I am guessing the advantage of forced air and baseboard is that they are easily accessible when repairs are needed. If something fails in the floor, that could be a complicated fix.

We have hated floors in three bathrooms. The radiant floor heat (set to 79 during the few below freezing cold snaps we have) in our 12x9.5 master bathroom heats so well, we close our registers in the bathroom and bedroom. The heating elements are under a polished basket weave marble tile floor. I am not sure if the type of tile makes a difference, but our marble floors stay warmer longer and heat up faster than the others. I am sure floor insulation and many other factors come into play as well.

Density of floor mat makes a difference too. We just had a floor heat laid by hand and the half with higher density is (not surprisingly) much warmer. There is no fix for that now. And thermostat is in higher density section. It's very nice but clearly uneven.

Our plumber, we have a hot water boiler, used a heat exchange formula to decide if we could skip a radiator in our newly added bath room. It took the room size plus ceiling height into account. Our's is a new room and all walls, ceiling and floor are well insulated above a heated and insulated room below as well. Our bigger 13x8 room by our towns code said heat floors in that space were not a sufficient sole heat source just considered supplimental. But in a room with lower ceilings it should have sufficed.

Another option might be a heated towel rack, which is essentially a vertically mounted 'baseboard' item. Baseboard cannot be used, but for instance, Runtal makes a very nice unit (electric plug in, hardwired or hot water). Properly sized, it would heat the room just as the baseboard would, but also dry your towels. It would still take up room, but also provide an extra function. They can be put on programmable timers.

I have heated floors (electric - Warmly Yours and Warm Wire). They are only enough to heat the floor - not an entire room. You could consider in floor heat and add an exhaust fan / heater in the ceiling. We had this in out last home. Turn the heater on for two minutes and the bathroom will be toasty!

Panasonic Fan with Heater

in Boston here - we have a bathroom over our garage (thick foam insulation) and the floor is not enough to heat the room. chills me just to think about turning on the fan without heat in the room

Thanks for the help, everyone! HB, why do you say "baseboard cannot be used"? Is it against code to have both in-floor and baseboard heat?

Depends on which system you select. Many are designed to warm the tiles only. I prefer NU-Heat as it can be used as a heat source. The thermostat can be set to the ambient temperature. A fan heater as mentioned above and a toe kick heater under the vanity would certainly help.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. In a previous question (not you) someone was asking if they could literally put baseboard heaters up the wall as a towel rack (and the answer is no). So just in case you had the same thought.

Creative tile, can nu heat always work as a heat source was I miss lead to buy a radiator. I have nu heat and was told it was not sufficient for the volume of my space...I trust creative tile on this more than my plumber for those reading this looking for advice. He has helped solve problems I have had with my tile, I defer to his opinion on anything tile and floor related, my GC, who I respect and will use again, appreciated and listened to creative tiles advice when I had some issues. Creative's expertise is superb in my mind!

@ roarah. Thank you for the kind words. Nu-Heat was bought out by Pentair a short while back so I would suggest calling their tech dept. 800-778-9276. Check your thermostat for a ambient setting. If it has one switch it over and try it.

Thank you I have three settings, floor temp, ambient room text and a combo setting. I will read my manual tonight. I suppose and extra heat source is ok in case one fails but our initial plan was to not need the space taking radiator and I was told it would not work... I have turned the rad off and set the the setting to ambient temp to see how well it works for now.