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March 11, 2023

If you’re looking into waterproof flooring options for your home, chances are you know this already—but in some rooms, having waterproof flooring is a must. Why?

Liquids and moisture can ruin a floor faster than pineapple can ruin pizza.

In all seriousness, bathrooms, entryways, basements, and even kitchens can be rife with spills, humidity, or tracked-in water. And depending on where you live, the possibility of flooding can also be a major concern. Plus, lots of people need waterproof flooring for dogs or kids, both of whom can be surprisingly destructive on floors.

Whatever the reason, choosing the right waterproof floor is pretty important. But it doesn’t have to be difficult! Below, we’ll compare 4 of the best waterproof flooring options for your home and the best brands of 2023. Then, we’ll show you how to find nearby flooring stores in your area so you can get them put in ASAP!

Option #1: Tile

waterproof-flooring-tile
Daltile

There’s a reason tile is such a popular bathroom flooring option: it can stand up to a lot of water and humidity.

Porcelain tile, for instance, is required to have an extremely low absorption rate, so it can be submerged in water for long periods. And while it doesn’t have the same absorption rate requirements, ceramic tile is also a solid choice for moisture-prone rooms. You can learn more about the differences between porcelain and ceramic in this guide to types of flooring.

Whatever you choose, we recommend that you look for unglazed tile, which tends to be thicker and denser than glazed tile. It’s more slip-resistant, which is critical when it comes to bathroom flooring.

There are also tons of design options for tile floors. Luxury brands like Paradiso even offer large natural stone tile, while others like Proximity Mills carry ultra-durable rectified porcelain. With such a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes, you’re bound to find a waterproof flooring option that fits your personal preferences and style.The only concern with tile is grout, which isn’t waterproof. Make sure to maintain your floors properly—in this case, by making sure your grout is in good condition. If it’s not, water can seep through cracked grout lines and cause problems underneath your tile floors.

Best Brands of 2024

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Option #2: Vinyl Plank (Luxury Vinyl)

Vinyl plank, vinyl tile, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), LVP, luxury vinyl plank: whatever you choose to call it, it makes a great waterproof floor. 

If you don’t already know, this product (which goes by many different names) is one of the best vinyl flooring options around. It’s composed of multiple layers, it’s entirely synthetic—but looks, feels, and installs like conventional flooring. In fact, some style-focused brands (like Doma) offer luxury vinyl that arguably looks better than conventional wood or tile flooring.

Rigid vinyl plank, in particular, is one of the best waterproof flooring choices around. Products with a rigid core (as opposed to a flexible one) are dimensionally stable—so shifts in humidity won’t affect them.

Plus, when vinyl plank or tile floors are installed with a click-and-lock system, its seams provide a tight, waterproof seal. The vinyl top layer will keep water from seeping into the subfloor, and the core is waterproof too.

As long as your vinyl flooring is properly installed—and we definitely recommend calling in the professionals for this—you shouldn’t have any issues with water!Like porcelain and ceramic, vinyl plank and vinyl tile are available in a ton of styles. The most popular visuals generally mimic wood flooring types, but there are plenty of beautiful stone, concrete, metallic, and fabric-inspired designs available as well.

Option #3: Sheet Vinyl

waterproof-flooring-sheet-vinyl
Mannington

Part of vinyl plank’s rise in popularity has to do with its waterproof properties, but sheet vinyl is waterproof, too. And because it comes in 6 or 12-foot rolls, there are fewer seams. This gives water fewer opportunities to seep into the subfloor. Perfect!

So what exactly is sheet vinyl? You know—its the type of flooring that you used to find in just about every kitchen and bathroom! Plasticky, patterned, and full of childhood nostalgia.

While you can easily find sheet vinyl floors that look like wood or stone, there’s been a recent resurgence of retro-patterned sheet vinyl—which is a great way to add fun, funky flair to any room.

Sheet vinyl also tends to be pretty reasonably priced (even the premium stuff) and it’s also one of the most durable flooring options around. Conclusion: it’s a great waterproof option if you’re renovating on a budget.

Option #4: Laminate

While laminate flooring is not generally thought of as waterproof, waterproof and water-resistant types do exist. But they’re not standard—so make sure you know what you’re buying! Brands like Newton, Revwood, and AquaGuard carry sizeable collections of waterproof laminate flooring

If any water gets past the planks’ seams, even the best laminate’s fiberboard core will warp, and your gorgeous laminate floors will be destroyed. Nobody wants that.

While waterproof laminate will probably fare fine against a spilled cup of water or pet accident, it’s no match for a flooding dishwasher. Be sure to check your warranty before opting for waterproof or water-resistant laminate floors.

Conclusion

We hope this roundup of waterproof types of flooring has been helpful! Now, it’s time to find your new floors. Our advice: you can’t go wrong with any of these floors, but in 2023 the most popular waterproof flooring options has definitely been Tile and Luxury Vinyl Plank.

About The Author

Lauren Moore

March 6, 2019

Proud flooring aficionado and office dog mom, "Flauren" has been a professional writer and editor for more than a decade (though she still maintains her magnum opus was "The Day it Snowed Slurpees," written at the age of 6).

5 comments

  • Jennifer

    Very helpful concise information! Now I have a better idea of where to focus my flooring quest!

    I’m glad I read past the incorrect pineapple on pizza comment! 😉😂🤣

    • A
      Bo Arnold

      Thanks for looking past the controversial take, Jennifer. Best of luck on your flooring journey!

  • Excellent post! Very nice and helpful information has been given in this post. Very well written article. Thanks, and keep on sharing 🙂

  • Would love to read the story about Slurpees!

  • Thank you for talking about the click-and-lock nature of vinyl tiles and how this can prevent water from seeping into the sub floor. This was one of the things I was very worried might happen since we’re staying inside more often thus making liquid spills more frequent. If I can find a flooring service in the area that can install some of these vinyl tiles for me, I may not have to worry about this happening at all.

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