When it comes to flooring options, the choices seem almost limitless, from traditional tiles to innovative floor coatings like our Floor Shield product. Each option has its own set of characteristics, advantages, and drawbacks.
This may lead you to ask, “What are the key differences between concrete coatings like Floor Shield and floor tiles?” You may also wonder, “Which option is better for me?”
In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of floor tiles and Floor Shield honestly, exploring their:
- Qualities
- Installation processes
- Durability
- Maintenance
- Cost
All of this is to give you a transparent framework so you can make an informed decision for your flooring needs, regardless of whether you go with us or not.
What Are the Types of Floor Tiles?
Tiles come in various types with varying degrees of quality, including:
- Vinyl
- Porcelain
- Wood
- Plastic
Vinyl tiles, being on the lower end, require only gluing. You do not have to place grout for them to adhere to the ground optimally. This makes vinyl tiles popular for DIY (Do it Yourself) applications.
Porcelain tiles, considered high-end, offer luxurious flooring at a steeper price. However, all tiles share common issues such as being prone to breaking due to their rigid nature. This is especially true for outdoor applications, where the ground is more likely to shift and crack from the Earth’s natural tectonic movements.
In contrast, Floor Shield exclusively employs a 100% polyaspartic coating. Concrete coatings that are polyaspartic-based are widely regarded as the best in the concrete coating industry. Our coating is designed to be flexible, ensuring resistance against ground movement, which prevents cracks and substrate detachment.
What Is the Average Cost of Floor Tiles?
Tile varies significantly in cost. Vinyl is the least expensive, but it is also lower quality and won’t last as long. The opposite is true for porcelain tile flooring.
You can expect the cost (including the price of labor) to be anywhere from $7 - $10 per square foot. Floor Shield runs at about $6.50 - $9 per square foot. Learn more about the factors that influence Floor Shield's cost here.
Installation Process
Tile Installations:
Laying down tile does not require much demo work besides cutting the tiles and applying the grout, which is a concrete-like adhesive substance that goes on your floor before placing tiles. Occasionally, installers will put a layer of extra adhesive to help the tile stick.
The labor-intensive part of tile installations is the fact that you must be on your hands and knees grouting and meticulously placing down tiles to get the job done.
Tile flooring is difficult to work. Things can go wrong from the get-go if the floor you are working on is not perfectly level. When the floor is not level, you’ll have gaps between tiles and air spots.
An example of this has to do with our CEO of Floor Shield, Terry Andre. He and his wife had tiles put down (before Floor Shield came around) that ended up having gaps in them. Because of this, the floors are prone to creaking when they walk on them. This is due to the floor not being leveled properly.
Floor Shield Can Coat Over Tiles
When tiles get old and start deteriorating, it is common practice to take out all the tiles before replacing your floors. This process is time-consuming and expensive. Applied properly, no one would ever know the tile is underneath. Floor Shield can seamlessly coat over tile floors, which is a huge cost-saver for homes and businesses.
Recently, we completed this specific kind of job on Fort Cavazos in Texas. Below are the before and after pictures.
How Floor Shield Mitigates Issues
Concrete coatings are also big projects, usually requiring even more equipment than floor tile installations. At Floor Shield, we do not sell our product to commercial retailers. We exclusively manufacture it for our certified dealers around the nation. This is to ensure that every installer has the proper:
- Training
- Equipment
- Knowledge
- Experience
All of this is necessary to mitigate any chances of an improper coating installation.
Below is a breakdown of our process:
- Floor Testing:
- Conduct a comprehensive examination of the floor, encompassing evaluations of hardness and moisture levels.
- Perform a Mohs test to gauge concrete hardness by means of scratching, generating recommendations for optimal grinding pads.
- Utilize a moisture meter to ascertain the moisture content of the concrete pad.
- Surface Protection:
- Take precautions to shield surrounding areas, such as driveways and side walls, preventing the spillage of products.
- Use materials like Ram Board or equivalents to safeguard non-targeted surfaces.
