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!
