The Advantages and Disadvantages of Ceramic Floor Tiles

Ceramic tile flooring has a slew of advantages. Not only is it a resilient and long-lasting material, but it also requires minimal maintenance and is likely to increase the value of your home.

Said material can be used as flooring but also serves as wall coverings—most often seen in bathrooms or kitchens, as either backsplashes or countertop materials—making ceramic tiles as versatile an option as can be.

Is Ceramic Tile Good Flooring? Main Characteristics and Designs

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There’s a wide array of tiles retailed, from colour ranges to patterns, with a variety of sizes and base materials in between. In order to choose the right type of tile for your needs, consider the size of the room and the amount of foot traffic (used daily or rarely) in specific areas around your home. Some colours, such as red and cobalt blue, are more likely to fade than others, and the quality of the tile may deteriorate faster under heavy foot traffic.

Also, when purchasing flooring, industry experts highly recommend buying more tiles than needed to cover the room’s entire floor space. Even though ceramic tiles are resilient, at some point in time—maybe during installation—a tile may be dropped, chipped, or damaged. Dropping something on a tiled floor can leave a dent, mark, or chip. As such, by having a stash of leftover tiles, switching out the damaged tile for a spanking new one will be much easier, ensuring a uniform colour throughout.

Since most flooring resellers can’t guarantee that a certain model of tile will be retailed indefinitely, plan ahead and store additional tiles instead of seeking out a rare tile model or settling on a slightly different tile model that just doesn’t look right. Oftentimes, it’s the little things that matter most.

How Expensive Is Bathroom or Kitchen Ceramic Tile?

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Since tile materials, patterns, and styles are as different as they come, price points are just as widespread. For basic, standard tiles, you can probably get away with paying 10 dollars or so for a box of under a dozen tiles, depending on the retailer in question. However, prices do add up…

Mosaic tile boxes with about a 12-tile count are priced around $240.

When it comes to price per square foot, budget between $2.50–$4.50, on average, for 13 x 13 or 12 x 24 tiles; $6–$8 for small, mosaic-like or oversized tiles.

Moreover, if you choose to hire an industry expert, Yanick Dupré, Dupré Carrelage, informs us that homeowners should budget between $6– $10/sq. ft. for floor tile installation purposes.

However, as mentioned earlier, ceramic tiles are very long-lasting, even with minimal upkeep. As such, you won’t have to budget for much in terms of monthly maintenance and repairs.

Ultimately, your choice comes down to personal preference and budget. It's up to you to decide what sort of aesthetic you want reflected.

Ceramic Floor and Wall Tiles: A Staple of Modern Decor

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As mentioned in the previous section, tiles are retailed in a wide array of colours, patterns, and formats. Based on the aforementioned, floors sort of become a decorative factor in and of itself. As such, you can let your creative flag fly, opting for bright, colourful tiles with a pattern in the mix, all set evenly to add the right amount of dynamism to the lot. 

Doing so is pretty common for kitchen backsplashes or bathroom floors. Albeit, such designs are also prominent in kitchens. The black and white checkerboard kitchen floor tiles ring a bell... A true classic. 

To achieve a more exotic-leaning vibe, use terracotta tiles. They come in earth-like tones, easily adding the right amount of oomph to your kitchen floor, especially if you add a few patterned tiles to the mix. You can also integrate a row of different tiles, such as marble, to create a striking effect. In the end, it all comes down to taste.

As for trends, large and oversized tiles are commonly sought-after, especially in smaller rooms, making the space in question appear bigger than it actually is.

Want to learn more about the different flooring options retailed? Check out our Flooring Renovation Guide.

FAQ

How long do ceramic floor tiles last?

Ceramic floor tiles last 75 to 100 years. Resistance-wise, consider the nature of the material and high firing temperature, rather than the country of origin. In other words, the tile’s resistance depends on the process used to shape and style it, its origin, not so much.

So, be sure to ask the salesperson as much as you can about the tiles you'd like to have installed. The more you know, the better equipped you'll be to make informed decisions and choose a flooring that truly meets your needs and preferences.

Lastly, ceramic tile flooring is especially practical when wanting to install underfloor heating. Such flooring allows heat to filter through, which is rather efficient given that tiling makes for a colder surface to tread on compared to, say, wood.

What are the disadvantages of ceramic tiles?

Ceramic tiles are durable but have a few downsides: they’re hard, can be uncomfortable to stand on, prone to cracking, cold underfoot, and slippery when wet. Grout lines can also stain and trap mould, requiring ongoing maintenance.

Which floor tile is better, porcelain or ceramic?

Note that porcelain tiles are better for high-traffic and wet areas due to their durability and water resistance. Ceramic tiles are more cost-effective and versatile, ideal for low-traffic spaces.

Is ceramic tile cheaper than hardwood?

Surprisingly, ceramic tiles are a bit cheaper than hardwood flooring, and despite their reflective surface, are quieter to tread on than wood too. 

Here are more related articles:

• How to Renovate a Ceramic Bathroom Floor

• Ceramic Entryway Floor Tiles

• How to Lay Rectangular Ceramic Tiles

• 3 Ways to Paint Your Ceramic Tiles

Want more information about the different types of flooring? Check out our article Flooring Renovation Guide.