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OBC DIVISION B · PART 9 · SECTION 9.30 — FLOORING

What kind of finish flooring is required in bathrooms and laundry rooms in Ontario?

Floors in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry areas and public entrances must be water-resistant: resilient sheet or tile flooring, ceramic tile, concrete, terrazzo or similar. Absorbent finishes like carpet or bare softwood do not satisfy the requirement in these rooms.

Code reference
Finish flooring in rooms routinely exposed to water, including bathrooms, kitchens, laundry areas, general storage and public entrance areas, must provide water resistance, using materials such as resilient flooring, felted synthetic coverings, concrete, terrazzo or ceramic tile. Elsewhere, finish flooring must simply provide a durable wearing surface over the subfloor.
OBC Division B, Subsection 9.30.1.

Paraphrased for clarity — open this provision in the BUILDAiD Library for the exact wording.

What this means in practice

The intent is that splashes, drips and appliance leaks should not immediately soak the structure. Sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl plank and tile all comply readily; laminate and engineered hardwood vary by product and warranty in wet rooms, so verify manufacturer suitability. In practice, pair the water-resistant finish with related requirements: the floor drain rules for basements, water-resistant wall finishes at tubs, and proper transitions and sealing at tub and toilet flanges. In laundry rooms on upper floors, many builders add a drain pan even where not strictly required.

Plain language

Bathroom, kitchen and laundry floors must shrug off water, so think vinyl, tile or concrete rather than carpet. It is about protecting the wood structure underneath from the everyday splashes and occasional overflows these rooms see.

Related questions

How thick does the subfloor need to be in an Ontario house?

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This page is provided for general information. Building code requirements depend on your specific project, occupancy and municipality, and code editions change. Always verify requirements against the current Ontario Building Code and confirm with your local building department.