The bathroom, floors and grout against damp

The bathroom is permanently exposed to ambient damp, water spray, steam. The floor and walls must resist without absorbing, without mould, without warping.

Three main families are suitable.

Ceramic tiles. The standard, the most durable, the most economical in maintenance. Glazed tiles or porcelain stoneware.

Polished concrete or mortar screed. Contemporary and raw effect. Continuous surface without grout (or very little), wide variety of tones.

Terrazzo. Composite of crushed stones in a cement binder. Retro-contemporary effect, durable, designer.

To avoid absolutely, solid wood parquet (except hyper-resistant exotic wood like teak), low-end PVC flooring, and carpet.

Ceramic tiles.

Advantages. Economical (£13-70/m² supplied-fitted), durable (30+ years), easy to maintain, infinite aesthetic choice.

Formats to know.

Small formats (zellige, mosaic). Artisanal and chic effect. Brands such as Emery & Cie, Bahya, Carreaux du Marais. Higher cost (£50-130/m²).

Large formats (60×60, 80×80, slabs). Contemporary effect. Reduced grout, enlarged feeling of space. Moderate cost.

Wood-effect (tile imitating parquet). Very convincing today. Allows having the aesthetic of wood without the constraints. Brands such as Refin, Mirage.

The grout. Colour similar to the tile (grey for grey, white for white) rather than strong contrast. Favour epoxy grout in spray zones (shower, bath), which resists mould better than classic cement.

Polished concrete.

Advantages. Contemporary and continuous effect (little grout). Modular in tone. Feeling of space.

Drawbacks. High cost (£70-180/m² supplied-fitted). Fragile to impacts (risk of chipping). Requires regular waterproof treatment.

To favour in well-ventilated bathrooms, otherwise damp can marble it over time.

Terrazzo.

Advantages. Signature aesthetic, durable, naturally non-slip. Available in large slabs or traditional laying.

Drawbacks. Moderate to high cost (£50-160/m²). Requires regular maintenance (wax or oil).

Recent renaissance of this historic material, which is returning in contemporary projects.

Ventilation, an essential complement.

Any floor will resist better if the bathroom is correctly ventilated. Mandatory and effective mechanical extract (air renewal every 1 to 2 hours). Without ventilation, even the best floor will mould in a few years.

The shower threshold.

For a level-access shower (with no raised tray), the floor must have a slope of 1-2% towards the drain. No threshold between the shower zone and the rest of the room. Accessibility standards if relevant, threshold maximum 2 cm.

In a small interior. Large-format tiles (60×60 minimum) on the floor and walls, in a light shade. Visually enlarges the room. Avoid multiple small tiles that fragment.

Pierre Yovanovitch often works with continuous floors and walls in natural stone (Burgundy stone, travertine) or polished plaster, for a very architectural monolithic effect.

Studio KO favours artisanal Moroccan zelliges in their Mediterranean projects. Unique effect, geographical signature. Brands such as Emery & Cie, Bahya, Carrelages du Marais.

A sophisticated practice, identical floor and walls (same material, same tone). "Cocoon" effect, the room appears cast in one piece. Works very well in small bathrooms.