessary to fill it with transparent epoxy resin. This will help eliminate knots, sharp corners and give the floor strength, durability. Each vein of log cabins will be clearly visible through the resin. Such a coating is easy to clean, can withstand the effects of household chemicals, however, it can be quite cold and slippery.

Glass

The glass floor looks luxurious and evokes thoughts of airiness, sea depth. You can cover the entire floor with glass, or its individual sections. To protect yourself from falls, the glass must be sandblasted. You can also apply drawings, patterns that give a certain texture to it in another way. Of course, the cost of installing such a floor will be quite high, while it can not be called practical, and cleaning will become a difficult task.

Various little things

As the material for the bathroom flooring, you can use the most unexpected products that are in the house. They are fixed with glue, plaster, cement mortar, self-tapping screws, but bulk epoxy mixtures are best suited for this purpose.

Coins

Making flooring with coins is a time-consuming process. They need to be laid, creating a beautiful composition, and then pour liquid epoxy or polyester resin. Such a coating will look unusual and effective, and when the lighting is on, it will play with bright overflows.

Belts

Stylish rug or decor for the bathroom can be made from old straps. They are laid on the base, stitched with thread, and then laid on the floor. Another option is to fill such a product with a bulk floor.

Records

Old records are an interesting tool for decorating the floor. They are arranged in any order, glued, and then poured or placed under a glass coating.

Wood trim

If after building or decorating the house there are a lot of wooden pieces, knots and other waste left, they are perfect for decorating the floor. They are laid out like a mosaic, and then poured with a bulk solution. You can also "drown" the wood in the concrete mixture, after grinding, then varnish.

If desired, the floor in the bathroom can be made unusual, stylish and catchy. To do this, you need to choose the right material, turn on your imagination and start thinking: the result will depend on the efforts made!