If you’re in the market for a new bathroom flooring, then chances are you have browsed the overwhelming variety of options available at your local home renovation and hardware stores. As you are probably already aware, the top two flooring options advised for bathrooms are vinyl and tile. Both are water resistant, and both come in a good variety of colors and textures. So you may be wondering, which flooring option is better? To help you decide for yourself, we here at the carpet center have compiled a guide to help you better understand the differences between vinyl and tile so that you can better decide which option is right for your home.
For starters, let’s talk about what vinyl and tile are exactly.
What is Vinyl Flooring?
Unlike ceramic tiles or hardwood flooring, vinyl flooring is made from entirely synthetic materials and then printed with colors and designs. Since vinyl’s appearance is dictated entirely by this printing process, vinyl flooring is available in an incredibly wide array of colors, patterns, and textures. Vinyl flooring is also incredibly varied in terms of design. You can find vinyl flooring in the form of sheets, tiles, and planks. This variety makes vinyl incredibly versatile and multi-purpose. Vinyl material is completely waterproof and depending on the quality of its installation, vinyl flooring can serve as a great inexpensive flooring option for your bathroom.
What is Tile Flooring?
Tile flooring is a broad term used to describe any hard-surfaced floorings composed of tiles that are fixed into place with grout. In most cases, tile flooring is made of ceramic. Ceramic tile flooring is completely waterproof, and incredibly stain resistant. Ceramic tile will never absorb bacteria or odors either, making it great for areas that see a lot of moisture like bathrooms.
Vinyl vs Tile: What areThe Differences?
Both vinyl and ceramic tile floorings are considered to be great flooring options for bathrooms as they are both water resistant, easy to source, and fairly inexpensive. Aside from these similarities, the two options have some considerable differences. While they can both be inexpensive options in general, vinyl flooring trends as the most inexpensive flooring option on the market. The lack of grout lines in a vinyl floor also makes it easier to clean and maintain. Vinyl flooring is also easier to install, with options like vinyl stick tile making it possible for nearly anyone to DIY. On the other hand, while being the more expensive and harder to clean of the two options, ceramic tile offers a higher quality look and feel than vinyl flooring. Ceramic tile flooring also has a much longer lifespan, so it is considered a more permanent flooring option. In general, if you are mostly concerned with cost and ease of installation, then vinyl flooring will offer itself to you as a more than fine bathroom flooring option. But, if you are fine with paying more upfront for flooring that will be more durable, and more luxurious, then ceramic tile is the perfect choice for you.
For more information, please feel free to browse our website to learn more about various flooring options. You can also reach out to our team here at the Carpet Center to receive a professional consultation.