Floorboards in bathroom - bad idea?

[nocluenoclueatall]

We're just about to have our bathroom re-done and we're on a pitiful budget. I'm installing an old victorian cast iron bath so it's going to be a bit vintage looking (i.e. old and knackered!) and I'm thinking floorboards, sanded and varnished with yacht varnish or maybe painted would look quite swell.

However, kids. Kids in bathrooms. Water. New ceilings downstairs... disaster?

The money we save on tiling the floor could be used up replastering downstairs when it all goes tits up couldn't it? Thoughts?

If the floorboards are gappy, then I wouldn't do it. As well as the splash issues it may be draughty and make for a horrid cold bathroom. Could you lift the floorboards and relay them on a cheap but solid under floor of some sort?

if you use T&G floorboards they will not be especially leaky. They will also not turn to mush when they get wet, like chipboard.

Anyway, the downstairs ceiling might be due for replastering.

It is Piglet, it is, hence the problem. We're getting that done too and the thought of doing it twice... but then the cost. Dear god the cost, oh the cost of tiling a bathroom floor. Sooooo expensive. Especially when you turn your nose up at affordable tiles and only seem to find ones that cost the same as a small arabian stallion.

Relaying might be an option though... anyone done that?

if you want to renew the floor (e.g. it is in poor condition or made of soggy weetabix rubbish chipboard, then you might as well take it up and replace with 18mm or 25mm WBP ply. This is strong, rigid and water repellent, and makes a good base for tiling onto later, or laying a rug or vinyl on. You can also stain and varnish it, but this may not be helpful to the adhesive if you want to tile on it later.

What sort of flooring do you have in there at the moment?

If you have original boards then it may be worth getting them re-laid and the gaps filled and then having it well sealed.

If you have a ply floor then you could put down vinyl which, IMO, is far nicer in a kids bathroom than cold, hard tiles...

We had varnished floorboards and freestanding cast iron bath. Ds came in to talk to me whilst I was in the bath, he slipped on a wet bit and fell. I looked over the side to see how he was and could just see his head, he'd slid right under the bath! X

Good idea, I grew in such a house and we have them now. Look lovely. So long as you don't leave the bath to overflow and have mats on the floor what's the problem?

we laid a "floating" floor over the existing gappy and draughty victorian boards....just bog standard floor boards from a builders merchant.

It's fine, has lasted well, and I never got around to varnishing the floor as it's the only bathroom in the house. They've been down now seven or eight years, and not warped at all.

I give them a scrub over with bathroom cleaner and a scrubby brush once in a blue moon to keep them clean.

And we have a big floofy bathmat to soak up wet footprints.

Only thing is you might need to shave a good bit of the door if it opens inwards! :o

We used to have wooden floor boards in our house in the Uk.
They had been sanded, warnished and the gaps had been filled.
We've never had any problem, and looked good.

nocluenoclueatall

If you're having the ceiling done under the bathroom, ask about foil-backed plasterboard. It has an impervious backing of aluminium foil to resist damp, and should mean that water will run through the edges or joints instead of soaking in.

After a bathroom leak I now have a hole in the kitchen ceiling and am considering the idea of drilling holes it in when re-done to let water run out into the sink next time.

I am literally lolling reading back this thread. In a world punctuated by dreary domestic decision making, one can always rely on Mumsnet for some creative solutions... holes in ceilings direct into sink to allow for cheapness of bathroom floor? Check. Exciting watersliding opportunities for DS, created by conditions of same? Check!

I agree about the warmness of the floor. Can't cope with the shock of cold ceramic early in the mornings, can't afford underfloor heating (or to be fair, tiles) so it looks like this might be a go-er.

Glad to know I'm not alone in this plan! Thanks everyone.