Can You Put Hardwood Floors in The Bathroom?

We all love wood floors. Wood is warmer and better than other flooring options. We can find wood floors in almost every home, from entryways to living rooms to every bedroom and closet. We often get questions like: “can we put hardwood floors in the bathroom”? Yes of course, but it is not that black and white. We don’t recommend solid wood floors in bathrooms with full showers or bathtubs, just because wood and water don’t mix. Wood will react to extreme changes in relative humidity and that is exactly what a steamy shower does. Despite my last statement, we did install solid wood floors in the past in full bathrooms with showers.

A successful wood floor install depends on how well balanced you keep the temperature and humidity conditions inside the bathroom. If the ventilation is poor and there is standing water over the floor every day, eventually the wood floor will discolor or cup.

If you have small children like I do, you know better than to let them have a bath with wood floors just inches away. Families with small children should probably consider something other than wood for a bathroom floors, well at least until the kids grow a little older.

If you keep the bathroom well ventilated and place a mat over the floor, the wood will last longer.

Using white or red oak floors, preferably vertical grain for stability reasons is the way to go.

Design your bathroom with wood floors in mind and enjoy the warmth and beauty of it for years to come.