The Best Flooring For Your Laundry Room
Is it time for a laundry room refresh? Regardless of your answer, you may be curious about which flooring materials are best for your laundry room—and do you need a professional flooring and tile installer to put your floors in?
All great questions.
But first, why does flooring material matter in your laundry room? You might have guessed that your laundry room floors need to be water-resistant at the very least, if not waterproof, but you also want floors that are easy to clean, as these spaces will regularly encounter dirt and debris.
So, which flooring will protect your laundry floors? Read on to find out!
Laundry Room Flooring Checklist
As mentioned, laundry room floors are much like bathroom or kitchen floors; they’ll see heavy use and abuse. Laundry rooms also encounter harsh chemicals from detergents or bleach, meaning not only does your flooring need to be waterproof, but it also must not stain.
The key elements of a good laundry room floor are:
- Water-resistant or waterproof
- Easy to clean
- Stain-resistant
- Scratch, ding, or dent-resistant
- Durability
The Best Flooring For Your Laundry Room
As experienced flooring and tile installers, these are the most common materials we install—and recommend—to homeowners renovating their laundry room.
Tile
The first flooring homeowners often consider for their laundry room is tile. However, not just any tile will do. The best tile for your laundry room is the most affordable human-made variety: ceramic or porcelain. Because of laundry detergents and bleach, we don’t recommend installing costly natural stone, marble, or mosaic tiles—save them for a room where they can be the focal point.
Why are ceramic and porcelain tiles a good choice:
- They’re affordable
- They’re stain-resistant and won’t absorb harsh chemicals
- Although tiles are cool, they pair nicely with radiant heating
- They come in a variety of styles, including wood-look or marble-look
Professional flooring and tile installer tip: Try oversized tiles, as laundry spaces tend to be small, and with fewer grout lines, the space will feel larger. Also, fewer grout lines mean less cleaning.
Laminate
Laminate is a flooring option that remains popular with homeowners for its appealing look, affordability, and, most importantly, durability. Laminate is also a great flooring material that homeowners can install themselves. The primary concern with laminate is that although it handles water spills better than hardwood flooring, it is not impervious to water, so if you worry about pipes bursting, laminate may not be suitable for you.
Why laminate is a good choice:
- It’s affordable
- It’s easy to install
- It’s attractive
Professional flooring and tile installer tip: If you’re worried about water run-off from your washer and dryer, place a pan or have your flooring contractor add a tile carpet under them for added protection.
Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Although sheet vinyl works just as well in a laundry room, homeowners prefer the realistic look of luxury vinyl plank flooring. Luxury vinyl closely mimics the look of genuine wood or natural stone, and as a bonus, it’s also more economical! In addition, luxury vinyl is waterproof, thanks to its plastic composition, which means if you want eco-friendly flooring, then this material isn’t for you.
Why luxury vinyl is a good choice:
- It’s waterproof
- It’s the best wood or stone look alternative
- It’s easy to clean and maintain
- It’s highly durable
- It’s affordable
Professional flooring and tile installer tip: Luxury vinyl may be easy to install, but if the seams are not snug, the flooring becomes vulnerable to water, so consider hiring a professional to prevent this from happening.
Final Thoughts
If you’re preparing to renovate your laundry room, you want to install the best flooring, as the space will see water, messes, heavy chemicals, and lots of use. You cannot go wrong with tile, laminate, or luxury vinyl flooring for these reasons. Conversely, the worst flooring materials for a laundry room are carpet, hardwood, engineered hardwood, bamboo, and natural stone tiles.
If you’re struggling to decide the best flooring for your laundry room and want a second opinion, don’t forget to give us the Brothers Flooring, a call today for a free consultation! We have over 20+ years of experience in the flooring industry, so we’re confident we can help finalize your laundry room plans!
