Insta-poll for all the design experts here: Our 1890s bathrooms have original beadboard wainscotting, wood floors, wall hung sinks, and incredibly heavy clawfoot tubs with fixed-length plumbing. The floors are going to be very wet all the time. Should we expose the wood floors, use 2-inch hexagonal unglazed porcelain tile a la the 1890s, or cover with vinyl sheet flooring? We originally had our hearts set on real linoleum, but it’s outrageously pricey at $30 a square foot installed.


Comments

  1. Bob, thanks to your recommendations, we’ll be using the three-curtain method. But human nature being what it is, I bet the floor (and the wall) will get wet.

    Since so many great minds are in this thread, does anyone know: There is a board around the marble under the toilet. Can we get rid of this somehow and tile over it? It looks so messy.

    Also, I take it we hire a plumber and they can move the 700-pound tub in and out of the bath?

    Thank you!!!!

  2. yep disconnect the tub, sink, toilet and redo with b/w hex tile. When you’re in the market for claw foot tub fixtures check out Overstock.com. They had a pretty good selection when I last checked.

  3. Sad the real linoleum didn’t fit the budget! I love that stuff too. If our kitchen hadn’t already been newly tiled by the seller with something acceptable I’d have put real linoleum in there. I love the retro look and it’s easier on the feet for standing a long time doing dishes and cooking.

    My vote: tile definitely. Unless you can find some salvage real linoleum. Yours is a smaller room so maybe you could use some leftover linoleum from a bigger project, at one of the places that sells salvage building materials.

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