The smooth luxury of a ceramic or porcelain tile floor can be decadent to behold. With its simple clean-up, it’s often considered the ideal choice for a kitchen floor, an entryway or an entire main floor of your home. Being cool temperature wise to walk on, tile floors are often a popular choice in arid climates. Of course, installing tile properly so that it looks fantastic and lasts, takes years of experience and a dedication to craftsmanship.

Here are some things to consider when deciding to install a ceramic tile, porcelain tile, or natural stone floor.

The Pros of Tile Flooring

• Can potentially last the life of your home when properly installed and correctly maintained.
• A neutral floor cleaner is usually all that you need to keep floors looking shiny and new on a routine basis.
• A superior choice for high-traffic locations such as entry ways and kitchens or high-spill areas.
• An endless selection of patterns, designs and color choices can maximize your creative potential.
• Increases the overall value of your home which may make this initially more costly investment pay off in the long-run.

The Cons of Tile Flooring

• Professional installation is essential and it takes longer to install than other flooring choices.
• Impacts from heavy items may crack or chip tiles and replacement is not easy.
• Tiles are a hard surface and can be slippery, so caution is advised for families with small children.
• Tile has no cushion so it can be fatiguing to stand on over long periods of time.
• Tile is cold underfoot which is less comfortable in the winter, although in floor heating is an option.
• Tile does require periodic maintenance such as resealing or even re-grouting, depending on the products you choose.

We’re proud to be the Okanagan Valley’s largest Tile & Natural Stone retailer. In fact, we import a wide variety of ceramic and porcelain tile products from places like China, Turkey, and Italy and warehouse these products here in Kelowna. We’re sure you’ll love our new showroom across from the Kelowna International Airport and would love to meet you.