Ceramic Tiles

Resurfacing with new ceramic tiles is probably the most traditional approach, but also the most disruptive.

If you already have ceramic tiles on your balcony, you will of course firstly need to remove the old balcony tiles –  a noisy, dusty and time-consuming job. After that, you can then lay down your new tiles with adhesive or thinset bed, followed by grouting – with even more disruption, dust and dirt.

But if you are essentially replacing a like with like product, you normally shouldn’t expect any problems or objections from your condo association, apart from possible complaints from neighbors about dust and noise.

All things considered, there are probably better solutions these days for resurfacing a balcony surface. See some other options below.

Interlocking Wood Deck Tiles

If you like the look and feel of natural wood, interlocking wood deck tiles are undoubtedly the simplest and quickest way to transform a balcony floor.

Archatrak 12” x 12” or 12“ x 24” modular tiles simply snap together, automatically aligned with precise spacing, thanks to the connecting tabs on the integral plastic base. Since you can normally lay them yourself, you can avoid not only the expense, but the disruption from tradespersons traipsing through your home, potentially creating a mess.

Although interlocking deck tiles are not normally regarded as a ‘permanent’ structure, you should always seek approval from the building owner or condo association before purchasing any balcony tiles and check local building codes. As they are essentially a ‘floating floor’ with the plastic mesh base permitting free drainage of water underneath, you shouldn’t face objections from the building owner/condo authority. And because the interlocking tabs hold each tile tightly in place, they won’t fall off the balcony or blow off in normal wind gusts.

See further information about Archatrak interlocking wood deck tiles.

Structural Wood Deck Tiles

Somewhat similar to interlocking wood deck tiles, but thicker and larger in size (24” x 24”), Archatrak structural wood tiles are generally used on larger areas and commercial applications.

Instead of an integral plastic base, the tiles are supported on each corner by 3/8” thick rubber pads with inbuilt spacer tabs. The pads allow water to drain away freely underneath and avoid the wood resting directly on the concrete surface.

A potential downside of these solid wood tiles is that the min. height of the surface will be 2” above the concrete which could cause a problem with threshold clearance at doorways in some cases.

See further information about Archatrak structural wood deck tiles.

Porcelain Pavers

With an exceptionally wide range of colors and styles like traditional ceramic tiles, Archatrak’s ¾” thick porcelain pavers avoid the need to pull up any existing tiles but can be laid directly over the top of the tiles (or over a concrete surface).

Just like the solid wood deck tile option above, these structural strength porcelain pavers are typically laid as ‘floating’ flooring using Archatrak rubber support pads under each corner of the pavers. See here for more information on installation with rubber pads.

In most cases, these larger format tiles will need to be cut to fit the dimensions of your balcony, so the installation cost can be somewhat more labor intensive than with interlocking deck tiles for example.

On the other hand, porcelain pavers offer many more advantages.  They are extremely resistant to freeze/thaw cracking, fade resistant, stain resistant, and resist growth of mold and mildew, so long term maintenance requirements are very low. And since our porcelain pavers come in an exceptionally wide range of colors and styles including wood look, stone look, concrete look and modern urban styles, you can generally find a paver color and style that blends perfectly with your décor. And the porcelain paver cost is really no more than interlocking wood tiles or even ceramic tiles if you take installation cost into account.

See more information about Archatrak porcelain pavers.