Pros & Cons of Installing Tile in Your Home
If you could make one simple internet search and find your perfect flooring, the selection process wouldn't be so overwhelming and time consuming. Tile searches can be anything but simple! There are so many things to consider the right size of tile, price range, color, and the benefits/drawbacks of it. It is tough to know if installing tile in your home is the right decision.Tile is a trendy flooring choice for our clients at Flooring Solutions. Hearing feedback from our clients, installation crews, and sales team about various tile projects has allowed us to create this complete guide to installing tile in your home. All the facts below will help speed up your product selection process and give you confidence about your entire flooring project.
In this complete guide, you can expect to find the pros and cons laid out for you, how tile is compared to other flooring choices, and even see where floor tile would not be a good fit inside your home. This way, you don't make common mistakes that can make you unhappy with your flooring choice. Afterall, we want you to love your floors for many years to come.
What Are the Benefits of Installing Tile
Tile has grown in popularity over the last five years. You can install tile in just about any area, which appeals to homeowners. Some floor tiles offer unique styles and sizes and allow for customization.Top 3 Benefits of Installing Tile in Your Home
1. Most water-resistant flooring possible:It's no secret that we are the hardest on our floors. You don't even think about it at times, but the constant impact your floors take is huge. A common worry amongst homeowners is water damage even if there's not a ton of foot traffic. Tile flooring is the most water-resistant flooring, which is a huge appeal. Tile is the only flooring that if you spilled an entire gallon of water on it, it wouldn't damage the surface at all.2. Increased home value:Tile flooring is unique, solid, and often presents as a luxury floor covering. Many home appraisers rank tile close to hardwood in terms of resale value. There are also such stunning designs and styles that a newly renovated bathroom or kitchen using tile gives a great first impression.
3. Custom look & styles:You can achieve a customized look through a specific floor tile. But you can also install your tiles in intricate patterns and multiple colors. These customized looks and styles give freedom to homeowners who like to add pops of color or put their personal touches on a room.
What Are the Drawbacks of Installing Tile
Though it is popular and in high demand, for a good reason. A few of those same reasons could also be the drawback. The customization and unique styles can undoubtedly drive the price of tile flooring up. There are a few reasons why tile is not your best choice.Top 3 Drawbacks of Installing Tile in Your Home
1. Cold on your feet
This is likely the most common feedback Flooring Solutions receives from our clients. Also, who likes cold feet first thing in the morning? It could easily make you want to press that snooze button!
2. Potential Grout issues
If you don't use premium grout, your grout will likely stain easier. Even if you take all the necessary precautions, that doesn't always guarantee your grout will stay clean or perfect forever.
3. Cracking/damaging
Most tile can withstand much daily traffic and wear & tear. Tile is not meant to crack with the first sign of heavy weight or something dropping on it. But repeated exposure can certainly crack it easier and quicker. Cracks and damage to the tile's surface can be tough to repair. Think of a glass bowl that drops and shatters or cracks and how tough that would be to repair. Also, if you repair it, you can't guarantee it won't be visible afterward.
How Does Installing Tile Compare to Other Flooring Options
Floor tile fits into a category of its own. It is tough to mimic the natural stone look of tile in another flooring option. However, many luxury vinyl plank vendors carry stone and marble look vinyl that is increasing in popularity and durability. It is also a little bit more affordable than natural tile. It's easiest to compare tile to other flooring options with the most common questions we get from homeowners. Let's dive into those!How Does Tile Compare in Cost
Tile is typically more expensive than other flooring options. The increased cost is primarily due to installation and additional materials needed. Many flooring options don't require glue and are less difficult to install.If you have a tight budget and want to remodel a room, tile may not be suitable. However, Flooring Solutions offers financing options that help homeowners get the floors they love, with the freedom to pay for them over time.
How Does Tile Compare in Durability
Tile, when installed accurately, is likely the most durable flooring material. Although, when installed incorrectly, tile is susceptible to cracking and showing heavy signs of wear and tear. Natural stone tile is an exception to the durability factor, given that it's more fragile than regular floor tile. Why Porcelain & ceramic tiles, however, are the most durable options. (transitional Link to CTA porcelain vs. ceramic article)How Does Tile Compare in Popularity & an Eco Friendly Option
Tile is among the most popular flooring choices for clients of Flooring Solution. Tile is also popular among millennial-based customers because it is eco-friendly. We love working with vendors that are conscious about their carbon footprint, and the role that flooring production plays in that. Is that something you've thought of before?The Natural elements in the tile is a huge appeal. It feels good to know your flooring product is sourced from nature, using minerals, stone, and other natural elements. This also helps provide the endless style and color options.
Where Should You Not Install Tile in Your Home
The most common rooms for installing tile are kitchens and bathrooms. But it's important for you to know what rooms it would be a disadvantage to install. As a homeowner, you can choose where tile, or any flooring option, goes in your home. When our clients come to us for design consultation, we try to bring your "needs" and "wants" together. It's our goal to bring your vision to life through your floors. But it is also our goal to educate you on locations in your home where tile may not be an excellent fit.A few places you may not want to install tile & why:
1. Kid's bedroom
Other than your children not wanting cold feet, we also discourage tile in a kid's bedroom in case of falls or slips. It can be safer to have a softer floor covering.
2. On a staircase
You may occasionally see mosaic tiles on a staircase, but only sometimes. Besides the difficulty of installation methods, it's a unique location to put tiles. How does a loud and cold stairwell sound to you? No thanks!
3. Upstairs room
We don't recommend having tile in multiple rooms upstairs due to the weight tile adds to your floor joists and subfloor. It will also not act as a sound barrier as nicely as a carpet or soft flooring material.
Does Tile Have to be Professionally Installed
Does it have to be? No. Should it be? That's a different story.We recommend professional installation mainly to help preserve and protect the integrity of your home and your new flooring. Imagine your frustration if you decided not to use a professional installation company. Only months later, the product gave you tons of headaches and issues you had no idea how to fix.
You can make easy or common mistakes during the installation process for floor tiles. The easiest thing to miss is ensuring you have adequate coverage of thin-set glue on the back of tiles to prevent hollow spots. Hollow spots can cause unevenness and eventually "pop up" of the tiles.
It's also hard to achieve grout line consistency unless you're a professional. Grout lines must be crisp, even, and the same width. Grout, like thin-set glue, can be tough to work with without knowledge of the product. Finally, a professional is crucial if you're trying to achieve a transition-less look floor. Say you have hardwood in your living room and want to install tile in your kitchen but do not want a transition piece or molding to separate the two. You need proper tools and knowledge to achieve this.
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Will Tile Be Good For Your Home
Those dozens of internet searches you're making, and all product pages you're viewing might not tell you whether tile floor is a good fit for your home. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and does it meet your family's needs? These are difficult to determine and even more complicated after researching hundreds of tiles.You should feel confident, save time, and have all the facts when making your tile selection. After reviewing the pros and cons of tile, and the more complicated ins & outs about installation, you can now quickly determine if the room you considered installing tile in is still a good idea. Will the disadvantages bother you and make you wish you installed something different? These are the crucial questions we know you have and why we created this guide to help answer them.
If you're considering installing tile in your home, and want to discuss your style options, installation criteria, or even apply for financing for your next tile project, we highly encourage a showroom design consultation. Leave the internet searches behind, and let us guide you through finding the perfect tile.
