T

he Real Cost of Tile Flooring Vs Other Flooring

Did you know that over the span of its lifetime, ceramic tile flooring is the most economical floor finish? In fact, all tile flooring costs less than $.40 per square foot per year. Carpet and vinyl flooring are significantly more expensive due to their shorter expected lifespan. While tile may cost more up front for materials and installation it presents a greater value over time.

The Tile Council of America commissioned an independent study from construction consulting firm Scharf-Godfrey (a division of Phoenix Engineering) comparing the life cycle costs of various types of ceramic tile, including porcelain, mosaic, and quarry tile, to 12 other floor finishes such as hardwood, laminate, concrete, stone, carpet, terrazzo, vinyl, and poured epoxy.

The per year cost for each flooring type includes installation, maintenance and removal costs per year. The shorter the expected lifespan, the higher the lifetime cost. Now obviously, if you take good care of your carpet and vinyl flooring, it will last longer than the chart shows, but it will be showing signs of wear and tear.

See the chart below for the detailed results.

Material	Installed Cost	Life Cycle Cost	Expected Life in Years	Cost per Year
Ceramic Tile	7.00	16.30	50	0.33
Mosaic Tile	8.20	17.50	50	0.35
Quarry Tile	8.65	17.95	50	0.36
Glazed Porcelain	8.94	18.24	50	0.36
Unglazed Porcelain	10.30	19.60	50	0.39
Natural Hardwood	9.31	20.80	50	0.41
Travertine – Turkish	12.50	21.80	50	0.44
Marble	21.00	30.30	50	0.61
Stained Concrete	12.40	15.90	25	0.64
Laminate	8.84	17.82	25	0.71
Engineered Hardwood	9.58	18.56	25	0.74
Portland Cement Terrazzo	24.88	34.30	30	1.14
Sheet Vinyl	6.90	14.09	10	1.26
Resin Terrazzo	8.50	18.32	15	1.22
Carpet	2.67	7.54	6	1.26
Poured Epoxy	9.11	15.37	10	1.54
VCT	3.91	18.54	10	1.85

Now obviously, you wouldn’t want tile flooring in every room in your house. Oh, wait. Maybe you would! Whether you’re building a new home or remodeling your kitchen or bath, Carpet Concepts has an amazing array of floor tile to choose from. Stop into our flooring store to see for yourself!