Best Waterproof Flooring Options on the Market in 2024

If you’re looking into waterproof flooring options for your home, chances are you know this already—in some rooms, having waterproof flooring is a must. Liquids and moisture can ruin a floor faster than pineapple can ruin pizza.

In all seriousness, bathrooms, entryways, basements, and even kitchens can be rife with spills, humidity, or tracked-in water. And depending on where you live, the possibility of flooding can also be a major concern. 

Whatever the reason, choosing the right waterproof floor is pretty important. But it doesn’t have to be difficult! 

Below, we’ll compare 4 of the best waterproof flooring options for your home and the best brands of 2024. 

Option #1: Tile

There’s a reason tile is such a popular bathroom flooring option: it can stand up to a lot of water and humidity.

Porcelain tile, for instance, is required to have an extremely low absorption rate, so it can be submerged in water for long periods. While it doesn’t have the same absorption rate requirements, ceramic tile is also a solid choice for moisture-prone rooms. 

Whatever you choose, we recommend that you look for unglazed tile, which tends to be thicker and denser than glazed tile. It’s more slip-resistant, which is critical when it comes to bathroom flooring.

There are also tons of design options for tile floors. Luxury brands like Paradiso even offer large natural stone tile, while others like Proximity Mills carry ultra-durable rectified porcelain. 

With such a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes, you’re bound to find a waterproof flooring option that fits your personal preferences and style.

The only concern with tile is grout, which isn’t waterproof. Make sure to maintain your floors properly—in this case, by making sure your grout is in good condition. If it’s not, water can seep through cracked grout lines and cause problems underneath your tile floors.

Option #2: Vinyl Plank (Luxury Vinyl)

Vinyl plank, vinyl tile, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), LVP, luxury vinyl plank: whatever you choose to call it, it makes a great waterproof floor. 

If you don’t already know, this product (which goes by many different names) is one of the best flooring options around. It’s composed of multiple layers, it’s entirely synthetic—but looks, feels, and installs like conventional flooring. In fact, some style-focused brands (like Doma) offer luxury vinyl that arguably looks better than conventional wood or tile flooring.

Rigid vinyl plank, in particular, is one of the best waterproof flooring choices around. Products with a rigid core (as opposed to a flexible one) are dimensionally stable—so shifts in humidity won’t affect them.

Plus, when vinyl plank or tile floors are installed with a click-and-lock system, its seams provide a tight, waterproof seal. The vinyl top layer will keep water from seeping into the subfloor, and the core is waterproof too.

As long as your vinyl flooring is properly installed—and we definitely recommend calling in the professionals for this—you shouldn’t have any issues with water! 

Like porcelain and ceramic, vinyl plank and vinyl tile are available in a ton of styles. The most popular visuals generally mimic wood flooring types, but there are plenty of beautiful stone, concrete, metallic, and fabric-inspired designs available as well.

Option #3: Sheet Vinyl

Part of vinyl plank’s rise in popularity has to do with its waterproof properties, but sheet vinyl is waterproof, too. And because it comes in 6 or 12-foot rolls, there are fewer seams, which gives water fewer opportunities to seep into the subfloor. 

So what exactly is sheet vinyl? You know—its the type of flooring that you used to find in just about every kitchen and bathroom! Plasticky, patterned, and full of childhood nostalgia.

While you can easily find sheet vinyl floors that look like wood or stone, there’s been a recent resurgence of retro-patterned sheet vinyl—which is a great way to add fun, funky flair to any room.

Sheet vinyl also tends to be pretty reasonably priced (even the premium stuff) and it’s also one of the most durable flooring options around, making it a great waterproof option if you’re renovating on a budget.

Option #4: Laminate

While laminate flooring is not generally thought of as waterproof, waterproof and water-resistant types do exist. But they’re not standard—so make sure you know what you’re buying! Brands like Newton carry sizable collections of waterproof laminate flooring.

If any water gets past the planks’ seams, though, even the best laminate’s fiberboard core will warp, and your gorgeous laminate floors will be destroyed. 

While waterproof laminate will probably fare fine against a spilled cup of water or pet accident, it’s no match for a flooding dishwasher. Be sure to check your warranty before opting for waterproof or water-resistant laminate floors.

Conclusion

We hope this roundup of waterproof types of flooring has been helpful! Now, it’s time to find your new floors. 

Our advice: you can’t go wrong with any of these floors, but in 2024 the most popular waterproof flooring options has definitely been Tile and Luxury Vinyl Plank.