The question that comes to every new homeowner’s mind: what do I do for the flooring? Whether to go with carpeted floors, vinyl floors, marble floors, or tile. Yes, it depends entirely on the budget and the aesthetic taste of the owner. However, with these many options to choose from, the advantages and disadvantages of each option must be looked at before making a decision.
Although each type of flooring has its benefits, tiles make a perfect case for themselves by presenting quite a few advantages that can make choosing them the forerunner.
Here are some of the most significant advantages of using tiles for your flooring.
Affordability
Tiles are made by firing natural materials like sand and clay at high temperatures, making them highly affordable compared to other types of flooring materials. The price band of tiles is quite diverse, with costing starting in the low double digits in Indian rupees per square foot and going upwards into the hundreds depending on the quality of the tile and the type. Such a considerable budget range to choose from gives a customer the option to select a tile depending on any budget that is decided upon.
Also, from an affordability standpoint, tiles can be looked at as a replacement for other types of comparatively more expensive flooring options like natural stone or wood. A simple way to do this is to simply pick a tile that looks like the more expensive option, like marble, and it will come at a fraction of the cost of natural marble. Installation costs on tiles are also way lower than other flooring materials.
Variety
Tiles are ahead of the rest of the field of flooring options on offer in terms of variety. Tiles are available in various sizes, colors, designs, textures, and types. So whatever the customer’s need, whether mimicking a natural stone tile or a specific design in color, a suitable tile will be available for the same.
With sizing and shapes to play with, a homeowner can develop various combinations to achieve the desired aesthetics in a home. Floor tiles also come in different textures, from smooth ones for low traffic areas to grippy textured finishes that can be used in places like the bathroom for extra traction.
Ease of Application
Tiles have one of the most straightforward installation processes as compared to some of the other flooring options. This is because tiles are more accessible to cut than different types of flooring, and the installation process as a whole is pretty straightforward for an experienced technician.
These factors alone lead to tile installation taking roughly one-third the time taken as marble for a floor of the same total area. In addition, since they are easy to cut and handle, the wastage also is significantly lesser compared to other types of flooring materials.
Durability
Tiles are incredibly resilient when it comes to staining and wear. This makes tiles a sensible choice for installation in high-traffic areas like kitchens and corridors. On the downside, while they are harder to crack than other flooring options, they have low impact resistance. This means that there is a possibility of breaking if a heavy object is dropped on it. Despite this, tile floors are generally considered to be tough to crack.
If a tile cracks, it is usually because of severe impact, and replacing a tile is relatively easy. In the long run, what this means is saving money as the tiles will not have to be replaced regularly. Furthermore, if experienced technicians install the tiles, tiles can last up to 20 years or even longer, with good maintenance and primary care.
Cleaning
Cleaning concrete walls or wooden floors usually demands a lot of extra care. A big downside to wooden floors is how averse they are to water. Although there are different kinds of polish to protect wooden floors, these require periodic replenishment. The same can be said of concretes, though not as much. Exposure to water can spoil these materials. Cleaning these has to be immediate as spots and dirt patches are tough to tend on these surfaces.
Stains on marble floors are a significant problem. These stains are pretty hard to remove, owing to the porosity of the material. Even hiring professional help to clean the floor up could prove expensive.
Tiles, on the other hand, are one of the most convenient materials to clean. A wet cloth or rag will be more than sufficient to do most of the work in case of staining or spillage. Even for harder stains, rubbing with a cloth dipped in a mild detergent solution mixed in some water is enough.
Water resistance
Probably the most standout feature of tiles, they have extremely high water resistance. Tiles tend to be almost impervious to the effects of water, which explains why they are widely used in bathrooms, kitchens, and floors. Compared to other materials, there is no other flooring option as water-resistant as tiles in the same price range. In addition, marble tends to be porous, and stains will be absorbed almost immediately.
Tiles come with a protective layer, and this makes them highly stain- and water-resistant. This makes them the preferred choice as they tend to last much longer than other types of material. In addition, tiles are resistant to high humidity temperatures, hence being a worry-free option for hot summer months in tropical climates. Tiles can be installed in high moisture environments because of this.
In the case of unglazed tiles, they will have to be sealed to protect the surface from liquids that may spill on them. In addition, special care has to be taken to fill the grout lines between the tiles as they can be susceptible to moisture.
Incorrect sealing of the grout lines can lead to water seepage, and water may get down deep into the tiles, which tends to weaken the installation and the risk of mold growing under the tiles is high. All of these combined can lead to expensive repairs.
Maintenance
Tile flooring is easy to maintain. In terms of cleaning, they just need a quick mop-up. In addition to being easy to clean, tiles keep away germs to a large extent, as good installations will not have crevices for them to breed.
Tiles do not need much in the way of upkeep because they are so durable. A sealant every 4-5 years keeps them being water-resistant. Other than these, there isn’t much to do to keep tiles in good shape.
Eco-Friendliness and Air-quality
Glass, sand, and clay are the raw materials that are used to make tiles. These materials may be combined with other recycled materials to create ceramic tiles. Tiles are excellent at regulating temperatures since they are good thermal conductors. Tiles can reduce utility bills by keeping the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter with this insulation.
Tiles are made by firing them in kilns at extremely high temperatures, and this makes sure that they do not contain any volatile organic compounds. VOCs can be attributed to many health problems, and installing tiles removes this from the equation. In comparison, some other forms of flooring like vinyl and carpet have low VOC output, but none can stand toe to toe with tiles.
Resale Value
Installation of tiles in a house can be highly profitable in the long run if the house is on sale. Adding tile floors to a home has been shown to increase the resale value of the same consideration ensuring. An attractive and aesthetic tile floor can be pleasing to a prospective buyer, and as tiles come with the benefits listed many pretty are tiles above, it makes the house an attractive proposition.
Despite marble floors being one of the most sought-after ones in houses when putting them up for sale, most buyers opt for tile floors owing to all their benefits. Furthermore, given that tiles give the appearance of marble, wood, or natural stone, the house’s aesthetic value does not diminish with tiles. This, in addition to all the benefits discussed, makes tiles the best option for your home.