Comfortable bathroom renovation with vinyl flooring

Classic bathroom renovation involves knocking out tiles and other works, thus causing a lot of dust and noise. Our expert gives tips on how you can save yourself the trouble and inconvenience with modern vinyl flooring. The innovative material is simply installed on top of the existing wall and floor tiles. This is now also possible in the shower.

Tip 1: Plan the renovation and check vinyl flooring as an alternative

A major obstacle to tackling bathroom renovation is not only the cost but also the inconvenience involved: Who likes to have dust and noise in their home when having new tiles or parquet installed? What many people don’t know: High-quality vinyl flooring can make bathroom renovation faster, quieter and cleaner. Modern vinyl coverings – also known as design flooring or LVTs (short for Luxury Vinyl Tiles) – are the successors to the former PVC sheets and tiles. These had fallen into disrepute because they contained harmful plasticizers such as phthalates. But the new products have nothing in common with these earlier materials. Just talk to one or more specialist companies about their experience with vinyl flooring.

The new “design flooring” or LVTs truly live up to their name because they offer homeowners a multitude of design options. Depending on individual preferences, the tiles are available with a realistic wood, natural stone or tile look, combined with the corresponding surface feel and a wide range of different colors and grains. Beyond their attractive appearance, LVTs offer many technical and practical advantages. The elastic material is lightweight and handy and therefore easy to install. It is also hard-wearing, durable and – very important in bathrooms – insensitive to moisture. This means that LVTs can even be installed in the shower without any problems. Another plus: Due to its low installation height, vinyl flooring takes up little space.

Tip 2: Hire a specialist company to do the job

The installation of vinyl flooring in the shower should be done by a professional floorer. It requires several steps. First, the old shower tray is removed so that wall and floor can be covered with the same material. Then the substrate is primed and smoothed with a levelling compound. Next, a waterproofing membrane is applied with the help of an adhesive mortar. Joints and corners are sealed with special sealing tape. Prefabricated system components such as inner/outer corners and pipe sleeves are available for corners and pipe penetrations. After that, the vinyl tiles are fixed in place using a special adhesive. Finally, the new covering is protected with a special PU sealant and the corner joints are closed with a color-matched silicone sealant. Shower, wall and floor with a uniform design not only look good, but also offer another benefit: the new level-assess or walk-in shower removes the risk of tripping. Of course, it is also possible to choose different decors for the wall and the shower floor.