From wet feet to slippery socks and shoes, a slick bathroom floor can be a hazard. Slips and falls account for more than one million emergency room visits each year. One misstep and your bathroom floor could cause you a fractured arm or wrist.
Are you ready to upgrade your bathroom floors? Whether you are aging in place or have several kids running around your home, non-slip bathroom flooring is a great idea for your bathroom remodel. Textured flooring and slip-resistant floor treatments can make your walk to and from the shower a bit safer.
What is Non-Slip Flooring?
Let’s be clear. Falls can happen at any time. No type of bathroom flooring can guarantee that you’ll never slip again.
Some flooring materials and finishes are naturally more smooth and glossy, making them more slippery than others. However, bathroom flooring can be made to be slip-resistant.
Non-slip flooring can be designed by changing the structure of the material to add more texture. You can purchase flooring that is treated with an anti-slip coating or film. This coating provides a textured surface and better grip when wet. You can also apply slip-resistant sealers or paints to your current flooring.
Types of Bathroom Flooring
What flooring should you use for your bathroom remodel? You’ll want to take price, style and slickness into consideration.
- Ceramic or porcelain. Ceramic tile is easy to clean and water resistant, making it a good choice for your bathroom floor. Bathroom tiles made from natural clay are durable, but can be slippery when wet and cold to the touch. If you’re looking into ceramic or porcelain tile, consider purchasing a non-slip floor tile designed with a textured surface.
Tip: Installing smaller tiles may help provide better footing. Grout can give you more traction. With smaller tiles, you’ll have more grout in between, adding to the floor’s overall texture.
- Glass. As you might expect, glass tile can be very slick, especially when it comes into contact with wet feet, socks or smooth soled shoes. Glass tiles make for a hard surface with no give should you slip and fall. Those considering glass tile flooring should choose bathroom tiles with a matte or textured finish.
Tip: Adding an additional anti-slip coating to glass tile can help give you more traction.
- Natural stone. Want to stay away from slick floors? Natural stone does not provide much traction for fast or wet feet. Though natural stone is beautiful, you’ll want to stay away from polished marble or granite if you’re worried about slipping. Look for natural stone with tumbled or etched textures.
Tip: You can texture stone through sandblasting or treat it for slip resistance.
- Linoleum. Looking for an all-natural, biodegradable option? Linoleum is water-resistant flooring that’s easy to clean and maintain as long as it’s sealed properly along the seams. You’ll want to look for anti-skid linoleum.
Tip: Use a modified resin solution or slip-resistant film to add more friction to this material.
- Vinyl. Budget-friendly and easy to clean, vinyl flooring can be waterproofed for humid and moist spaces. The texture of vinyl can make it less slippery than other flooring options. Vinyl can look like other types of flooring, depending on the print, so you can mimic the look of more expensive tile or wood. Keep in mind that vinyl flooring has seams that water can seep under, so you’ll want to make sure you seal it well.
Tip: Look for vinyl with a higher wear-layer. This wear-layer can give the vinyl more texture and better grip.
- Rubber. If you’re looking for flooring with the lowest slip factor, rubber flooring may be the way to go. Rubber flooring does not get slippery when wet, and its softer surface has more give than other flooring options. Should you fall, rubber makes a softer landing.
Tip: Though it may not be the most stylish or affordable option, rubber flooring can add additional safety for seniors or people prone to falls.
Ready to Remodel Your Bathroom?
If you’re ready to renovate your bathroom, Elite Renovations & Design can install slip-resistant flooring that matches your bathroom’s current or future style.
Contact us today to get a free quote. Our experienced contractors will make your bathroom remodel ideas a reality.
