Upgrade Dated Bathroom Tile With One Stunning Budget-Friendly Fix

Tiles are a common choice for bathroom flooring due to their durability, water resistance, and ease of cleaning. But many traditional tile styles, especially white or beige ceramic squares, can give a bathroom a dated look that lacks personality. This bare, bland aesthetic often prompts homeowners to replace their flooring, but renovating your bathroom floor can cost quite a bit of money and can sometimes take your bathroom out of commission for several days. Covering it with rugs is a creative, renter-friendly solution, but some flooring will still be visible. There's a solution, though, that doesn't involve taking off your old tile flooring and reinstalling a new one: applying contact paper over the existing tile floor.

This bathroom floor upgrade is great for homeowners, and it's also a renter-friendly tile solution, as contact paper peels off easily and doesn't damage the floor underneath. What makes this work especially well in a bathroom is that PVC contact paper is waterproof. It is a budget-friendly fix that won't tie up your bathroom for days on end. Another great thing about this DIY is that there is a seemingly endless variety of contact paper patterns to choose from, and they're textured just like tile. So, there is no need to settle for a look that isn't exactly what you want. Of course, every viral bathroom upgrade has its drawbacks and considerations, so it's best to go into this project fully informed.

The first step in this DIY is to clean your floors thoroughly. This helps the contact paper stick to the tiles and grout. Then measure the amount of contact paper that you will need to cover your bathroom floors, and carefully cut and apply it one section at a time, smoothing it out with a squeegee or credit card to prevent bubbles. That's it — after you apply the contact paper, your new flooring is installed and ready to enjoy. Contact paper can also be used on your bathroom's wall tiles.

Though contact paper is affordable, waterproof, and easy to install, it isn't without downsides. One major one to consider is the potential for mold to grow between the contact paper and the tiles underneath. However, overlapping each piece of contact paper can help prevent this to a certain extent. Contact paper doesn't require seams in between like peel-and-stick tiles do. Still, moisture may eventually make its way underneath the edges, making this a better temporary upgrade than a permanent solution. Additionally, although the paper comes off easily, it may leave a sticky residue behind. Putting painter's tape underneath is one solution to make removal easier. Lastly, some people find that contact paper has a slightly less professional look than peel-and-stick tiles. Since they're both affordable, you can experiment with both to see which one you prefer.