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Tile Flooring Buying Guide

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All laminate, hardwood, vinyl, and carpet

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Find all the information you could want on tile floors in one easy resource. Check out our detailed guides on tile flooring and discover the best tile for your next flooring installation.

Tile Flooring 101

Learn more about tile materials and the best tile for every space. We’ll give you an overview of caring for your specific tile and what to do if you need repair or replacement. Don’t stress over navigating different articles on the internet — we’ll dig into the entry-level information you’ll need to help you tile your floors, including:

  • Type of flooring: You’ll pick between ceramic or porcelain tile.
  • Color options: We offer dozens of tile color choices for whichever material you select.
  • Tile pattern: Tile pattern affects how your room looks, what size it seems to be and how busy a space feels.
bathroom with grey tile flooring and walls

Types of Tile Flooring

Learn More About Types of Tile Floors

Understanding the different types of tile flooring options is essential for any homeowner looking for new floors. The varied materials, styles and features of each flooring type will work better for different rooms, homes and locations. Some varieties are more expensive and durable, while others are strong and come in a range of looks. You should know all of your options before deciding so you can be sure you’re getting the best flooring for your needs.

  • Ceramic Tile: This flooring is made from a clay or synthetic tile with various colors and material imitations. A waterproof flooring that’s resistant to wear and tear from traffic and damage, it’s a reliable, affordable tile option.
  • Porcelain Tile: Made from clay or synthetic materials baked at high heat, this is a highly durable tile. Porcelain will resist cracking, even in areas with more extreme temperatures, and is allergen-resistant — making it perfect for homes with pets and children.
Tile Flooring in Kitchen

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic is an affordable, low-maintenance tile. It’s often less expensive than other flooring options, and it’s easy to repair or replace if damaged. Choosing glazed ceramic options will provide you with waterproof tiles that are also resistant to stains, scratches and moisture absorption. Ceramic can mimic wood and stone, giving you the look you want with all the waterproof and durability benefits of ceramic tile. With so many style options, you’ll have no trouble customizing a ceramic floor to fit your dream design.

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Tile Flooring

Porcelain Tile

Porcelain is a high-quality tile option. It’s fired at high heat, which makes it even more durable against heat and water than other floors. It’s considered more high-end due to its increased concentration of quartz and silica. Porcelain is allergen-, water- and heat-resistant, and it won’t crack or wear as quickly as other floorings. While porcelain is an investment, it’s still stronger and cheaper than many natural stone floors. There are etched, glazed and texturized porcelain tiles and many other pattern and color options for your perfect home flooring.

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Tile Flooring Color Options

Learn How to Choose a Tile Floor Color

Whatever your dream tile floor is, we can help you find it. At 50 Floor, we offer a range of color options for your tile floor. Select from stunning neutrals like gray, white, beige and black or try out a soothing blue or green tile floor. Along with colors, our tile flooring comes in many designs and patterns so you can express your creative side with a striking statement tile. For added depth and dimension, consider tiles with some texture for a natural, exciting floor. Work with our team and discover the perfect color for your home design.

White Tile
Gray/White
Beige Tile
Beige
Black Tile
Black/Slate

Tile Flooring Installation

Once you’ve selected a tile, our team will work with you to make the installation process as simple and efficient as possible. Now that you’ve chosen your flooring, there’s no need to stress — we’ll handle all the hard work. Simply meet our installers on the day of the installation and confirm the job details. After we’ve completed the installation, just sign off on the completed work and enjoy your new floors.

We want to make installing new floors smooth sailing for you. We’ll help guide you through your floor selection and provide you with details on every step of the installation process. Sit back and trust our installers to complete the job efficiently and professionally for better, durable floors.

Check out our in-depth tile flooring installation guide and leave the rest to us.

kitchen with tile flooring

Tile Flooring Care

Caring for your tile floors is easy with the proper method. Tile’s durability and water resistance make it relatively low-maintenance, even for tiles in high-traffic areas. Like all floors, tile needs regular care and maintenance to keep it looking its best for years.

Since tile flooring is a hard surface, you should sweep your floors regularly to remove any dirt, grit or debris. Tile surfaces can become dull with too much buildup on top. If you’re doing a more thorough cleaning, gently mop or rag-clean your tile floors with a mild detergent and water after sweeping. Once they’re sparkling, make sure to dry them completely. Leaving moisture on tiles can make them slippery, so stay safe and dry your floors.

There’s more to cleaning tile than a basic sweep and mop. Your grout needs cleaning, and you need to watch out for tile stains and discoloration. Additionally, some mop heads and cleaners aren’t suitable for all tile materials. Our full tile flooring care guide discusses the tile-cleaning process in-depth so you can care for your floors in the best way possible. Regular cleaning and care help your tile floors look good and last years.

For more information on caring for your tile floors, check out our complete guide here!

tile grout

Tile Flooring Color Inspirations

Finding the right color for your tile floors creates the best look for your home. Color can emphasize unique home designs, affect a room’s visual size and even influence your mood. For the best tile color, you’ll want to consider the room size and your existing room colors.

bathroom with grey tile floors and walls

Dark Tile

Dark tiles work well for rustic, modern or statement spaces. They can also make a room look smaller, so consider dark tiles for larger rooms.

hexagon tile flooring

Light Tile

Light neutrals can open a space up and make it feel bright and spacious. Consider a white or light gray tile for small or modern rooms.

Bathroom with Tile Floors

Patterned Tile

Patterned tiles are bold, drawing the eye to the floor. They can be busy, so the rest of the room should use fewer patterns to allow the tile to stand out.

