Any moisture that passes through the seams of a laminate floor can ruin the installation. Laminate flooring: This artificial product performs better than solid wood flooring in moisture tests. But laminate flooring uses a fiberboard core that will swell and blister when it comes in contact with water.Like other floor coverings in this category, engineered wood is not a good choice where standing water is an ongoing likelihood. Manufacturers of engineered wood flooring may warranty their products against moisture damage but usually stipulate that spills and splashes need to be wiped up immediately. Engineered wood will not stand up to long periods of standing water, but occasional puddling is not a problem. Engineered wood: Engineered wood performs better than laminate flooring because its base is of a sturdier, more water-resistant plywood material.Concrete: Properly sealed concrete is excellent against water. Once rare except for utility areas, concrete is gaining in popularity for living areas thanks to new options for colorizing and texturizing it.Vinyl tile: Vinyl tile, like the other resilient floors here, is a 100 percent waterproof material. However, the many seams in a tile installation allow more opportunities for water to seep down into the subfloor.Luxury vinyl ranks slightly behind sheet vinyl and ceramic tile because the seams between planks do sometimes allow water to seep to the subfloor, especially if the installation is less than perfect. The entire layer of flooring is entirely waterproof, including the core, making this a much better flooring for wet areas than plastic laminate flooring. Luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) planks: Luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) comes n long plank strips, typically 7 inches wide and 48 inches long. The lock-and-fold style of joinery provides a fairly tight seal against water. Sheet vinyl: Sheet vinyl is a 100 percent waterproof solid surface. Usually, it has very few, if any, seams that allow water to penetrate to the substrate.As with porcelain, the weak point of ceramic tile is not the tile itself, but the grouted seams between the tiles. Ceramic tile: As with porcelain, ordinary ceramic tile is an excellent choice in areas that see puddling or standing water. The only difference is that non-porcelain ceramic tile has a slightly higher water absorption rate, though this is typically not an issue.Cracked grout seams can provide an avenue for moisture to seep down into the subfloor. Porcelain tile is arguably the very best material for chronically damp locations, provided the grouted seams are maintained adequately. Porcelain tile has a water absorption rate of 0.5 percent or less, as defined by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C373. Porcelain tile: Porcelain tile is a form of ceramic tile often used in showers, bathtubs, pools, and other pure-water areas. This material is highly resistant to intense water, thanks to the very fine clays and high firing temperatures used in its creation.The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.
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