Polished concrete is cheaper than tile. The concrete installation costs $6 per square foot. Tiles, depending on what type and size, will vary in their cost.
Read further to get an exact comparison of tile installation and concrete installation cost. Know how to talk with your concrete polishing decorative flooring contractors Los Angeles and get satisfying results.
Tiles per square foot
A 12 x 12 tile is at around $5 to $10. But then, it is not enough to know just the cost. You also need to consider the time of labor for the entire process of installing each piece.
Concrete per square foot
The cost of the concrete installation will also vary depending on several factors. You should know first where you are planning to use concrete.
Next is to determine the thickness of the concrete. Depending on if you will work on a patio, pool decking, or driveway, the concrete cost will differ according to the slab’s size.
Here is a look at the typical sizes of concrete for different flooring requirements and the standard cost.
Cost Summary
Thickness | Typical Cost With Labor |
2 inches | $4.55 per square foot |
4 inches | $5.35 per square foot |
5 inches | $5.80 per square foot |
6 inches | $6.20 per square foot |
Benefits & Advantages: Why Concrete Over Tiles?
Although both materials display incredible durability and polished surface, overall concrete flooring offers more efficient results.
Here are concrete’s outstanding benefits:
- Polished concrete floors have dense surfaces that resist heavy impacts.
- The surface does not break easily or crack under heavy use and traffic.
- Polished concrete is super slip-resistant. Polished concrete is stain resistant
- Concrete flooring cleanses efficiently, requiring minimal maintenance.
Why Polished Concrete?
Aside from the cost-saving factor, more good things come as you use concrete floors for your homes. One way to keep the floors in perfect shape all the time is through polishing. It’s a finishing option to seal and enhance the features of concrete flooring.
- Concrete is non-porous
Why does it matter to know that concrete flooring is non-porous? It matters because having a flooring source without the tiny pores is safe to use and easy to maintain.
Compare cementitious materials. Cement has tiny pores that, when exposed to water and heat, the material fumes out VOCs. These compounds or chemicals can also be harmful to health.
So, with polished concrete, you create your homes and business properties in a safer place at every step.

- Concrete is easy to maintain
Don’t get this factor wrong. Both tiles and polished concrete are fantastic materials that repel stains easily, no doubt about that. Look at the two materials side by side and compare. They both have easy-to-clean surfaces and quickly wipe free of any dust, sticky stains, and more.
But look close to concrete. It has an even surface. If you compare it to tiles, the material exists with tiny tile gaps. These spots are where dirt and dust may bury.
Cleaning the concrete surface and tile may have the exact cleaning requirements. But the downside to tile floorings is that cleaning may need more work.

- Concrete Polishing
Polished concrete is an enhanced concrete. Concrete is so efficient in terms of durability, repairs, aesthetics, and installation. Concrete resurfacing services apply various forms of finishing and repair. A concrete restoration Los Angeles polishes floors to revive its smooth and leveled surface.
You would not get this benefit with tiles, wood, or any other flooring material. Plus, polishing is just one of the many methods of decorative concrete. Back in the day, polishing was better used for indoor floors. Flooring contractors in Los Angeles also performed outdoor concrete floors with the “dry and seal” technique with advanced tech polishing these days.
