Ceramic is really the only right choice for a bathroom.
The larger the tile, the more attention you will have to pay to how level your floor is. Big tiles on an uneven floor will crack. If you are not experienced at ceramic tiling I recommend using a tile no larger than 4-1/4';, or a mosaic-type tile that comes in sheets.
Home centers sell good cement-based backer boards for ceramic tile. Use that for your subfloor, preferably fastened with screws, but make sure the screw heads are countersunk to be level with the subfloor surface.
Use a straightedge or a chalk line to draw two straight lines across the room so that they cross at exact right angles in the middle of the room. Work out from this center point when laying the tile, using the lines as a guide. Lay out a test run of tile without adhesive before you start, and adjust the lines if necessary to avoid ending with a very small cut piece of tile at the edge of the room.
Spread tile mastic (essentially a thick glue) with a notched trowel. If you are using 4-1/4'; tile you will want a trowel with about 1/4'; triangular notches; for mosaic tile, a little smaller. Spread only as much mastic as you can cover with tile in about 10 minutes. Gently tap each tile into place with a rubber mallet or a small block of wood to seat it firmly in the mastic. Cut the edge pieces with a tile cutter and nipper, usually available for rental where you bought the tile.
After the tile has set for a day or two, apply grout. Mix the powdered grout with water or latex grout fortifier until it is a stiff mashed-potato consistency, then force it into the cracks with a grouting float (essentially a stiff rubber sponge on a handle). Wipe as much of the excess grout off the surface with the float as you can, then wipe the surface over and over with a damp rag rinsed in clear water until the tile surface looks completely clean. You will NOT be able to remove set grout from the tile surface later, so do as good a job as you can.
When the grout is dry there will be a hazy film on the tile surface; buff that away with a dry towel and you're done. :)
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added later: Carp (below) is correct about grout sealer, and also about making sure your subfloor will support cement backer board. Thanks Carp! I don't agree with his recommendation about lauan plywood underlayment, though; in a bathroom, the repeated moisture exposure can cause the plywood to warp and delaminate over time. A better course is to reinforce the subfloor to support cement backer board. It is more work, but it will last longer.Remodeling bathroom floor, need advise, please!?
ceramic would be the floor of choice,the tile is cheap,however,the installation cost is what gets you about 7.50 per sq.ft.
And don't forget to seal the grout! and re-seal about yearly. It's easy to test for the need to re-seal. Couple drops of water on the grout and it should bead up, not soak in.
Cement backerboard. You have to make sure your current subfloor meets the specifications for the board. Joist spacing and thickness of the current subfloor play into this.
You can also use 1/4'; thick Luan plywood for the subfloor. You can use Pergo type flooring in bathrooms, just not around areas that get wet(tub/shower/toilet). You can use tile in the wet areas and Pergo in the others.
I have Lowes tile in both my bathrooms. It's their standard neutral tile and cost about a buck a square foot. I use 12';x12'; tile.
ceramic tile is always the best product its easy to maintain and itll be cost effective just make sure it is instralled properly or u might have some problems
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