LVP vs tile flooring in Florida: which one should you choose?

The short answer

Pick tile when you want the hardest surface, a floor that stays cool underfoot, and you accept grout lines. Pick luxury vinyl plank when you want a floor with a little give, a faster install, and the option to replace one damaged plank later. Many Florida homes use both: tile in wet or high-wear rooms, LVP in bedrooms and living areas.

LVP is a layered vinyl floor sold as planks that click together or glue down. Tile is porcelain or ceramic set in mortar with grout in the joints. Hildebrand installs both. You can see what we install on our flooring page.

Water and Florida humidity

Water is the first question in Florida, so be exact about what you are asking.

Tile does not swell or warp when it gets wet. The tile is not the weak point. The grout joints and whatever sits under the tile are. A leak that gets under the floor can still damage the subfloor, so ask how the floor is waterproofed where water is likely.

LVP is sold by most makers as waterproof. That word can mean the plank only, the plank and the seams, or the whole floor system. Ask the maker for the warranty in writing and read what it says about standing water and seams. Do not rely on the box or the showroom sign.

How each floor feels

• Tile is hard and cool. In a Florida summer that feels good. It also means a dropped glass or pan will likely break, and standing on it for a long time is tiring.
• LVP has more give, so it is easier on feet and on dropped items. It can dent under a heavy point load, such as a thin furniture leg, so ask about felt pads and the maker's limits.

Walk on a full sample board of each, in your bare feet, before you decide. A small square on a showroom table tells you very little.

The install matters more than the product

Both floors depend on what is under them. Tile is rigid, so a base that is not flat or that moves can crack tile or the grout. LVP is thin, so dips and high spots can show through the surface. Either way, the old floor has to come out or be checked, and the subfloor has to be flat and sound before the new floor goes on.

Tile takes more steps and more days than LVP, because it is set, left to cure, then grouted. LVP usually goes down faster. If your home is occupied during the work, that difference matters. Our guide to living at home during a remodel covers what to plan for.

Repairs and changing your mind later

Plan for the day something gets damaged.

• LVP: a damaged plank can often be lifted and replaced, depending on how the floor was installed. Keep a few spare boxes from the same batch.
• Tile: a cracked tile can be cut out and replaced, but you need a matching spare tile and matching grout. Keep extra tile from the same batch.

Removing either floor later is real work. Tile is the harder one to take up, because it is bonded to the base.

What it costs: what we can and cannot say

We are not giving a price per square foot here. The published ranges we found are national, they are wide, and they disagree with each other, so none of them would tell you what your floor costs in Manatee or Sarasota County. Price depends on the material you pick, the square footage, the layout, and how much subfloor work the room needs.

The way to get a real number is to have both floors priced for the same room, from the same installer, in writing. Our guide to comparing estimates shows what to line up. You can also see how we price on our pricing page.

Questions to ask any installer

• Does the old floor come out, and who hauls it away?
• How will you check that the subfloor is flat, and what do you do if it is not?
• For tile: how is the floor waterproofed, and will the grout need sealing and how often?
• For LVP: what does the maker's warranty say about standing water and about seams?
• Is the license number on the estimate? You can check any Florida contractor license at myfloridalicense.com.

Which rooms suit which floor

Match the floor to how the room is used.

• Kitchen: both work. Tile takes heat and heavy wear. LVP is easier on the feet if you stand and cook for long stretches.
• Bathrooms and laundry rooms: water is likely here. Tile is not harmed by water, and LVP depends on the maker's warranty language. Either way, ask about waterproofing under the floor.
• Bedrooms and living areas: LVP is a common choice because it is softer and has a warmer look. Tile also works if you like a cool, hard floor.
• Entry and sunroom or lanai doorway: sand, water and sun come in here. Ask the maker whether the floor is rated for direct sun through large glass doors.

Heights, doorways and transitions

Floors are not the same thickness, and that matters where one meets another. Tile and its mortar make a thicker floor than most LVP. When you change floors from room to room, the installer has to deal with the step between them at doorways, at the base of cabinets and at appliances.

Ask these before work starts: Will the new floor be higher than the old one? How will it meet the next room? Will doors still clear? Does the dishwasher or fridge still fit? These small details are where a clean job and a messy one separate, and they are easy to settle on paper before the old floor comes up.

How Hildebrand handles flooring

Hildebrand Construction & Remodeling is a family-owned Florida licensed general contractor in Palmetto (Certified Building Contractor, license CBC1257253, licensed since 2009). We install LVP and tile, prep the subfloor, and can fold flooring into a larger remodel so one licensed contractor runs the whole job.

We start with a free in-home consultation and give you a written estimate after we see the room. The price does not change without your written approval. The work comes with a written workmanship warranty, and manufacturer warranties are passed through to you.

Questions homeowners ask