Looking for suggestions regarding master bathroom floor.

[KitchenWitch]

Currently our master bathroom is carpeted :puke: (what were they thinking?)

I want to rip out the carpeting and am not sure what is underneath it. I am fairly certain that I will have to install some sort of flooring whether it be tile, laminate, or linoleum.

I am not really all that concerned about "property value". I am more concerned with functionality and ease of installation (I will likely be doing it myself). I am also concerned with cost (obviously - if I were not, I would hire the job out).

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[NMDemDist2]

1. FYI, I hate my laminate 'wood' flooring and it's really not easy to

install.

I had really good luck with 'peel and stick' lino floors in my Cali home. easy to do too, just put the tiles in tight to each other

or you could be lucky and find hardwood under that carpet....

[AlCzervik]

2. i would go for tile, the bigger the better. The one thing about laminate that i don't care for

is seeing it used in wet areas, i use to sell it when i worked for HD and then later on at the Expo, laminate in wet areas is ok if you get the glue together kind imo but the snap together is not a good choice especially under a toilet.

We had carpet in our master when we bought this house and then tiled the bathrooms ourselves.

Before is was beige tile and here is the after. I bought a tile saw and some underlayment (cement board) and the ripping out and removing of the lino and the particle board under the toilet in the water closet part of the bathroom was the biggest pain, if i were to do it over i would have hired out the demo.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

3. If you have hard wood floors in your house anywhere

than whats under the carpet is the same. Your question is typical of most home owners when addressing such a problem. Most anybody can tell you what they like and dislike. Many people love the look of imitation wood flooring such as Pergo floors. Tile flooring for you master bed room is not a good idea. Sheet flooring or 12 inch by twelve inch is shabby for a bedroom,it would seem like a kitchen setting!

As a contractor I would suggest you go down to a flooring supply store -look in phone book=flooring supply. Than go down to the show rooms and feast your eyes. I send all my clients to such places. Sometimes my supplier cost less than where I send the clients, other times Home Depot or Lowe's has in stock a material that is close and at far less cost.Home shows, I don't know,what are supplier show room's for when you think about it,the showrooms are year round. And the manufactures have been around!

It will be a experience for you to look at all the cool options that are available,some ideas you will no doubt save for latter on in time. Thats where you start.

And thats how you bring yourself into what you like-what effects you. And thats where your own creative ideas begin. Everybody wants to sell you their ideas,but what do you like,I mean how would you know without going out there and viewing what is available? Or are you too busy. You can do the internet thing, but going to a flooring supply's showroom ,there is no comparison. And guess what?, there is plenty of show rooms to visit! My clients just love to look! Sometimes it is of the most memorable events in a remodel transformation!Man oh man do they love those granite show rooms!

Snap together laminate floors to many peoples eyes are beautiful.And if two people are doing the installation it is almost too easy. However there is cutting involved. Going into closets for example-cutting in around the doors. And when you reach a end run you cut than use the other piece at the opposite end to begin a new row.

If you were to install floor tile as in tiles in your bedroom-than you would most likely also want the costly heating element under the tile which requires a thermostat on wall-hence the modern bathroom.

Go shopping for what you like first-than think it over before you choose. Buy a installation book and see what you are up against ,than make your choice. Ask at the store about installation friendly.Disregard post misread, tile or sheet flooring for your bathroom. 8inch by 6 inch or 12 by 12. Heating element if it's real tile ! And you will no doubt require new sub floor,maybe all the way down to the floor Joyce's.Pergo is rated bathrooms ,adding glue to the snap together glue less by tub sink and toilet is recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KitchenWitch]

6. Thank you for the ideas. The floor is for the master BATH.

Heating element will not be necessary (and likely wouldn't be necessary in the bedroom either since it is a second floor room in southern California).

[NMDemDist2]

7. whoa, i totally missed the 'bathroom' part

:banghead:

:dunce:

i'm back to peel and stick. had em in the Cali bungalow and they were fine in the bathroom

[KitchenWitch]

8. That is exactly what I am thinking.

I do not want to even attempt ceramic tile and grout... We have enough of that elsewhere in the house (both of the other bathrooms and the kitchen).

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

9. Mis read your post.

If you find tile under the carpet ,you can put peel off flooring tiles over the tile. Armstrong makes various grades ,the thickness.If thats the case you would need to buy some industrial strength floor stripper for tile to remove the ground in dirt.Same applies if you find sheet flooring. If you go that route ,buy a quality flooring material, and if you add glue, even though the material is self adhesive,you will not have tiles popping up on you.

There may be sub flooring damage, that's a different story.

[TrogL]

4. I'm putting down stick-down tile, but installing it using glue

You're going to find underlay and possibly something under that (who knows what) to protect the wood. Rip it all out and start over.

[NMDemDist2]

5. if you have a decent underlayment, check out this great idea

we all saw it on an HGTV show and Dora actually did it and it looks like a great DIY project and cheap too!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x5019

[Whoa_Nelly]

10. Cork flooring?

It's a "green" way to go.

http://www.corkfloor.com/

How to:
http://design.hgtv.com/bath/Article_detail.aspx?id=132

[Warpy]

11. If by some miracle we get health care in this country

and I stay here and renovate this dump, I'm going for slate in the bathroom. It's a luxury material but it's a small bathroom, so it's not out of line for a small house in a funky neighborhood.

Tile is actually much more practical because it doesn't require periodic sealing. It's also a much cheaper material. Just make sure it's not a glazed ceramic tile or you'll be on your arse when it gets wet from tub or shower.

The problem with linoleum or vinyl is that there is always a crack somewhere and water always wins. In addition, the flooring has to be replaced every decade or so due to wear. Still, suburban bathrooms have done well with linoleum or vinyl tile for many decades and there is no reason to avoid it if the budget won't stretch to tile.

So there you have it. Tile is the lazy man's dream once it's installed, easy to maintain and durable enough to last for a century. Stone is gorgeous but requires a little more maintenance. Soft materials are cheap to install and easy to clean but require periodic replacement.

[AlCzervik]

12. that's what i have, i posted a pic upthread. The best part was that i got 200 sf

of it for about $10. I used to work for The Expo and when they were done building the store we could buy what was left over at really low prices so bought as much slate as i could and accent tiles and i also got 2 cases of beautiful glass tiles and trim pieces.

The slate does need to be seals, i used stone enhancer and i love how it looks, it's really unique because each piece is different.

[SurveyResearch2008]

13. This may be more fancy than you want to go, but

We used slate tile on our kitchen floor when we remodeled and it looks gorgeous. The contractor said it was easy to work with. And it's been very functional - easy to clean and all that.

[stevebreeze]

14. if you have a decent underlayment you could go with a stick down wood

looking tile. They come in 3 inch x 3 foot strips. It makes installation really easy and looks great.

[goddess40]

15. I'd want some thing I could put an electric heating mat under

but then I live in Wisconsin and half the year it's darn cold in the morning.