What Is the Best Tile for Bathroom Floors?

Choosing the right floor tile is one of the most important parts of remodeling your bathroom. Popular tile choices include ceramic, porcelain, and stone, but you can also choose from glass, laminate, vinyl, linoleum, cork, and wood. Each of these materials will give your bathroom a unique look and feel.

Luckily, with a little know-how, picking the best tile for your bathroom floor can be easy and even fun. Let's explore the pros and cons of nine types of bathroom floor tiles.

1. Ceramic

Ceramic tile is one of the best types to use in a bathroom. It's durable, easy to clean, and comes in lots of available styles and colors that fit your home’s design. Plus, ceramic tiles can be easy to work with, too, so they’re a good option for DIYers who know how to cut tile.

There are so many advantages to using ceramic tiles on your flooring or for tiling your shower walls. First, they're very affordable, totaling as low as 49 cents per square foot. They come in tons of colors and patterns that will make any room look its best. You can find all sorts of shapes like rectangles, hexagons, and even flower squares for different designs.

These tiles are perfect for bathrooms because they resist moisture and won’t absorb odors or bacteria, which means less dirt buildup over time (which will come in handy when it's time to disinfect your bathroom). This type of tile is best for bathrooms because it's water-resistant, so there won't be any problems with humidity or moisture.

Best for: 

• Budget-conscious homeowners

• Wide range of styles and designs

• Moderate traffic areas

2. Porcelain

Porcelain tiles are more resistant to stains, chipping, and other damage than ceramic tiles because they’re formed under higher pressure and in higher temperatures, making them harder than traditional ceramic.

Unlike ceramic tiles, the color on porcelain goes all the way through the tile, which means chips won’t be as obvious.

However, they can be slippery when wet, making for a potentially unsafe bathroom floor. Porcelain tiles are common options for walls and tub surrounds, but they’re suitable for bathroom floor tiles if you lay down a mat or rug near the toilet and shower to prevent slipping.

Best for: 

• Areas with a floor mat or rug

• High-end bathrooms

3. Stone or Natural Stone

Stone or natural stone flooring is an excellent choice for people with allergies due to its non-porous texture, which won’t hold onto dust and particles like some other materials will.

Do you want an excellent alternative for hard-wearing, non-porous flooring that can withstand a high level of humidity? Natural stone tiles are a perfect choice.

Natural stones such as granite or marble look beautiful with any theme. They even offer a fantastic surface quality which makes them easy to clean without worrying about scratching. They also naturally have texture, which helps reduce the risk of slipping, making them a suitable option for bathroom floors.

If you do choose stone tile, just be sure it’s available in bullnose tiles if you plan on using it on walls or for a tub surround.

Best for: 

• Natural, earthy aesthetics

• Homeowners focused on longevity 

• Heavy traffic bathrooms

4. Vinyl 

If you're looking for a bathroom flooring material that's affordable and easy to install even for inexperienced DIYers, vinyl tile is the way to go. Vinyl tile relies on low-cost materials. They also deliver high degrees of practicality. In addition, its resilience to water and moisture and comfortable surface make vinyl tile an easy bathroom flooring choice for families. 

Vinyl is a suitable option for floors, walls, ceilings, and tub surrounds, so it’s a great universal bathroom tile.

Vinyl also has excellent safety advantages like being less slip-prone and maintaining incredible durability.

Best for: 

• Budget-friendly homeowners

• DIY projects

• Modern homes

5. Linoleum

Linoleum tiles offer an environmentally friendly option for bathroom floors. This is all thanks to recycled materials like linseed oil, cork powder, wood flour, ground limestone, and pigments.

This material also has many advantages that make it worth consideration for flooring in a bathroom. It is inexpensive, naturally inhibits the growth of microorganisms, and holds up well to dirt and staining.

Linoleum looks excellent in all types of settings, like newly renovated bathrooms or retro-style bathrooms, although it is more expensive than vinyl flooring.

