Side by side
| Factor | Coating | Interlocking tiles |
|---|---|---|
| Installed cost | $8-$12/sq ft | $3-$7/sq ft |
| Bonded to the slab | Mechanically bonded | Loose laid |
| What happens to meltwater | Sits on top and dries | Runs underneath and stays |
| Protects the concrete | Yes, it is a sealed membrane | No, salt still reaches the slab |
| Install time | 1-2 days plus cure | An afternoon |
| Removable | Grinding job | Lifts out by hand |
| Feel underfoot | Hard, like the slab | Slight give, warmer |
| Point load from a jack | No issue | Can crack or dish tiles |
| Service life | 15-20+ years | 5-10 years |
Gold marks the stronger option for that factor. A tie is shown in neutral text.
Choose a coating when
You own the building and want the slab itself protected. A coating is a bonded membrane, so road salt and moisture never reach the concrete, hot tires cannot lift it, and a jack or a heavy toolbox sits on it without consequence. Over a fifteen year horizon it is also the cheaper option per year by a wide margin, because tiles get replaced at least once in that window.
Choose tiles when
You are renting, the slab is too spalled or too damp to bond a coating to without significant repair, or you genuinely need the floor to come up again later. Tiles are also a reasonable choice for a cold unheated shop where you want some thermal break underfoot, and they can be installed by the homeowner in a day with no equipment.
The thing nobody mentions until spring
Snow melts off a car, runs across the tile surface, finds a seam and goes underneath. It does not dry there, because there is no airflow, and it carries road salt with it. By the second or third winter most tiled garages in this climate have a damp, salted, sometimes mouldy slab under a floor that looks fine from above. Lifting the tiles once a year to clean and dry the concrete solves it, and almost nobody does.
Not sure which applies to your slab?
The site visit includes a moisture reading and an honest look at the concrete, then a written fixed price. We will tell you when the cheaper option is the right one.