Manufacturers often don’t cover hardwood flooring by warranty when it’s installed in a bathroom. This says a lot about the potential hazards to wood floors in this room of the house. For one, water can warp the wood, causing the joints to separate. This, in turn, allows more water in, furthering the damage. Other consequences to wood from excessive water exposure are cupping, buckling, and cracking.

Wood is also hospitable to mold. The combination of a moisture-rich bathroom and a food source are two main incentives for mold to grow. The way hardwood floors are packaged and installed, via narrow wood beams, means there are intermittent seams where water can seep through, damaging the interior of the wood and possibly the subfloor.

However, if you’ve made up your mind to install hardwood, you stand a chance if you’re extremely fastidious about getting water on the floor. Hardwood does come in water-resistant finishes, such as polyurethane or aluminum oxide. You can use mats with rubber bottoms around the tub and toilet to capture and absorb any water that does manage to escape these areas. Another possibility is to install a ceramic strip in lieu of mats.

When it comes to wood options for the bathroom floor, engineered wood is the best choice because it has more dimensional strength and will not warp as easily. It is also the simplest to install. If you still want to go with solid wood, choose hard over soft. Hard woods include oak, maple, cherry, ash, and walnut. The Janka Hardness Scale rates the relative hardness of wood. For instance, Brazilian Walnut rates near the top of the list with a rating of 3684 and Australian Cypress falls near the middle at 1375.

Another think to take into consideration is that hardwood isn’t as easy to wash and disinfect. When it comes time for cleaning, sweep, dry mop, or vacuum your hardwood floor. More difficult stains should be removed with a soft, non-abrasive cloth dampened with water or a mild, manufacturer-recommended cleaner.

Related Links:

• Hardwood Flooring in the Bathroom
• Hardwood Floors in Bathroom Generally A Bad Idea
• Putting Hardwood Floor in the Bathroom Practically Guarantees Damage
• Hardwood Flooring Frequently Asked Questions

For information about remodeling your bathroom using wood floors, contact our bathroom remodeling contractors.

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