- Crack Patching:
- Identify and patch all concrete cracks to ensure a seamless surface.
- Concrete Grinding:
- Grind the concrete surface to attain a smooth and clean surface. This optimizes adhesion.
- Note: While some companies may opt for acid etching to save time and costs, this merely cleans the surface while damaging the concrete in the process.
- Dust Removal:
- Ensure the thorough elimination of silica or dust particles from the floor to prepare it for subsequent steps, crucial for proper adhesion.
- Moisture and Softness Mitigation:
- Address soft concrete issues by taking necessary steps to harden it.
- Apply a moisture-vapor barrier coating if excessive moisture is present to avert coating failure.
- Level the concrete if required, acknowledging that this step might extend the project duration.
- Color Coat Application:
- Apply the color coat to the prepared concrete surface.
- Flake Application:
- Broadcast flakes over the color coat for an aesthetic look and additional protection.
- Clear Coat Finish:
- Apply a clear coat to safeguard the flakes and enhance the floor's appearance with a glossy finish.
- Clean-up:
- Thoroughly clean the work area, leaving it in a better condition than at the project's inception.
Floor Tile Durability vs Floor Shield
While tiles are sturdy, they are not meant to bear substantial weight without breaking. This restricts their use in areas like garages where heavy vehicles may be parked. Floor Shield, designed to withstand industrial settings and resist hot-tire pickup, becomes the preferred option for a location where vehicles are common.
Tiles, despite on average being very hard, are also brittle, meaning they chip and break easily. It’s often that flooring contractors will need to go back to the retailer they buy tiles from to get reimbursed for the tiles that broke in a pallet. This is the same for when they are on your floor. If you drop heavy weight on a tile, odds are there will be noticeable chipping and/or breakage.
Floor Shield not only is designed to resist high traffic of heavy vehicles in industrial settings, but it also resists hot-tire pickup from cars. It is the only option of the two if you plan to get a floor covering in a garage where you need to park your car.
Do Floor Tiles Last a Long Time?
If you aren’t paying for high-end tiles, like porcelain, the biggest issue is longevity. Most of the time, you have about a 10-year lifespan on the tile before it becomes too damaged.
We guarantee Floor Shield to last for 15 years and expect it to last even longer than that. And we back this up with our 15-year, non-prorated warranty.
Additionally, if there’s damage to specific areas of your tile floor, there’s no easy way to patch those specific places without having to take out an entire section of tiles and replace them. This will rack up labor costs. With Floor Shield, we can seamlessly add additional coating to your floor to patch any problem spots. We do spot repairs every day.
Do Concrete Coatings Look as Good as Floor Tiles?
The amount of versatility in aesthetics is next to limitless for both Floor Shield and floor tiles.
With floor tiles, depending on what type you choose, you can have very different looks, colors, and textures.
Floor Shield comes in an almost limitless array of colors. Add to that the flakes that provide extra dynamic color (even coming in glow-in-the-dark options), and you have as many aesthetic choices as tile.
Maintenance and Moisture Resistance
Tiles, especially those without a top glaze, are susceptible to moisture-related issues. For instance, Efflorescence, which is moisture coming up from the ground that comes up to the surface, can cause tiles to pop off when exposed to excess moisture. Maintenance becomes a challenge as tiles age, leading to:
- Stains
- Water damage
- Mold and algae growth
In contrast, Floor Shield provides a seamless and moisture-resistant surface, preventing efflorescence and ensuring complete protection against surface moisture. Our coating's resistance to stains and ease of maintenance make it a superior choice for maintaining a sanitary floor.
In conclusion, the choice between floor tiles and Floor Shield depends on various factors, including:
- Installation efficiency
- Durability
- Maintenance
- Cost considerations.
While tiles offer aesthetic variety, Floor Shield emerges as a versatile, durable, and cost-effective option, making it an attractive choice for those seeking a reliable and long-lasting flooring solution.
Scroll down to get a free, no-obligation quote from us at Floor Shield.
