Deciding on a flooring for your space can sometimes be difficult when you are presented with all of the options. Price, design, installation and durability are all things that you should consider when choosing your flooring. A popular option is ceramic tile. This can be a nice addition to your space, but does it hold up the same way that polished concrete does? Let’s compare:
Price
Tile is typically known as a pretty affordable flooring option for most people. If you are able to find a tile that is marked down or at a low cost and are able to do a DIY installation, it could end up being less than five dollars per square foot. This is pretty reasonable and cheap for most people looking for new flooring; however, if you are looking for a more durable, elegant and luxurious tile, you will not find it for that price.
More expensive tile can get pretty costly and if you are unable to install it yourself, you will need to pay for installation, which adds to the cost. A more expensive tile that is installed professionally can cost anywhere from $15 per square foot to more than 60 dollars per square foot. Of course, this is all dependent on the overall quality of the tile along with the difficulty of the installation.
Maintenance
Ceramic tiles can be easy to keep clean and to take care of. It is even easier when it is a glazed tile, which means there is a hard and protective top layer, which keeps the tile more protected. If your tile is going to be in an area that is likely to be met with liquid and spills, your tile will need to be sealed very carefully. If unsealed ceramic tile is met with liquid, it can absorb it and become stained and less durable.
Polished concrete must also be sealed, but the overall lifespan of a polished concrete floor is incredibly long. This is what makes it a great choice for bathrooms or other areas that will be met with water. Both ceramic tile and polished concrete have fairly easy maintenance routines. This means they should be swept with a soft material daily to be kept free of dirt and debris.
Design
Ceramic tiles are able to give you a fairly large choice of designs. They can have patterns, colors and can even be manufactured to imitate hardwoods and natural stones. They can also be cut into different shapes, which can create a unique look on your floors.
Polished concrete is one of the best options when you are looking for a unique design in your space. This is because polished concrete floors include stained concrete, which can give you many different colors, designs and textures, overlays, which can create a unique logo or image underneath the polish, and even woodcrete, which is manufactured to look like wood flooring with double the durability. If you are looking for a unique design, polished concrete is the way to go.
Installation
Both ceramic tile flooring, as well as polished concrete flooring, will require a professional installation. Tile installation will be a much longer overall process due to cutting the tile, placing them symmetrically and grouting in between. This means that you will end up paying more, due to a longer installation time. There is a decent amount of time spent setting up for polished concrete installation as well as time for it to set, but the overall process is much quicker and simpler to complete.
Deciding on a flooring for your space can be a difficult choice, but focusing on what is important to you, whether that be price, design or maintenance will make your decision easier. Polished concrete is an excellent choice for your space due to the durability, customization and overall visual appeal.