I’ve just finished painting my bathroom and now I realize just how unutterably ugly the floor in there is. I was going to have someone put sheet vinyl on the floor in there until I found out what it would cost. Now I’m balking. The guy at the carpet store suggested industrial-type wall-to-wall carpet in the bathroom.
I have seen a lot of this around here, probably because it is a lot cheaper than vinyl. However, carpet in a bathroom seems strange to me, maybe because I never saw this done before I got here.
So, I’m soliciting opinions - is it reasonable to install a non-fluffy, office-type carpet in there? It’s easy to care for, cheap to install, and will hide anything I’m likely to spill. Thanks.
When I moved into my house there was carpet in the upstairs bath. The guys living there before me occassionally missed the bowl. The carpet REEKED. I ripped it out and put down tile.
I can assure you it will not. I fear what I will find when I pull the bathroom carpet out of our townhouse. I’m afraid I may have to replace all the subflooring before I put tile down.
This is probably a bad idea. Beside the problems of urine stains and smells, carpet is going to be a moisture/mildew magnet. It ranks up there with suspended ceilings as my last choice for bathroom materials.
Among the things I do not want impregated in my carpeting, I’d rank urine, blood, and essence of fecal material pretty much near the top. Read Chefguy’s response. Then read Cecil’s column on the aerosolization that occurs when you flush a toilet. Throw in errant drips of blood, microscopic mold spores, and backsplashed urine microdroplets created when men urinate while standing and, basically, that beautiful carpeting belongs in a vault in the Centers for Disease Control.
No way it could be a good idea. Carpet in itself is alreadeay just evil. But besides that, a wet carpet is an absolute nightmare. Moisture will make quickly it smell so bad that you’ll have no choice but getting rid of it ASAP.
The whole house had just been carpeted and there was a left over scrap just wide and long enough to fit the bath. It was cut to fit the wall, vanity, and around the commode/w.c. NO Glue/nor cement, just drop in place over the old vinyl. Has worked fine. Use a bath mat to step out of the shower/tub.
“We aim to please.
You aim too, please,”
Have also seen a carpeted kitchen as well as one with quarry tile floors. Those are for good cooks only, not for butter fingered ones.
I have installed vinyl tiles (bad idea), and am fairly handy, so when it comes time to cover the basement floor, I’m looking at a semi-decent sheet vinyl - Home Depot wants $50/sq. yard, a local hole in the wall outfit sells the same product for $40/ sq. yd.
I’ve slung enough glue (ceramic tile) and know how to layout sheet vinyl, so for me, it’s DIY.
Just curious - what was the estimate, and how large is the room?
My apartment has wall-to-wall everywhere but the (very small) bathroom. If you want bathroom carpeting, get throw rugs that can be picked up and put in the washing machine.
Don’t do it. It’s just horrible. Vinyl flooring was invented to serve a purpose.
Even if you’re capable of keeping all biological matter aimed at its target (and will that always happen? - imagine if you get a nasty nosebleed, for one not-too-revolting image), other things are going to get onto the carpet. You’ll realise how much mouthwash smells if you manage to drop the bottle. Even the smallest bit of shaving foam or toothpaste is a pain to clean up.
That’s beautiful, Balthisar.
On the subject at hand;
I used to claim a “good aim” too, 'till my girlfriend of some years ago spread paper around the area of our toilet for a couple days.
Nix on the carpet, in my enlightened opinion.
Peace,
mangeorge
There’s a scene in Counselling Day where a… well, let’s say ‘unsophisticated person’ was proud to have carpeted the bathroom. He was asked: ‘You’ve never had carpet, have you?’
Any man who has stood at a toilet and urinated–while wearing shorts (short pants)–can usually feel random droplets of urine/toilet water splashing back out of the toilet onto legs and floor. In one day, the amount of displaced urine is perhaps inconsequential. Over a period of months, the additive effect coats the entire area around the toilet with urine.
I’ve stayed at some of the world’s nicest hotels. Never seen carpet in any of the restrooms. (Not even shag, baby.)
Some people have no problems with urine-impregnated carpet. Different strokes, different folks.
If you must have carpet, you might investigate carpet tiles. These can be replaced individually if necessary, but still have that wet carpet smell / urine sponge problem.
I have put in vinyl (not linoleum) tile in three bathrooms with excellent results if the floor is cement, not so great if it is a wood sub-floor. If you have any “do-it-yourself” ability of any sort, ceramic tiles are far and away the best solution and not too expensive. There is a fair amount of labor involved, so having it done is expensive. However, most major hardware chains (Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc.) give free classes on this and will rent you the tools for a nominal fee.
