12 Outdoor Flooring Options for Style and Comfort

The best outdoor flooring options to keep your home looking stylish from the outside in. Learn the pros and cons of each option and make the choice that’s best for you.

Because you don’t want to spend your summer hanging out in the dirt.

But really…choosing the right flooring for your backyard, front yard, poolside and patio decking is important and, often, overlooked. Deck sintetico People be like “GIVE ME THAT HARDWOOD” and then forget about that little thing called curb appeal.

In fact, most people don’t know what their options are, which makes it hard to make an informed decision on the best outdoor flooring for you. There’s plenty of options out there, but we’re just going to share our very favorites.

This post is a long one, so if you’re interested in a specific type of flooring feel free to skip ahead by clicking on any of the following links: tekno-step.com

Composite Wood-Look Decking

Probably the most versatile in terms of appearance, composite wood-look decking can give your outdoor patio flooring a rustic, homey feel or a chic, polished, modern look. As we know, wood never goes out of style, making composite wood-look decking a choice that won’t go out of style.

Think of these tiles as a trendier and inexpensive version of the traditional wood deck boards. These tiles give you the most sought after “wood-look”, minus the weight and pain of installation. And, they’re gorgeous!

Composite wood decking gives you the best of both worlds. With modern technology, you can achieve a gorgeous, realistic wood look without the challenges of traditional wood.

Composite deck flooring is like the luxury vinyl of the porch flooring market. Maybe some out-of-date folks are still turning their nose up at it, but others are embracing composite decking as the outdoor flooring of the future. Composite decks, like vinyl floors, bring you realistic wood looks without any of the hassles.

Pros of Composite Wood Decking

Maintenance: Listen, we all know wood is notorious for being high-maintenance. Expansion, contraction, termites, wood rot, resanding, refinishing, the list goes on! With composite decking, simply clean off your deck with soap and water when it gets dirty. The end.
Fire resistance: We all know wood burns, but composite floors are made to be fire resistant to keep your floor and, more importantly, your family safe.
Accessibility: When you’re purchasing solid wood, you have to make sure you get it from a reputable source and that it was legally harvested. With composite decking, you just click, purchase, finito.
Perfect for sitting with your morning coffee or evening wine: For me, a wood (or wood-look) deck just screams cozy, relaxing sitting area. If I had one, I would be sitting out there every single morning.
Great for balcony flooring: Not every outdoor flooring option works or looks good on a smaller upstairs balcony. Composite deck tiles do
Installation: Do you want to work outside in the hot sun for hours, trying to build a deck with a hammer and nails? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Composite deck tiles connect together in a snap, and you can cut them to size with a tile cutter or utility knife. What could take days is now a project you can complete in a few dedicated hours.
Eco-Friendly: Newer composite decking is 100% recyclable, made from bamboo, wood fibers, and recyclable resins. Now, you can enjoy the greenery of your yard with a deck made of “green” materials.
Cost: Wait, what?! No, I ain’t lyin’ (well at least when you compare it to wood – not necessarily compared to other options)! Everything you read will tell you that composite decking is more expensive, but that just is not the case. Pressure treated wood will run you $15-25 per square foot, while higher end woods will run $25+ (source). Our high-end composite decking runs $9-17 per square foot. So let’s compare the top end composite to the bottom end wood:

Wood

$15/sqft + installation at $9/sqft + yearly sealing at $3/sq ft. (average cost of sealing in 2016 via Home Advisor) on a 200 sq ft deck = $4,800 initial cost, but just look at how that $3/sqft sealing adds up over time. At $600/year, that adds to a total (including purchase and installation) of $28,800 over 40 years. Umm, that is CRAZY!

Composite

$17/sqft + installation at $9/sqft on a 200 sqft deck = $5,200 with no treatments needed. Then you save $600 on sealing each year, which adds up to a savings of $23,600 savings over 40 years. I’m not kidding. Composite decking will literally save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

Cons of Composite Wood Decking

So, composite decking is kinda the bomb if you haven’t noticed. But it does have two noticeable drawbacks.

