Your kitchen and bathrooms take a beating. Water is flying
everywhere in both rooms, all kinds of soaps and chemicals are spilling on the
floor, and both get their share of various stains and scrapes on the flooring.
So, when faced with having to put in a new kitchen or bathroom floor you might
have narrowed your replacement materials down to either ceramic or vinyl tile.
Here are some advantages and disadvantages to both materials that should give
you some direction in your decision making.
Vinyl Tile
Ok, so first off let’s start with the advantages of vinyl
tile. Given that vinyl tile is synthetic, it is much easier to nail a
particular look or style that you may be looking for. Your options in color and
design will be much greater, thus finding something that fits in with your
vision will be easier. Given that it is flexible, and often comes in a
peel-and-stick format, you can install it much easier than other types of tile
without have to do as much tearing up or demolition before your begin your
project. Also, if you live in a house that has a foundation that shifts
frequently, you are much less likely to end up with cracks in your flooring
with vinyl, whereas a hard material such as ceramic, stone, or porcelain would
break. Lastly, the price of vinyl is going to be much less than the other
available materials, both in materials and labor.
The disadvantages of vinyl tile are mostly in the durability
and appearance categories. Vinyl tile will usually not look quite as good as
its harder contemporaries. As far as durability goes, vinyl has a tendency to
rip and tear more easily. Sometimes the color might fade over time, giving it a
dull appearance. Also, vinyl tile will not increase the value of your property
as much as putting in a harder alternative would. Some people argue that it is
not as easy to clean and can harbor more germs than a hard tile alternative,
such as ceramic.
Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tiling typically looks better than vinyl tiling, and
brings with it more durability than vinyl. It is so durable, in fact, that
there is still ceramic tile from ancient times in various Roman and Egyptian
ruins. Given how easy it is to clean, it is an excellent flooring choice for
bathroom and kitchens. Ceramic tile can also be used for your walls and
backsplashes throughout your kitchen and bathroom. Whereas you generally don’t
want vinyl tile to be exposed to a lot of water, ceramic tile can handle plenty
of it without peeling or fading/wearing out. Generally, ceramic tile is a
better investment, albeit more pricey for installation and materials than
vinyl.
As stated in the last paragraph, ceramic will be a bit
pricier than vinyl. You also need to pay attention that all of the tile you are
getting is from the same lot, as sometimes the colors and sizes will vary from
lot to lot, even if you are purchasing the same brand and style of tile. If you
have a foundation that moves a lot, it can cause large cracks to appear in your
tilling. Also, if a crack appears in your tiling, it is a much bigger ordeal to
replace ceramic tile than vinyl.
The Verdict
While both types of tiling prove to be worthy investments of
time and money, if you have a house that is on sturdy ground and the available
cash, ceramic tiling would be the better investment of the two. Now, this is
just my personal opinion and it is always wise to consult different
contractors, real estate agents, and interior designers if you want a really
well-informed opinion from someone that is more familiar with your area and
type of house. There are probably plenty of situations where the vinyl might be
a better choice. As with any type of renovation or repair in your house, you
should do plenty of research before shelling out ANY cash.
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