Bathroom Material: Best and Worst Picks

The wrong choice of material can render even the most promising bathroom remodeling project a failure. To help you make an informed decision, J. Bryant Boyd sheds light on the best and worst materials for flooring, walls and countertops.

Flooring

• Best: Slip-Resistant Tile – Experienced providers of custom home building services would attest that ordinary tile does not address a common bathroom danger: slippage. To avoid accidents, look for a tile product with a high COF (coefficient of friction) rating.
  According to the Tile Council of North America, the minimum rating of ceramic tiles to be used for level interior areas is 0.42. The value is derived using the DCOF Acutest, which measures dynamic skid resistance.

• Worst: Wood – First, you may not find any skid-resistant rating for timber flooring products. Second, many wood species are subject to moisture damage. Third, wood flooring usually requires a lot of maintenance to stay in good shape.

Walls

• Best: Decorative Tile – Respected design build firms, including J. Bryant Boyd, would say that bathroom walls generally do not need to have a lot of character. Trends, however, show that statement walls are becoming the norm. Use decorative tile to inject some personality to one of your bathroom corners.

• Worst: Wallpaper – If you wish to turn one of your bathroom walls into an artwork, do not use wallpaper. It is not immune to moisture and will be wrinkled and damaged before you know it.

Countertop

• Best: Stone – Natural solid provides a solid surface with impressive resistance to moisture and regular wear and tear. It may be a bit costly, but it is available in a variety of options to suit different budgets.

• Worst: Tile – Yes, tile withstands the effects of moisture, but grout is vulnerable to discoloration. Any reliable provider of home remodeling services would advise you not to install countertop tiles unless you are willing to use dark-colored grout.

Entrust your bathroom remodel to J. Bryant Boyd to avoid making regretful mistakes. Call us at (512) 713-1845 today to set up your consultation in Round Rock, TX, or any neighboring community.