Heat: Plastics retain heat more than traditional wood, and therefore they will get warmer if they are in a sunny area. They will still remain cooler than concrete, and you can combat the heat by choosing a lighter color.
Bragging rights: Yeah, yeah…it’s not real wood. If you’re someone who really cares about using real wood, then composite might not be for you. It doesn’t feel exactly like real wood, so you may not be able to pull one over on your stuffiest dinner guests, but you could definitely fool someone like me!
Cost: Wait, but you just said…! I know, I know. Cost is a benefit when compared to wood decking, but compared to the options below, composite deck tiles will still run you a pretty penny.

Porcelain and Ceramic Tile

Is there anything more gorgeous than classic stone patio tiles or a wood patio? I have a secret. Most of those “stone” or “wood” patios you see aren’t really stone or wood at all, but tile. Patio floor tiles, and specifically, porcelain exterior tiles, are often even more durable than natural materials like stone and wood, depending on the PEI rating, so you can really get the best of both worlds.

Pros of Using Outdoor Tile Flooring

Cost: You can get gorgeous stone-look or wood-look tile for, like, $2/sq ft. Just to remind you, above we were discussing options at $15/sq ft for wood, so outdoor tiles are a major bargain!
Upscale look: Tile can give you not just a natural stone look, but a gorgeous, realistic wood look as well.
Maintenance: Tile is famous for being super easy to clean and maintain. Just sweep and mop occasionally, and you’re good to go.
Great for entertaining: A tile patio or fire pit area is the perfect place to entertain guests outdoors.

Cons of Using Outdoor Tile Flooring

Elements: While tile makes a great outdoor flooring option, it’s not necessarily the burliest when it comes to standing up to the elements, especially cold. After a lot of exposure to harsh environments, tile can become damaged, especially if it’s a basic ceramic and not porcelain.
Slipping hazard: Some tiles can be extremely slippery, making them a less-than-ideal choice for near pools and other areas with a lot of water.

Artificial Grass

Wait! Don’t leave!

I promise I’m not about to try to convince you that ugly 1980s astroturf is the next big thing and you should get on it right away. It isn’t.

The truth is, turf these days is, like composite decking, an incredible lookalike to the real deal! In fact, I bet you pass turf yards on the daily and have no idea.

Now with a realistic look and feel, turf has become a sought-after alternative to real grass. I live in Phoenix. Do you know how much it costs to try to maintain a lawn when it’s 115 out and hasn’t rained in 11 years? Okay, that last part might be a bit dramatic, but that doesn’t change the fact that turf is, like, my dream come true!

Pros of Artificial Grass

Maintenance: No more time spent mowing the lawn, setting up sprinklers or staying home for your irrigation; turf requires practically nothing of you as the owner other than the occasional hose down. Seriously, so easy.
Looks: Like I said, if you purchase a high-quality turf, no one will know it’s not grass unless you tell them.
Allergies: Grass make you itchy? Turf won’t bother you a bit!
Great for kids and pets: Kids and dogs love running around in the grass. They’re not going to have the same fun running around a cement patio. You can also get playground turf or pet turf and create a special place for the kiddos (both 2 and 4 legged).
It’s soft! Most outdoor flooring options are hard. You have to sit in a chair in order to be comfortable. With turf, you can have a picnic, or just lay down right in the turf, especially since it doesn’t attract bugs the same way traditional grass does.
You can keep it cool: One of the cons of turf has always been the heat – under heat, it does get warm and stops feeling soft and, well, grassy. Now, you can easily add some snazzy Hydrochill to keep it cool and natural-feeling all summer long.
Cost: While it’s true that it is initially more expensive to purchase turf than grass, just take a look at the cost over the long run!

Conclusion

As you can see, there are lots of great outdoor flooring to choose from. Most of it comes down to location, personal preference and budget. If you’re ready to jump on board, check out a few of our most popular outdoor flooring options.