At Altimate Flooring, we have spent more than 35 years helping homeowners across the Black Hills and the Rapid City Metro Area discover high-performance, beautiful surfaces for their homes. Whether you are planning a modern bathroom remodel in Box Elder, updating a high-traffic entry mudroom in Spearfish, or designing a custom kitchen in Colonial Pine Hills, tile is an unmatched investment that brings timeless luxury, design flexibility, and lifelong durability to any room.
If you want to read more about our background and our commitment to quality in western South Dakota, feel free to visit our about us page.
What is tile flooring and what makes it such a sought-after material?
Essentially, tile is a resilient surfacing material manufactured from natural clay, minerals, or stone, which is kiln-fired at extreme temperatures and finished for beauty and stain resistance. It is hypoallergenic, incredibly easy to maintain, and adds significant long-term value to your property.
To see how tile coordinates with other materials in your home, browse our curated collection of featured product lines online, or explore our wide inventory of premium local tile flooring options directly at our Rapid City showroom. If you would like to browse our entire catalog of hard and soft surfaces first, you can also head over to our main products page or view our comprehensive online flooring products catalog.
Can both porcelain and ceramic tile be used on floors? Yes, both can be used beautifully, but they have distinct performance traits.
Ceramic tile is softer, highly decorative, and easier to cut, making it ideal for walls, backsplashes, and light-traffic residential rooms. Porcelain tile, made from highly refined clay and fired at higher temperatures, is much denser and virtually impervious to water. This makes porcelain the gold standard for heavy foot traffic, outdoor applications, and moisture-heavy spaces where resistance to cracks and wear is a priority.
So, how durable is tile flooring? Put simply, tile is one of the most long-lasting, scratch-resistant materials available. It won't dent under heavy furniture, scratch from pet claws, or warp from humidity, making it perfect for the extreme, shifting climates of western South Dakota.
However, tile's durability is deeply tied to the quality of its installation. A flat, solid, and stable subfloor prevents the tiles and grout lines from shifting, cracking, or loosening over time.
Our professional installation crews ensure every subfloor is structurally sound before laying down thinset and spacers. To learn about our other solutions, including repairs, subfloor leveling, and custom work, check out our comprehensive flooring services page.
Before you can enjoy the beauty of a new installation, you must address what is currently on your subfloor. If you are replacing an outdated or cracked surface, learning how to remove tile floor safely is the first step.
This labor-intensive process requires breaking up the old material with chisels and hammers, scraping away stubborn thinset, and thoroughly vacuuming the subfloor to create a flat, debris-free foundation for your new tile.
Keeping your new floor looking brand new does not require harsh chemicals or hours of scrubbing. Following a few expert, helpful tips for keeping tile flooring clean can keep your surfaces sparkling. Sweep or vacuum your floor regularly to remove abrasive dirt and grit that can dull the glazed surface over time.
For deep cleaning, knowing exactly how to clean tile floors makes a massive difference. Avoid using oil-based soaps, wax, or abrasive scrubbers, which leave a film behind and catch dirt. Instead, stick to a microfiber mop and a pH-neutral cleaner designed specifically for stone or ceramic surfaces.
Of course, cleaning the tile is only half the battle. Because grout is porous, it naturally absorbs dirt and oils. Knowing how to clean grout on tile floors is essential to maintaining a bright, cohesive look. Use a soft brush and a specialized, non-acidic grout cleaner to lift deep-seated dirt from the lines, and always seal your grout after installation to protect it from future stains.
In our experience, professional tile installation and premium materials generally run between $8 and $22 per square foot. The final cost depends heavily on the layout, the size of the tiles, subfloor preparation needs, and whether you choose ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone. To help manage your budget, we offer highly flexible financing options.
If you love the durability of tile but want to explore other warm, resilient, or soft options, we carry a complete selection. You can explore our beautiful hardwood collections, waterproof luxury vinyl flooring, budget-friendly laminate, or ultra-plush carpet lines. We also invite you to check out our regular updates and design trends on our local blog page.
Yes, you can absolutely use both options for floor installations. However, porcelain is denser and resists heavy impact much better than ceramic. For a detailed breakdown of how to match these products to different rooms in your home, check out our guide on whether can both porcelain and ceramic tile be used on floors.
Maintaining tile is simple if you avoid harsh acids and sticky wax cleaners that dull the finish. For great daily and weekly maintenance tips, we highly recommend reading our expert advice on helpful tips for keeping tile flooring clean to protect your grout lines and keep your tiles shining.
Get in touch with the flooring professionals at Altimate Flooring
Rapid City - 1221 Oregon St
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