Are you upgrading your home flooring? Are you looking for a durable flooring option that also looks beautiful and is affordable too! Well, tiles and epoxy flooring are the two popular options, and epoxy does get the upper hand. Let us find out why epoxy flooring has the upper hand:
Epoxy Flooring – What it is?
Epoxy flooring, formed by blending a resin with a hardening chemical. The chemical reaction changes the mixture into a hard floor that is incredibly resistant to things that would harm other types of flooring. Therefore, you will see epoxy flooring in commercial, industrial and medical facilities, as well as in-home garages. Nowadays, new types of epoxy are chosen instead of tiles for both living and outdoor areas.
1. Tiles or Epoxy – What Should You Choose for Flooring?
People widely use tiles, as it allows to select from a vast range of patterns, designs, colours and shapes, helping them customise the way they want. Besides, tiles look beautiful, are sturdy and durable that will last for many years if properly maintained.
Epoxy also provide an extensive range of textures, shades and designs, ranging from marble to terrazzo looks, convenient to customise. Thus, the aesthetics of epoxy floors are equally appealing. Nowadays, there is a trend to add quartz or flake to epoxy, which is a fabulous option as well, to spruce up your home’s flooring, and it looks neatly textured, modish and eye-catching.
Tiles will have grout lines that will split up the floor, making the area look smaller. On the other hand, epoxy is a seamless option and can make space appear larger.
2. Durability
Did you know that epoxy flooring is robust than concrete? Epoxy will withstand heavy-duty wear and tear, such as dragging toolboxes over it, heavy items dropped over it or vehicles. Garages and high-traffic areas will benefit from epoxy flooring because tiles would crack or chip. However, if epoxy flooring gets abused, it can still break or chip. Besides, epoxy flooring is not suitable for surfaces with movement issues or wetness.
3. Grime, Stain & Maintenance
If you want to maintain a white floor but are apprehensive about maintenance, epoxy flooring could be the solution. You would not have to get anxious about staining because epoxy flooring is resistant to bleach, gas, oil and most other chemicals and materials. Ceramic tiles may appear shiny upon fresh install, but with time, dirt and grime collect in the grout lines and becomes a breeding ground for bacterial growth, which can get difficult to clean.
Epoxy floors don’t have joints, so it does not foster bacterial growth. Besides, cleaning epoxy flooring is easy; all you need to do is vacuum and mop.
4. How Much Will It Cost?
Epoxy flooring can cost you less than tile flooring; however, it depends on the material quality and finishes of what you’re comparing. Epoxy installation can cost anywhere between $35 and $110 per square metre – the same price range applies to vinyl tiles installation. When it comes to ceramic tiles installation, the cost will be higher, which would fall between $95 and $155 per square metre. The bigger the room gets, the costs will get lower for each square metre for concrete flooring. Thus, for larger spaces, epoxy is a more affordable option!
5. Installation, Repairs & Removal
Preparing the existing floors ready for application of epoxy needs a considerable amount of formulation, and application of epoxy coating requires several days due to the drying time it requires. Thus, installation of epoxy floor is time-consuming and requires more time than tiling.
Similar to tiles, epoxy flooring can get slippery when the surface is wet. Thus, it is vital to use anti-slip additives at the time of installation, which will make the surface safer when wet. Once the application of the epoxy is complete and you decide to change the design or colour or remove the floor, it could get labour-intensive and expensive.
The Bottom Line
Should you install tiles or epoxy flooring is up to your liking! Both tiles and epoxy flooring come with their advantages and disadvantages. If you want seamless flooring that is robust without the grout lines, which is easy to maintain and cost-effective, then choose epoxy flooring.
Get in Touch with Sydney Metro Painting!
If you’re interested in epoxy flooring but have concerns about whether you can install them in your home or office surfaces, then don’t worry a bit! Contact Sydney Metro Painting, and our epoxy flooring specialists will evaluate your home or office floor to determine the surface’s suitability for epoxy. Accordingly, we will tell you whether epoxy flooring is ideal for your home/ office or not. Call us at Sydney Metro Painting on 0422 597 448 and get a free consultation and quote today!