Up-close photo of wood floors
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Tile vs. Other Floorings

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You’ll want to compare tile to other floors to find the best option for each room. Since your rooms have different needs and wear, there are some floors you might prefer in certain rooms over others. Let’s look at the various flooring options and how they compare to tile floors.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate

Laminate is a lower cost, lighter weight flooring. Compared to tile, laminate isn’t as waterproof. It’s only water-resistant, and excessive moisture can seep into the flooring and damage it. Still, laminate is relatively durable and comes in tiles or planks for your convenience. It’s easy to care for and feels hard when you walk or sit on it. Laminate is a less expensive option for many people, but its lack of waterproofing makes it less suitable for bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms than tile.

Compare Tile & Laminate Flooring
Carpet Flooring

Carpet

Carpet, like tile, is an affordable, popular flooring. When comparing carpet to tile, carpet is softer and more comfortable. It’s excellent for reducing noise and adding insulation. Plus, its soft surface makes it more inviting to walk on — great for family spaces and bedrooms. However, the plush fibers of carpet mean it traps allergens and accumulates dirt quickly. Debris will cling to and stain carpet more easily than tile. Carpet also doesn’t last as long as tile since the fibers become worn down over time.

Compare Tile & Carpet Flooring
White cabinet kitchen and island with wood floors

Hardwood

Hardwood is a timeless, beautiful choice for any home. The natural tones and textures of wood make it feel luxurious in any space. When comparing tile and hardwood, hardwood is a greater investment that often requires more maintenance. Still, hardwood is long-lasting and will add value to your home if you’re considering selling. Using a natural material like wood means hardwood can warp when exposed to water, so stick to tile in spaces like bathrooms, mudrooms and laundry rooms.

Compare Tile & Hardwood Flooring
Apartment with light floors and gray cabinets

Luxury Vinyl

Advances in technology have made vinyl floors an excellent option for homeowners. Luxury vinyl and tile have many similar features. Like tile, luxury vinyl is affordable, waterproof and easy to care for. Luxury vinyl is also easy to install and comes in styles and textures that mimic natural materials. Luxury vinyl is great for rooms where you don’t usually put tile — like living rooms and bedrooms — and is quite durable. However, luxury vinyl can fade from UV rays, so be careful of sunlight around your vinyl.

Compare Tile & Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Best Flooring for Your Interior Design Style

Your home’s style can help you pick tile options — choosing a tile based on your home’s aesthetic can help you create a cohesive, gorgeous space. While experimenting is fun, you can use these suggestions to help inspire you.

For modern homes, look for tile in blacks, whites and grays. To elevate your home, go with a bold all-black, or add color with dark green tile. Large tiles or a mix of large and small tiles will help add a modern flair to your spaces. Play with straight lines and minimalistic combinations.

Classic homes lean more vintage in their aesthetics. A simple black and white tile scheme calls back to older tile styles, while a light pink or green brings the ’70s to mind. Play with combinations of small tiles in repeating patterns or a simple one-color tile floor to make your home feel vintage and stylish.

For rustic homes, consider tile that mimics the look of wood or stone. Enjoy the benefits of tile with the look and comfort of natural materials. Choose warm browns, grays, reds and creams to emphasize the warmth of your design, and consider getting tiles with textures that add depth to your space.

tile in office

Best Flooring for Your Home Architectural Style

Along with interior style, the architectural style of your home can influence the tile you select. Complementing your architectural style with floor tiles can tie a house together, bringing the architecture’s elegance out with careful detail.

Victorian Style Home

Victorian, Tudor and French Country

Choose stronger, intricate tile patterns and colors for vintage architecture like Victorian, Tudor and French country homes. Mixed black and white tiles for Victorian architecture emphasize the darker tones and bold lines. Choose bold and blue floral tiles for soft but statement architecture like French country. Finally, bring out the warmth of the Tudor structure with mixed brushstroke tile patterns paired with pastels.

Cape Code Style Home

Cape Cod

Cape Cod architecture emphasizes natural beauty, soft colors and straight lines. Take the natural textures and unnatural lines of Cape Cod style into your tile with flooring that mimics softer wood panels. This choice will echo the contrast of softness and hardness in Cape Cod homes.

Cottage Style Home

Cottage

Cottage-style homes are cozy and warm — their architecture is softer, with simple slopes and natural, rounded spaces. Take this softness into your tile with natural, warm colors and simple, rounded squares and stones.

Best Flooring by Room Type

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While tile is an affordable, durable floor, it’s better suited for some rooms than others. Combine different flooring types to get the best use and look out of your home. You want each room to have a floor that fits and provides the right comfort and protection.

Need help picking flooring for your rooms? Check out our page on best floors by room type. Take a look at the best options for each room and how you can maximize the comfort and durability of your floors with different options.

bathroom with white tile floors

Bathrooms

These are classic rooms to have tile floors in. They need a durable, waterproof surface that will stand up to the humidity and water of your bathroom.

Best Flooring for Bathrooms
laundry room with wood floors

Laundry room

Like bathrooms, laundry rooms see lots of moisture and grime — tile stands up well under these conditions.

Best Flooring for Laundry Rooms
white kitchen

Kitchen

Tile is easy to clean, durable and waterproof — all things you want in a kitchen floor. You’ll enjoy easy care and stylish designs with tile in your kitchen.

Best Flooring for Kitchens
Basement with Grey Carpet

Basement

Basements are often more damp than the main house. Tiled basements are quick to clean and will hold up to any potential leaks and damage that come from being in the lowest level.

Best Flooring for Basements
Light wood flooring

Schedule an Appointment for 50 Floor Tile Installation

Tile floors are a great, affordable flooring option for any home. With our range of materials, colors and patterns, we’ve got all the tile options you could want. If you need advice on flooring or want to get started installing new floors in your home, schedule a consultation today! We’ll help you find the right floors so you can enjoy a stylish, comfortable home for years.

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