The laundry room might not be the most fun room in the home, but it is a vital area that makes a big impact on how well a home operates. These days, people are looking to make their laundry rooms as functional and fun as possible, so that doing chores is less of a hassle. A major consideration when designing a laundry room in your custom home is what type of flooring to use. Where the laundry room is located plays a big role, but here are the best and worst flooring options for a laundry room!
The Best Floors for Laundry Rooms
Tile
Tile is the best option for any room where there is water. Washing machines are connected to the waterline, and although ideally, they shouldn’t leak, sometimes they do. Having a tile floor means if there’s a leak, if soap gets spilled, or if some other moisture hits the ground, the floor won’t be damaged and is easy to clean. If your laundry room is near an exterior door and doubles as a mudroom, tile makes a lot of sense.
Vinyl
Vinyl has a bad rep, and while it’s certainly not the most luxurious material for a custom home, despite what the name LVP will have you believe, it is a great material for a functional room like a laundry area. Vinyl is durable, cheap, and moisture resistant, which makes it an all-around great choice for a laundry room. If you’re looking to save some money in your custom home, opt for a cheaper but functional material like vinyl in a space like a laundry room that guests won’t see.
Hardwood
Some people would say never use real wood in a space that could get a leak. The great thing about hardwood floors though is that they can be redone is there is damage. If the laundry room is open to other areas with hardwood, running the same flooring in might make sense. These days companies sell treys that washers and dryers can go on in case of a leak, which reduces the risk.
The Worst Floors for Laundry Rooms
Carpet
Carpet is by far one of the worst choices for a laundry room. There is a lot of moisture in these areas, from the washer to the steam from the dryer. The worst choice for flooring might be carpet. Not to mention if any soaps spill, the carpet could become stained or damaged. Always avoid carpet in a laundry room if possible.
Laminate
Laminate is a durable flooring option, but unlike vinyl, it does not hold up well to water. That is why custom home builders don’t recommend using it in wet areas such as kitchens, entryways, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. When laminate gets wet it warps, which creates bumps and gaps that can’t be fixed easily unlike real hardwood.
Marble
We’ve seen a surge of people using marble tile for their main living area flooring. Marble is a luxurious and classic material, but it has its downfalls. Marble is a porous stone, meaning it stains easily. Laundry rooms often have a lot of chemicals and soaps around, which can easily stain the marble. The last thing you want is to spend a lot of money on marble flooring, only to drop some detergent on it that will stain it blue forever.
