Should You Use Engineered Hardwood Flooring in a Bathroom?

This is such a great question! I even posted a poll on my Instagram stories and noticed that over 60 percent said they would use hardwood in a bathroom. I am going to answer this question and then give some reasons to back up my answers. This can be a very controversial topic, but we feel pretty strongly about our answer because it has been tested and approved by our son. Keep reading for the story.

But first, our answer. We say yes! We love using hardwood, specifically engineered hardwood, in our bathrooms and have done this in two of our homes now. We can’t speak first hand on solid hardwood in a bathroom since we don’t have experience with that.

If you’re not familiar with engineered hardwood, the bottom layer is constructed of multiple layers of wood, each positioned in a different direction – much like plywood. Then there is a layer of actual hardwood on top. This is the part that you see. This type of construction makes it very durable.

There are several reasons we feel engineered hardwood is a great choice for a bathroom, the first being the biggest for us.

Water Resistance

And now for a little story.

Several years ago when our son was three, now thirteen, he decided one of the toys wanted to take a bath in the toilet. Several hours later, Henry and I noticed water dripping from the second story where his bathroom was. After going upstairs we found an inch of standing water where the toilet had flooded.

After a company came into dry out the area, our engineered hardwood had not been damaged at all nor did it show any signs of buckling or cupping. We were so impressed and completely sold on engineered hardwood after this little incident!

We lived in the house for a couple of years after the flood and the flooring still looked like new with the normal wear and tear. Would I say to pour water over your engineered flooring and expect the same result? Maybe, but it’s still smart to avoid getting water on any kind of wood.

We have had engineered hardwood in our bathrooms for several years and I still baby them like any other flooring. That’s just me. I make sure the kids aren’t leaving a shower curtain open while showering and wipe a spill immediately.

Seamless Flow and Look

As far as the visual aspect, we love the warmth that hardwood gives a bathroom. It also offers a nice seamless flow from the other rooms into the bathroom. The wood adds texture and brings in a natural vibe that creates a cozy feeling in what is normally a cold room.

Easier to Clean

Another great thing about engineered hardwood is that it is very easy to clean. Bathrooms tend to get a little messy, especially if you have a teenage daughter that spends hours doing her hair and makeup.

With a dry mop and some hardwood cleaner, cleaning takes about 2-3 minutes. No scrubbing in between tile joints which I despise!

Easier Installation

If you are installing your own flooring, continuing the hardwood into the bathroom is so much easier than laying tile, which is the most common bathroom flooring option. Laying tile is much more time consuming, and not to mention more expensive if you are hiring someone to do it.

If you are already laying hardwood in the hall or bedroom, it’s simple to continue it right into the bathroom. No need to worry about a transition and you get that nice continues flow that I mentioned above.