Tiles appear to be out as a flooring option for my ensuite. The chipboard flooring is just too bouncy. What looks similar to tiles but is more flexible? We don’t want cheap vinyl or a wet room style floor. We haven’t got underfloor heating to worry about.

Have you considered cork tiles? We have a click lock system (floating) in the ensuite and glue down tiles in the main bathroom. Our subfloor is not the best and they seem to cope with it fine.

You could go for a bathroom suitlable laminate or engineered wood. Or if you are feeling funky…

rubber!

a supplier I have used before…for er…rubber

Replace the chipboard with 18mm marine ply or backer boards, then tile.

No to cork tiles. Its not the 80’s! (Sorry)
Cannot remove the ply as the boards run under walls. It took me two days with a circular saw and multitool just getting access to wiring elsewhere.

Bathroom laminate sounds like an option. Does anyone have any experience of this in terms of water resistance?

Rather than cheap vinyl (i.e. one big roll), get expensive vinyl – like Karndean or Amtico (and plenty of other imitations for the budget-conscious)? There are some good options for bathroom floors that you can glue direct to the chipboard, fit nice and close to pans, sinks, shower trays etc.

I fitted some Harvey Maria rubber tiles in the bathroom a few weeks ago – linky.

(Anyone wanting to do a loo with “peppermint cream”, I have eight tiles left (2m2) that can be had for a charitable donation)

I’ve just finished treating exactly this problem with cement based backer boards (I used Hardie Backer, other brands are available). In my case I lifted a few floorboards, packed the joists to stop them flexing then stuck the backer boards down to the wood with tile adhesive, then screwed through. Tile on top as normal.

Karndean/Amtico can look very good, simple to lay well DIy as well

Were have Marmoleum in ours. British made, low VOC, warm to touch, don’t show the dirt…

Cheapest is a roll of cushionfloor vinyl. Can be OK. I also fit Karndean. But carpet is my favourite. Much cosier.

carpet is my favourite

for that authentic 70’s musty pissy smell. lovely.

slate effect rubber tiles, not as funky as the studded ones but hard wearing and non slip

Karndean or Amtico. We had a wood strip finish over a new marine ply base screwed to the existing floor and it’s lovely. cleans up well and is reasonably warm underfoot unlike tiles.

You could try a product called aquastep, it is a resin/plastic version of laminate flooring so easy to fit and feels good under foot. Comes in a few different finishes.