Best Flooring for Laundry Rooms

Laundry rooms withstand a lot of everyday use, from the impact of heavy and bulky appliances and considerable foot traffic to the inevitable laundry detergent spills, wetness and condensation from drying clothes. As a result, it's essential to invest in high-quality floors that can withstand constant usage, heat, moisture and spills. 

Like many homeowners, you may want to install flooring that's cohesive with the rest of the floors in your home. However, not all flooring types and materials are suitable for laundry rooms. Below, we share the best and worst flooring types for laundry rooms and the criteria for selecting the right option for you.

The Best Flooring for Laundry Rooms

The following are the top laundry room floor ideas that can withstand the rigors of this space while remaining aesthetically pleasing. 

1. Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Luxury vinyl flooring is the best and typically most affordable option for your laundry room. It comes in various styles and colors that can mimic natural stone or classic hardwood floors throughout your home. Luxury vinyl comes in planks or tiles to fit most laundry rooms' width, especially those in mud rooms or entryways.

Luxury vinyl flooring works great in laundry rooms because installation is seamless, meaning they don't easily trap moisture. It is also:

• Incredibly cost-effective compared to other flooring materials.
• A low-maintenance material that resists spills, stains, scuffs and scratches.
• Waterproof and doesn't deteriorate quickly with constant exposure to moisture.
• Soft and comfortable underfoot, perfect when hauling heavy loads of laundry.

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2. Ceramic and Porcelain Tile

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are classic laundry room flooring materials. They are nonporous and don't absorb moisture, which minimizes the risk of warping, staining or swelling. They create a level surface with great traction, ensuring your washer and dryer machines are stable. They're available in various styles, patterns and colors that you can customize to your liking.

Here are some benefits of porcelain and ceramic laundry room floor tiles:

• Tough flooring material with fire-resistant qualities and the ability to withstand high foot traffic.
• Highly water-resistant and can generally withstand major accidents like laundry room flooding.
• Enhanced laundry room cleanliness because the nonporous surface reduces the chance of bacteria, mold and mildew growth.
• Renewable and recyclable materials that are sustainable and more environmentally-friendly than some alternatives.

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3. Rubber Flooring

Rubber flooring is being increasingly used in residential spaces, such as home gyms, garages, entryways, children's play areas, bathrooms and laundry rooms. It's an ideal fit for laundry rooms because it's dense and sturdy, meaning it can handle the weight and impact of the dryer and washing machine. 

Whether you install rubber flooring in sheets or tiles, it has many advantages:

• It's slip-resistant when wet, making it safer for these moisture-dense spaces.
• It's 100% water-resistant, ensuring no water or condensation reaches the subfloor.
• It requires minimal upkeep and maintenance to maintain it in the best shape.
• High-quality rubber floors are hypoallergenic and resistant to fungus, mold, mildew and fungus.

4. Concrete Flooring

Concrete is a classic laundry room flooring material. Its suitability stems from its durability, water resistance and the impact of handling heavy laundry appliances. You can customize your concrete flooring by adding dyes and surface treatments like acid stains. Concrete flooring can be finished in various ways to achieve your desired texture.

Concrete flooring is suitable for laundry rooms because it is:

• Easy to clean and maintain.
• Resistant to moisture, though certain finishes may make it slippery when wet.
• Durable and resistant to damage.
• Generally affordable to install.

Flooring Types to Avoid In a Laundry Room

Some popular flooring types aren't the right fit for laundry rooms because of their poor moisture resistance or uneven surface. 

1. Carpets 

Carpet's high absorbency disqualifies it for bathroom and laundry room applications. It can't withstand the moisture released from condensation as the dryer runs its cycle. Trapped moisture makes your laundry room stuffy or musty-smelling and encourages mold, mildew and bacteria growth. 

2. Hardwood

It may be tempting to extend the aesthetics of your living areas to the laundry room with hardwood flooring, but it's best you don't. While hardwood is a high-quality material, it doesn't stand up well against moisture and heat produced by washers and dryers. Condensation and water spills seep into the wood grain, causing warping or swelling. 

3. Laminate 

While laminate is a synthetic material fit for whole-house application, it has some distinct disadvantages that make it less than ideal for laundry rooms. The particle baseboard is susceptible to damage by washer overflows, extreme temperature variations and condensation from the machines. Water and moisture cause laminate flooring to swell, expand or warp.   

4. Natural Stone

Natural stone flooring like marble and mosaic are unsuitable because they're often uneven and porous. The unevenness of natural stone flooring may cause your washer and dryers to shake, vibrate and produce excessive noise. Their porous nature makes them susceptible to staining, cracking and etching with moisture exposure. 

What to Look for When Choosing a Laundry Room Floor

When choosing a laundry room floor, you must consider a few essential factors and features. These include:

• Moisture resistance: Laundry rooms are associated with high moisture and humidity. The area is also susceptible to detergent or bleach spills. It is essential to invest in flooring that can withstand wetness without staining, warping or harboring mold and mildew.
• Anti-fatigue: You likely spend a lot of time in the laundry room while cleaning, ironing and folding clothes, so a soft and comfortable underfoot helps you endure the process with minimal physical strain.
• Durability: Because laundry rooms are high-traffic and heavy-use areas, the flooring needs to be sturdy and durable to minimize the costs of frequent repairs or replacements.
• Ease of maintenance: Choose a laundry room flooring that requires minimal cleaning and maintenance beyond sweeping and mopping to save you time, energy and effort. 

Shop Flooring and Rugs for Your Laundry Room at Carpet & Tile Mart

Quality laundry room flooring ensures the space remains functional and easy to maintain. Carpet & Tile Mart is your one-stop shop for all your flooring needs for every space in your home. We offer a wide selection of flooring solutions that withstand the rigors of your laundry room and last for a long time.

Our flooring products are more affordable than competitors because we purchase directly from manufacturers and mills to eliminate go-betweens and markups. Explore our laundry room flooring options in our online store or visit one of our 14 locations in the Delaware, Pennsylvania and South Jersey regions.