Bathroom Floor War: Laminate vs Ceramic Tile

For today's edition of the Home Improvement Showdown, we return to the world of bathroom remodeling, for a closer look at the always tricky proposition of bathroom flooring selection. Certainly, laminate bathroom flooring and ceramic tile flooring have each earned their fair share of devotees, but which one really represents the highest level of flooring? No pun intended.

Laminate Bathroom Flooring

Though it's always been a "chameleon" material, today's laminate flooring is more convincing than ever before. Homeowners can pick from an endless array of colors and designs, mimicking anything from wood to porcelain, and to the naked eye, your guests won't know the difference. This factor, combined with laminate flooring's friendly cost and easy maintenance, have made it an increasingly popular solution for bathroom remodels. However, homeowners should be weary of installing a laminate floor without the assistance of an experienced flooring contractor. Laminate doesn't have the longest shelf life, and all too often, a laminate bathroom floor can fall prey to serious wear and water damage if not sufficiently sealed.

Ceramic Tile Bathroom Flooring

Tile might be the classier choice for bathroom flooring, but it's also considerably more expensive than laminate. Ceramic tends to prove its worth, however, with its durability and resistance to water damage, which helps explain how it became the standard in bathroom floors to begin with. It's also relatively easy to repair, in the rare instance in which damage is done, as individual tiles can be easily replaced. On the negative end, ceramic can be a challenge to keep looking clean, especially when its white, and during the cold season, many tile bathroom floors can be pretty unpleasantly cold to the touch.

And the winner is. . .

Generally speaking, ceramic tile is still the wiser choice for bathroom flooring, primarily because its track record with moisture tops that of laminate. However, I know many people who've saved money by going with laminate and have been very satisfied with the results. The important thing is to make sure your laminate floors are professionally and expertly installed, to guarantee that you won't be in the same position again just a few months later.

If you've had any good or bad experiences with laminate or tile flooring in your bathroom, tell us about it! The more voices heard, the more helpful the Showdown is!