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When designing or upgrading a space, choosing the right flooring material is a foundational decision. For flex spaces (like sunrooms) and outdoor spaces (like pools and patios), tile flooring and patterned pavers are among the most popular and visually impactful options. Let’s explore the pros and cons of these options so you can make an informed decision.
What Is Tile Flooring?
Tile flooring is typically made from ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone. While it’s widely used indoors, it can also be found in flex spaces, pool spaces, patios, and other outdoor areas, especially when using natural stone. Tile flooring is known for its versatility and aesthetic range. It can be glazed or unglazed, matte or glossy, and comes in countless shapes and sizes.
What Are Patterned Pavers?
Patterned pavers are durable and decorative interlocking concrete slabs used to create visual texture and design. Luxury pavers mimic the look and feel of natural stone tiles, but are often much more affordable and eco-friendly. They can be used indoors and outdoors—perfect for sunrooms, living rooms, patios, walkways, driveways, kitchens, poolside areas, and anywhere you might find natural stone.
While more commonly found outdoors, premium pavers are becoming increasingly popular in indoor spaces for their versatility, durability, and timeless aesthetic.
Pros of Tile Flooring
1. Aesthetic Versatility
Tiles are available in a wider range of finishes, textures, colors, and patterns. While neutral colors are typically available across flooring materials, ceramic tiles are one of the few solutions offering bright, neon colors, flashy patterns, and other less standard options. While high-end pavers also come in various shapes, colors, and designs, these offer a much more natural look, similar to that found across stone tiles.
2. Smooth Surface
Ceramic and porcelain tiles have a smooth surface, making them more water resistant, allergen-friendly, and potentially easier to sweep.
Cons of Tile Flooring
1. Slipperiness
Glossy or wet tiles can be slippery and potentially hazardous around pool areas, bathrooms, and kitchens without anti-slip treatments. These slip treatments often add more texture to the flooring, which makes them more closely aligned with the natural state of pavers.
2. Installation Cost
Although some tiles can be more affordable than luxury pavers, professional installation adds significant cost, especially for intricate designs or natural stone. Without swinging for the highest level of installation care, your tiles will be more prone to cracking.
3. Breakage Potential
While tiles are built for daily wear and tear, they are often made of more delicate materials than concrete paver alternatives. These materials are known for cracking—especially when exposed to temperature swings, dropping a heavy item, and shifts in the foundation. Concrete pavers are tougher and less prone to breakage.
4. Difficult Repairs and Replacements
When tiles crack, they can be exceptionally difficult to restore. While minor cracks can sometimes be filled, larger cracks require tile replacement. However, tile manufacturers frequently update their product lines, making it difficult (or impossible) to find a replacement. This leaves you either dealing with the cracked surface or completely replacing your flooring. Meanwhile, premium handmade concrete pavers are much less frequently discontinued. The replacement colors might not match exactly (due to batch differences or sun fading of your existing pavers), but it is still often much easier to find a replacement if you need one.
The Pros of Patterned Pavers
1. Enhanced Durability
Concrete pavers are designed to withstand indoor and outdoor hazards better than tile or natural stone, including moisture, UV rays, ground shifting, temperature fluctuations, and impacts. Especially when properly installed and maintained, pavers will be less likely to crack than tile alternatives.
2. Slip Resistance and Safety
Concrete pavers typically offer better grip and traction for walking than tile flooring. They tend to be a safer choice for high-traffic areas and anywhere prone to water (such as rain, leaks, or spills), including pools, bathrooms, walkways, kitchens, and outdoor areas.
3. Visual Impact
Modern patterned pavers can mimic high-end materials (particularly natural stones like slate, travertine, and bluestone) at a fraction of the cost, offering stunning curb appeal and beautiful indoor aesthetics.
4. Customization
Colors, shapes, and patterns can be customized to match the home or landscape aesthetic. Standard tiles are often mass-produced, meaning that customization requires tedious (and costly) hand-painting. Meanwhile, you can request custom paver coloring that is more easily applied to your entire order, making it a more affordable solution.
5. Versatile Application
While concrete is traditionally considered an “outdoor flooring,” luxury pavers tailor this durable material to almost any situation. This versatility lets you coordinate your indoor and outdoor spaces for seamless transitions and better home cohesion.
The Cons of Patterned Pavers
1. Maintenance Needs
Concrete pavers should be resealed every few years to maintain their appearance. Weeds can also grow between interlocking pavers if not properly installed or maintained.
2. Color Fading
Over time, UV exposure can cause some colors in patterned pavers to fade, particularly if not sealed or maintained correctly.
3. Surface Heat
Some patterned pavers, especially darker colors, can become hot to the touch in full sun, which may be uncomfortable in pool areas. Consider choosing lighter paver colors if you live in areas with warmer climates.
4. Textured Flooring
While the texture of concrete pavers offers several advantages for your home (such as a natural stone look and a less slippery surface), some homeowners find them more difficult to sweep or clean. It is essential to find a paver provider that offers specialty indoor or outdoor options. The indoor tiles will offer a smoother finish that can help resolve these concerns.
Best Use Cases: Where Each Option Shines
Indoor Spaces (Living Rooms, Kitchens, Bathrooms, and Sunrooms)
Both tile flooring and indoor pavers can work in these spaces, depending on your design goals. Tile offers a more polished look, while patterned pavement provides the aesthetic of natural stone flooring (without the extra costs).
Outdoor Patio and Pool Areas
Patterned pavers typically outperform tile here due to their texture, slip resistance, and weather durability. If you choose tile flooring for outdoor areas, natural stone will likely be your best choice to prevent slipping and withstand outdoor conditions. However, it often mimics the look of luxury pavers at a much higher price point.
Peacock Pavers: Your Source of Premium Indoor and Outdoor Pavers
If you are ready to unlock the beauty of natural stone tiles without the excessive costs, Peacock Pavers is here to help. With a selection of high-end, handmade pavers, our experts help homeowners bring an elevated aesthetic to almost any indoor or outdoor space. We invite you to view our portfolio, contact our experts, or request a quote to get started today!