Choosing new flooring for your bathroom is a great way to create a new atmosphere and inject style into an otherwise boring room. It may also be an expensive job. If you want to fit your bathroom flooring yourself to save on hefty fitting fees make sure you read these guidelines first.
When it comes to choosing and fitting your flooring it is essential that you do it properly. The right flooring will completely change the way a room looks and feels while adding to the functionality of the space. Seeing as the bathroom is such a high traffic area it is so important to ensure that any new flooring is fitted correctly so that it will look great, last longer and of course be safe.
Having a professional flooring fitter come to your home to fit your bathroom flooring could cost you anywhere in the region of forty to one hundred pounds, depending on the flooring type and the size of the room. While it is of course important to have your flooring fitted properly with a little extra care and planning there is no reason why you can't do this yourself and save some money at the same time.
Once you've mastered your first flooring task and have got it the way you want it you will then be able to fit flooring in other parts of the home, making additional savings. All you need is time, patience, a steady hand and a few basic tools.
The method you choose to fit your flooring will depend on the size and type of materials you are working with however as a general rule these points must be considered in advance.
- Make sure that you accurately measure your floor area, taking into account skirting boards and other items. Many bathroom flooring types such as lino-type styles are easy to cut down to size; just make sure you don't buy flooring which is too small.
- Be careful of your flooring when fitting. Use a tray or an old towel to lay tools on when putting your flooring down. Dints, scratches and marks on flooring made from a thrown down piece of equipment will ruin it before it is even properly laid.
- Take note of toilets, sinks and piping when measuring up for your flooring and ensure that you have the correct tools for cutting around these. Not using the correct tools or not using them properly will result in a poor finish.
- Ask for help! When buying your flooring get in touch with the online retailer or talk to the in-store sales staff. They will be able to advise you on the best type of flooring for your bathroom, which types suit features such as having under-floor heating and of course they will be able to show you which floorings will be fit for the purpose of the room. Non-slip flooring for example is probably the best option for a bathroom.
- Consider the design of your bathroom alongside the practicalities involved in choosing your flooring. A plush white carpet may look fabulous for example but is hardly likely to stay like that for long and is possibly not the most hygienic flooring type for a bathroom.
- Make sure you have a willing extra pair of hands to help you. Bathroom flooring may be unwieldy and having someone to help you with holding things down or passing you tools when you need them.
Before choosing and laying your own replacement bathroom flooring do consider these points carefully first. After all, you don't want to be left living with jagged edges or flooring that is scuffed and marked.
Nina Thorpe is a freelance writer specialising in design & DIY. Her number one weakness is floral cushions, which she loves to use in almost every room in her house.
