Which type of flooring is suitable for a bathroom that needs renovation?

Good morning,

I would need an opinion on how you would do the floor. I have marked the space for the shower in the picture.

- Remove the wooden boards, put in screed, and tiles -> probably the best option.

Although I would prefer not to remove the wooden boards.

Another company wants to do it with a shower tray, leveling compound, and H2O vinyl flooring.

As a layperson, I unfortunately have no idea here.

Kind regards.

Which floor? What is beneath the floorboards? Is the drywall partition standing on a beam or on more floorboards? Level of the neighboring rooms?

-Ground floor
-Sand and water pipes
-The drywall is also on floorboards, but one level higher
-The neighboring rooms look the same

If you love wood and the bathroom is used by people who can accept less practical solutions that require some attention, then keep it. Bathroom and wood simply require a bit more careful handling. But it works.

Option: Tile the shower area and the spot in front of it where you can dry yourself. Make sure that the water on the tiles cannot flow toward the wood. Everyone talks about "threshold-free" solutions. Here, a threshold/step could actually make sense. It can be tiled, but also made of stone. Instead of tiles, there are also special coatings that are waterproof and remain so.

Sure, for most Germans bathrooms that are not fully tiled are hard to imagine. In Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, I have seen very beautiful alternative solutions.

Vinyl? It can be a solution – but I wouldn’t try to choose it as a wood look-alike. That’s unsatisfying because it doesn’t feel like wood at all. The grain patterns repeat, and the texture and feeling underfoot have nothing to do with what real wood promises. I don’t want to have that.

Hi,

sounds like you have a typical old building setup with wooden floorboards on the ground floor. If the drywall is standing on floorboards that are themselves on a level higher up, then maybe something was retrofitted or added later. That there’s sand underneath and water pipes running through is also not uncommon for old houses.

Wooden floorboards in the bathroom are generally doable, but it’s a bit like having a vintage car for everyday use. Nice, but you have to take care of it. If you want that and approach it with the necessary care, you can use it well and permanently. The important thing is that the wood doesn’t regularly come into contact with standing water. So seal it properly, ventilate well, and ideally avoid true “splash zones” or protect them specifically.

Tiles only in the wet area with a slight step down to the rest of the room is a sensible solution. Or coatings made for bathrooms, like PU or epoxy resin, for example. But visually, that’s something quite different.

Vinyl is a matter of taste. If it’s only about durability, it’s a simple solution, but as you said: it’s not a wood feel, and many patterns repeat noticeably. If it’s meant to be a compromise, better say openly: that’s plastic, looks neat, but doesn’t play wood.

If the wood is still in good condition and you’re not planning a hardcore wet room, I would honestly leave it as is. Wood lives and needs love, but it looks cool for it.

Best regards