Best for: 

• Budget-friendly homeowners

• DIY projects

• Modern homes

6. Glass

The sleek look of glass tile flooring is appealing because it creates the illusion of depth and, if tinted, has a stained-glass effect. Glass is a unique bathroom flooring option that adds intrigue to your space.

These tiles are durable and can stand up to a lot if you install them correctly. Make sure you select a textured glass to prevent slips. Consider using small glass tiles with lots of grout joints to create a slip-resistant shower floor with these tips in mind.

Best for: 

• Modern-style homes

• Small bathrooms

7. Laminate

Plastic laminate tiles are an inexpensive and good choice for projects in small bathrooms. Laminate is durable and easy to keep clean, but it doesn't do well with moisture, so it’s best for a half bathroom, where there’s no shower to increase humidity.

When installing laminates, caulk all spaces around the toilet and tub base and gaps along walls to prevent moisture problems and water damage under your flooring.

Best for: 

• Half baths without a shower or tub

• Small bathrooms

8. Wood 

Many people choose the warm and cozy appearance of wood flooring. While a stylish choice, wood flooring requires regular upkeep like refinishing or sanding.

Wood isn't typically a viable flooring option for bathrooms, but engineered wood is. Engineered wood features a plywood base that holds up well against moisture and won’t expand and contract nearly as much as traditional wood flooring. If you want to include wood in your bathroom, this is the best type to use because it looks like natural hardwood and has the added benefit of being waterproof. You should still be careful to keep the floor dry and run an exhaust fan whenever you have the shower running to help keep moisture changes to a minimum.

Best for: 

• Half baths without a shower or tub

• Small bathrooms

9. Cork

Cork flooring is an excellent choice for those looking for style and comfort while walking barefoot. The tiles come in multiple colors and are easy to install. First, though, you'll need to seal them with polyurethane since they can absorb moisture and promote damage to the subfloor. 

Using cork is a good idea when you are doing a half-bath because these rooms tend to accumulate less moisture due to the lack of a shower and tub. Otherwise, you might spend more time replacing this type of flooring than it's worth.

Generally, professionals will install cork tiles with a troweled-on adhesive. Click-in-place floating floor products are also available.

Best for: 

• Low-traffic rooms without pets and kids

• Natural, earthy aesthetics

How to Choose the Best Tile

Choosing the right floor tile for your bathroom is crucial for avoiding injury, minimizing upkeep, and keeping your tile installation costs to a minimum while still keeping true to your personal style. There are a handful of things we recommend you consider when choosing the best tile for your bathroom floor.

• Consider cost: Determine a budget for your bathroom flooring, then select a material within your range. Vinyl flooring, for instance, can be two to three times less expensive than porcelain tile. 

• Decide on DIYing versus hiring a pro: You can DIY install vinyl plank and laminate flooring, while porcelain and ceramic tiles are more difficult to install properly without training and specialized tools. Hiring a pro will save you money and time in most cases.

• Determine maintenance level: Some bathroom floors, like stone, require regular resealing, while others are nearly maintenance-free, like vinyl. If you want low upkeep, choose a material that won’t take up your Saturday mornings. 

• Compare appearance: If you want a natural, earthy vibe, consider stone or ceramic tiles. If you prefer a modern look, choose glass, vinyl, or laminate.

• Focus on durability: Your bathroom will see lots of foot traffic, humidity, and temperature variations over the years. Consider porcelain or natural stone for the most durable options. 

• Add texture to avoid slips: Choose textured materials, such as natural stone or vinyl planks, to prevent slips and falls.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

If you’re handy and want to save on costs, consider DIY installing vinyl plank flooring in your bathroom. But for tile installation, including ceramic, stone, and porcelain, hire a tile installer near you who has the skills and specialized tools to do the job well. Working around fixtures in a bathroom is challenging and requires tools like tile cutters, notched trowels, and a wet saw. 

The cost to install bathroom tile is $7 to $25 per square foot for flooring materials, depending on the type. Hiring a pro will cost an additional $3 to $15 per square foot, but it saves you time, headaches, and wasted materials from incorrect cuts and improper installation.