Hi Donna,

I'm trying to find plain white vinyl tiles for my bathroom floor, but can't seem to find them anywhere. The best I have found have black flecks or marbling effects which doesn't suit the room. It really needs plain white or cream. Large sheets would be ok too, but tiles are preferable. Do you know where I can find any? Secondly, can I lay new tiles over the existing ones there or do I need to pull the whole thing up?

Many thanks for your help,

Gareth Healy.

Our Homes And Property Expert replies:

Hi Gareth,

There are a number of simple white tiles on the market. Amtico produces a great range of vinyl tiles which are particularly good for bathrooms as they are warm underfoot and easy to clean and maintain. There's a tile called Pierrot which has a glossy finish and is £60 per sq m/yd and comes with a 20-year wear guarantee.

Alternatively, there's a more cost effective range called 'Barefoot Living' from Amtico, which is exclusive to John Lewis. There is a range of seven colours including white and vanilla, available in two sizes and they are available from John Lewis stores nationwide at £30 per sq yd/m.

If you wish to lay a new vinyl floor then it's really best to take up your existing tiles. The sub-floor preparation is really important because if it is not carried out properly then you may have problems with your floor in the future.

You should make sure the floor is completely flat before laying any kind of tiles. If you're a competent DIY-er, you could do it yourself using hardboard tacked down with panel pins at regular intervals, around the edge and all over each piece so it doesn't warp. Laying vinyl tiles can be a tricky job as you have to use a specialist adhesive and make sure it doesn't ooze through the joins, so I'd recommend calling in a floor expert for this one.

If you wanted to go down the sheet flooring route, Jaymart do a few different ranges in pure white which are inexpensive and contemporary in style. 'Lamonta Liscio' is a plain flat white flooring 1.5m (1.6yd) wide and available in cut lengths of 5, 10 or 15m/yd, or rolls at 20m long (21yd), costing £29.38 per square metre/yard (excluding carriage). 'Smart' is a white vinyl with a range of four different raised surfaces including Round Stud, Mini Coin, Metal Round Stud and Metal Four Bar (a kind of metal plate pattern), prices from £5.88 per square metre/yard (excluding carriage). All Smart designs are 2m (2.18yd) wide and available as a 25 metre (27yd) long roll or to order in any cut length. Contact Jaymart on (01373) 864926 for further details.

Hope this helps,

Donna.