Tile floors are beautiful, durable, long-lasting, and easy to clean, which makes them a particularly appealing choice for a number of rooms in the home. For all of their pros, however, there are some cons that may take tile floors out of the running for you. They're simply not for everyone or every home.
Not sure if tile is right for you? Check out these reasons why you may want to consider something else:
1. Bad Joints
The durable, hard surface that makes tile flooring so fantastic and long-lasting also makes it hard on your joints. Walking barefoot on tile is jarring and will irritate any lower body joint pain that you have. If you plan to spend a significant amount of time standing or walking on your floor without slippers you will either have to pick a different floor or consider adding a comfortable mat or rug to your decor.
2. Fall Risk
Tile floors are most often used in kitchens, bathrooms, and other rooms that are most vulnerable to spills and splashes. That's because it is so easy to clean water up off of tile flooring without worrying too much about water damage. Unfortunately, easy cleanup comes at a price. Tile floors are extremely slippery when they're wet, and can even prove to be slick when dry for some. If you have elderly family members living with you or someone who is prone to falling, then tile is a risky choice.
3. Cold Feet
This one goes without saying, but tile floors are COLD in the winter! There's little hope for anyone who loves running around in their bare feet with tiling unless they spend the extra money for an in-floor heating system (which, might we add, is a fantastic option). That being said, you can always lay down area rugs and wear socks in the winter and should be just fine.
4. Not Good to DIY
While we love what we do and would be ecstatic to become Grand Rapids' #1 choice for professional flooring installation, we do realize that some homeowners want/need to save a little extra money by installing their floors themselves. That's perfectly fine, and as long as you're being safe and doing your homework, we generally try not to deter people from their DIY projects. Tile floors, however, are where we have to make an exception. These floors can be tricky to install properly and it's really noticeable if they're done incorrectly. Please take our word and don't DIY your tile.
5. Heavy
Sometimes the issue with tile has less to do with you and more to do with your house. As you might have guessed, tile flooring is extremely heavy, and therefore needs a strong foundation beneath it. Without one, your tile may crack in just a short time. This makes tile flooring a better match for lower-level floors.