How to fix wet area by the tub & what material for bathroom floor?

My small bathroom has linoleum floor. The problem is the linoleum next to the bath tub becomes curl up. I have tried to chaulk between the linoleum floor and tub a few times but am unable to seal it since the linoleum curls. Every time we take a shower the water drips out of the tub. In one corner next to the tub, the board underneath seems swollen since the floor is a bit raised in that area. How should I fix the problem? Would replacing the linoleum work or I should change the floor material altogether? What material is best for the floor? Does the board need to be replaced too? This bathroom is our only hope for shower, since the other bathroom needs to be fixed too! Thanks for the advice!

If the subflooring regularly gets wet, it can end up rotting. Depending on the type of subfloor, it could very well be swollen up, especially if there is any luan plywood or particle board there (sometimes used under sheet vinal). Neither one of those handle getting wet very well. If the subflooring is not level, the only way to flatten it out is probably to remove that layer. Depending on the strength and design of your subfloor, you might be able to then tile it, but you would need to know how solid the subfloor is, how deep the floor joists are, how long the unsupported span is, and the thickness and type of subfloor. Regardless, you'd need to remove at least the sheet material. While tile is usually not affected by getting wet, if the subflooring is not prepped properly and strong enough, it won't last either. Once you get a new floor down, then caulking that joint between the floor and the tub should keep it intact. A better shower curtain or a glass door might help as well . Drying that off each time after the shower wouldn't hurt, either. My unprofessional opinion.

curl

Easier said than done.
Keep the water inside the curtin when showering.
Take a shower and have someone look to see where the water starts to get to the outside and to the floor..

Thanks for the great info! I wonder if I can peel off the linoleum, inspect the floor, and if ok replace with a good quality linoleum. If I were to install tile floor, the tiles might come up a little higher than cabinet's trim at the bottom of cabinet. It might look a bit odd, though you probably won't pay much attention to it when using the bathroom everyday.

I'm now inspecting the floor and wiping the water off every time I use the shower. It's a good (and probably expensive) lesson for me after I discovered how much an everyday neglect has done. Now I'm trying not to damage the floor further!

Sorry - no such thing as "good quality linoleum"... But I'm biased... and hate plastic flooring.

If you find your subfloor is still okay (no cheating here) - put down some tile. Searching tile stores you can finish it for around $1.00/sq.ft.. You can do it yourself for the price of linoleum and have a much nicer finish. The cabinet trim can be raised to allow the new tile to slip under it, giving a proper finish (you "are" going to sell the place someday). I might be a bit simplistic... but end up with nice projects.............

Any good materials for bathroom other than tiles?

Thanks thezster. Yes - moving the trim. Why didn't I think of it b4??

I'm not sure I like tiles on the floor. I spent a lot of time cleaning the grout between tiles in the shower room. It seems to get dirty and mold pretty easily. We also re-grouted twice since the old grout started to have little holes that expanded over time. I think the previous owner may not install the tiles properly. Anyway that made me a bit hesitate to use tiles due to the possible grout problem. Is there any other good choices for bathroom floor? What are its pros/cons? Thanks!

It's wet, right?

That's a bathroom for you.... always getting wet - ruining carpet and warping wood floors... leaving you with linoleum or tile....

Interesting about the grout.... yes, it can be problematic... but if installed and sealed properly - it should last for years and years..... and a little bathroom cleaner every few months rids any mold/mildew..... However!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I admit I am biased... you can, in fact, buy some very nice linoleum these days. You've seen the problems caused by poor installation (edges lifting/corners tearing)... If you do it right, you can get a decent finish (in fact, while I'll deny it to anyone else - I've got linoleum in one of my 4 bathrooms - in the basement and the house came that way....)

See if you can lift the edges of your cabinets a tad - or at least the trim.. and get as much plastic under the edges as you can... It's possible - however unlikely, that you can do the same with your bathtub. All you need is an eighth of an inch to get it under the edge... barring that, use quality linoleum glue - and seal the edges to the flooring.

Once completed, increase your odds of success by eliminating what caused the problem in the first place..... water leaking out of the tub...

Good Luck!