When you are looking to put flooring in areas that are prone to get wet, such as a bathroom or mudroom, it is a good idea to consider flooring options that can hold up to water. Water damage can occur from water sitting on top of the floor (standing water), heavy moisture in the air, or water seeping from underneath such as in a basement.
Waterproof Flooring can withstand any amount of water, from moisture to flooding, without damaging the floor. Some luxury vinyl lines are waterproof, but not all. Look for a feature that says 100% waterproof when shopping. Keep in mind that some flooring is waterproof, but your subfloor is not. A waterproof floor will not necessarily keep water from damaging a subfloor.
WPC vinyl flooring is a waterproof flooring option, and manufacturers are now introducing waterproof laminate options as well.
Water Resistant Flooring will not handle large spills, floods, or a lot of moisture. But it does handle small spills. Most hard surface flooring will handle small amount of water if it is cleaned up quickly. Water resistant laminate floors is a good option as the outer wear layer is usually waterproof but the seams in between the planks can damage the core if water seeps in. Some water-resistant laminates have a water-resistant core that can last for extended periods of time, but the water must be cleaned up asap.
Some Laminate, sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl and porcelain tile are water resistant flooring options.
For more information on this topic, please visit our blog, Waterproof and Water-Resistant Flooring