Porcelain Tile Garage Floor Problems And Is It Worth It?

A garage is far different than an actual house when it comes to flooring.

Unlike homes, garages are often used to store different tools, heavy-duty materials, and other objects that are unsuitable to keep inside the house. As such, a garage is incompatible with typical home floorings.

One of the most commonly used floorings for garages is tiles, specifically porcelain tiles. This along with wood is what you would find in most garage floors.

However, as with most things, they are not without problems. In this article, we will be going in-depth into the problems with porcelain tiles.

Possible Issues With Porcelain Tiles as Garage Floorings

Porcelain Tile Garage Floor

When you are thinking about possible flooring options for your garage, the two options that most people consider are either wood or tiles.

For the most part, when we are talking about tiles, porcelain is the better option over ceramic tiles.

When it comes to porcelain tile flooring for your garage, there are many pros to choosing it over any other possible flooring options. Porcelain is strong and when properly installed, fully permanent.

There are also many color and design options to choose from. So, you can customize your garage’s look far more than with other flooring options.

However, it is not all just pros and positives. Porcelain tile flooring for your garage comes with its fair share of cons and issues.

Knowing all the possible issues and problems with porcelain floor tiles will undoubtedly help you in the long run if you do decide to install porcelain tiles in your garage.

With all that being said, here are all the possible issues and problems with porcelain tile garage flooring.

  • Porcelain Tiles Are Much More Expensive Than Other Flooring Options

Arguably the most important part when it comes to porcelain floor tiles is the cost associated with installing them.

Porcelain tile flooring is notably more expensive than other flooring options. In most cases, you can find yourself paying from 5 dollars to upwards of 25 dollars per square foot if you choose to install porcelain floor tiles.

And, if you want to go for professional installation, you can expect to fork over an extra 10 dollars to 25 dollars per square foot.

Other garage floorings options such as wood and concrete are much cheaper than that. However, there is an upside to paying that much to get porcelain tiles installed. When done properly, porcelain tile floorings can last for decades.

  • Porcelain Tiles Are More Difficult To Install Than Other Flooring Options

Porcelain tiles are much more difficult to install into your garage compared to other flooring options.

Due to the porcelain tiles themselves being denser, it is more difficult to work with them. It is ironic that the characteristic that makes porcelain tiles so durable and long-lasting also ends up being a likely issue.

  • Porcelain Floor Tiles Are Heavier But Also Very Brittle
Porcelain Tile in a Garage

Another possible con with installing porcelain tiles on your garage floor is this.

Porcelain is simultaneously very heavy and very brittle. This could prove to be a boon in some cases, but also a problem in others.

The main characteristic that contributes to porcelain tiles being so heavy is their aforementioned density. The denser a material is, the heavier it is as well.

Because it is so heavy, it is also more difficult and expensive to install. It is hard work to lug around and install heavy porcelain tiles one by one.

On top of being heavy, porcelain tiles are also very brittle. It cannot take a whole lot of stress like other flooring materials such as concrete. If too much pressure is applied to one spot, it can easily crack.

However, an upside to porcelain being heavy is that it can easily support the heavier objects that are often stored in garages.

  • Porcelain Floor Tiles Are More Difficult To Repair Than Other Flooring Options

The final possible issue with porcelain tile flooring that we will be discussing is this one. Although not very common, in the event that porcelain floor tiles do break, it can be both very difficult and very costly to repair them.

The main reason for this directly relates to all of the aforementioned problems. Since porcelain tiles can be so heavy, dense, brittle, and overall just difficult to work with, that also means it is difficult and expensive to repair them as well.

Professionals will very likely quote you a higher price for porcelain tile repairs compared to other possible flooring options such as wood or concrete. The main reason is that porcelain tiles are so difficult to work with.

It is unlikely you will really ever need to get your porcelain floor tiles repaired since they are so tough and durable. However, in the event you do need to get it repaired, you should expect it to be a pretty costly procedure.

Are Porcelain Floor Tiles Worth It For Your Garage?

Even after all the aforementioned problems you may face, porcelain floor tiles are still absolutely worth installing in your garage or anywhere else that needs flooring.

While it is true that porcelain floor tiles have their fair share of problems and shortcomings, the benefits far outweigh any possible cons of using them. You can go through the following features to get a better idea as to why-

  • Porcelain floor tiles are highly resistant to wear and tear as well as natural factors. Once properly installed, porcelain floor tiles will last for decades. They are also highly resistant to water and stains.
  • Porcelain floor tiles are very easy to maintain overall. They do not require any special sealants to keep water out as they are naturally water resistant.

Any dust, dirt, or water spilled on it can easily be cleaned and wiped off without any lasting damage.

  • Porcelain floor tiles are excellent for areas with high traffic. As garages are often used to store many, often heavy objects, porcelain floor tiles are perfect for such conditions.
  • Porcelain floor tiles are very durable and heavy-duty. Porcelain tiles are made from highly refined clay fired at very high temperatures.

As such, they are incredibly dense and durable. These floor tiles can easily support SUVs which can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. They are also scratch and chip resistant so cars can be constantly driven over them without worry.

All these features only affirm the fact that porcelain tiles are one of the best options you can choose for your garage’s flooring.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is porcelain tile good for garage floor?

Porcelain floor tiles are both heavy-duty and durable. Along with that, they are very resistant to wear and tear, scratches, and any external damage. So, porcelain tiles are excellent for garage floors.

What are the disadvantages of porcelain tiles?

Porcelain tiles are brittle and difficult to work with. This also makes them expensive to install. Porcelain tiles can also be difficult to repair for the same reasons.

Which tiles are best for garage floor?

Since porcelain tiles are so heavy-duty and durable along with being very resistant to external damage, they are perfect for garage floors.

Can porcelain tile be laid directly on concrete?

In most cases, it is alright to lay porcelain tiles on concrete. But before you do that, you need to make sure the surface is free from any contaminants, dust, or moisture.

Wrapping Things Up

It is very important to choose the right kind of flooring option for your garage. Since garages are used to store many heavy and often valuable things, a good flooring option goes a long way.

Hopefully, this article on porcelain tile garage floor problems gave you all the information you were looking for.

Ralph Wade

Hey...Ralph is here! So, did you find this article useful? If so, please leave a comment and let me know. If not, please tell me how I can improve this article. Your feedback is always appreciated. Take love :)

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