Are traditional balcony tiles limiting your design options due to their cost? Well, don’t worry! We’ve all been there! That’s why balcony tiles alternatives are so important in this modern, really expensive world!
This blog explores 10 affordable balcony tiles alternatives that offer a wider range of design possibilities. Discover innovative materials like rubber, foam & turf that allow you to personalize your balcony while staying within your budget.
So, let’s create a balcony design that reflects your unique style without breaking the bank, shall we?
PSSTTTT!!!! This post may contain affiliate links. Basically, a win-win for you (awesome product) & us (a lil’ coffee fund). ☕️
Top Insights
Rubber Pavers, Artificial Turf, Gravel & Foam Pavers are literally the best balcony tiles alternatives for more traction, grip & slip-resistance.
Try out some funky striped, lattice, hand-painted, or metallic epoxy floor designs to customize your balcony design on a budget – maybe even a cool green carpet with turf or living moss floors!
Consider various balcony design aspects like weight limit, tile weight, drainage slope, and slab finish when picking out the best balcony tiles alternatives for your space.
- Top Insights
- Things to Remember When Choosing the Right Balcony Tiles Alternatives for Your Home
- 10 Best Balcony Tiles Alternatives for a Modern Apartment Balcony on a Budget
- 1. Rubber Pavers for Kid-friendly Balconies
- 2. Artificial Turf Balcony Tiles Alternatives for Green City Balconies
- 3. Gravel Balcony Tiles Alternatives
- 4. Outdoor-Rated Foam Tiles for Modern Apartment Balcony Ideas
- 5. DIY Balcony Tiles Alternatives with Paint!
- 6. Glass Pavers Over a Sunk Concrete Slab
- 7. DIY Balcony Tiles Alternatives with Wood Pallets
- 8. Using Metallic Epoxy Paint Floors
- 9. Balcony Tiles Alternatives with a Living Moss Floor!
- 10. Using Polished Exposed Concrete Balcony Floors
- FAQs
- Conclusion
- Hand-picked Products for You:
Things to Remember When Choosing the Right Balcony Tiles Alternatives for Your Home
The right balcony tiles alternatives can certainly make your balcony a unique, Pinterest-worthy space in less than $50. But you must take care of certain things like the load, maintenance & slip-resistance to make it a cozy & comfortable one, too!
1. Load Rating & Weight Capacity: Load rating is basically a number that tells the floor’s weight-bearing capacity per square foot. The higher the load rating, the more stuff you can put on your balcony – plants, chairs, everything! Usually, most balcony tiles alternatives can support 25–75 pounds per square foot, which is enough to arrange 4-5 plants & furniture.
2. Spill Resistance & Ease of Maintenance: Needless to say, most outdoor balconies face the wrath of heavy rain, wind and what not! So, do get acrylic or polyurethane-coated floors to avoid the leaking, rotting & warping altogether. Furthermore, you can also improve the spill resistance by rubbing in siloxane or silicone-based penetrating sealers, varnishes or lacquers. They’re just great for humid areas
3. Slip Resistance: I think the friction or slip-resistance is also one main criteria when it comes to choosing the best balcony tiles alternatives in 2024. Remember that rubber pavers & pallets are firm, while glass ones might be slippery!
Quick Tip: Apply topical non-slip coatings or use non-slip pads, rugs & mats to make your balcony tiles alternatives safe for seniors & children.
10 Best Balcony Tiles Alternatives for a Modern Apartment Balcony on a Budget
If you’re looking to add a trendy yet affordable flooring to your balcony, then Athangudi, Moroccan or Stone tiles are probably the best choice. But are there any other cheaper balcony tiles alternatives that you can use? Let’s see!
1. Rubber Pavers for Kid-friendly Balconies
Average Cost: ₹200–500 or $8-15 per square foot, as per the quality
Ask any architect, and they’ll tell you that rubber pavers are the number one balcony tiles alternatives for kid-friendly spaces and balconies. Why, you may ask?
Well, for starters, they have such a high slip resistance that kids won’t slip on them, even while playing ‘catch-me’ in the rain. But wait, there’s more! Rubber pavers are also incredibly soft, resistant to the sun’s harmful rays and water, and a breeze to install.
Now here, you can either use the solid, PU-coated or recycled rubber pavers for a chic industrial or farmhouse-themed vibe. Or, you can go with the composite, plastic or cork-mix ones for a trendy, shabby-chic look. The choice is yours!
Here are some more pros & cons of rubber paver balcony tiles alternatives that you must know:
Caution: Avoid using abrasive bleach or hydrogen peroxide cleaners & de-icing solutions to clean your rubber pavers, as those might melt & discolor them beyond repair.
2. Artificial Turf Balcony Tiles Alternatives for Green City Balconies
Average Cost: ₹25 – 80 or $5 – 15 per square foot for good quality turf
Artificial turf or fake grass is a trendy material made of nylon, polyethylene, or polypropylene fibers that resembles real grass. So, you can freely use them under your furniture or plants for a chic French country-style vibe!
Apart from aesthetics, faux turf obviously doesn’t give you rashes or allergies like real grass. They’re easy to take care of, too – they come with drainage holes and ventilators for good climate control. So, no need to worry about getting foot boils as well!
Here are some more artificial turf balcony tiles alternatives pros & cons that you must know:
3. Gravel Balcony Tiles Alternatives
Estimated River Rock Cost: ₹300-500/kg ($8 – 15 CFT)
While we, at Archwhispers, don’t recommend dumping raw gravel on concrete slabs directly, you can certainly use it as an edging, along with some wood pallets for a zen-garden effect!
The deets are simple; first check how much weight your balcony can handle, then choose your pea or river rock gravel accordingly. Use chalk to mark where you want the gravel, lay down some landscape fabric or a weed barrier, and you’re good to go!
Next, pour your gravel, slowly & steadily up to the desired level and create a few holes with your finger to ensure good drainage. You can also plant in some herbs or succulents (Sedum, Yucca, Echeveria or Sempervivum) to curate your own balcony rock garden.
But are there any other gravel balcony tiles alternatives pros & cons you should know? Let’s check:
Quick Tip: Try to use neon or glow-in-the-dark themed gravel to illuminate a balcony bar or dining at night.
4. Outdoor-Rated Foam Tiles for Modern Apartment Balcony Ideas
Rough Foam Tiles Cost: ₹30 – 100 or $30 – 50 per square foot
Foam does get a bad review for being one of the most delicate and vulnerable balcony tiles alternatives, but hey, that’s not always the case!
Certain types of outdoor-rated foam tiles, say EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) or TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) tiles, make excellent choices for balcony floors. Like, they stay cool even in warmer temperatures and give your balcony a refined, modern look.
Just remember that foam tiles might turn yellow or brown when exposed to direct sunlight or halogen bulbs. To prevent this, we suggest applying a premium UV stabilizer or rubber foam coating at least once a year.
What are the other foam floor pros & cons that you must know? Let’s check them out below:
5. DIY Balcony Tiles Alternatives with Paint!
Estimated Cost: Literally FREE of cost!
Don’t want to invest in any designer or to-be-installed balcony tiles alternatives we listed above? Well, worry not!
All you need to do is clean your slab thoroughly, repair in all the slab cracks and joints with a patching compound and then paint them with any outdoor floor paint (Asian Paints or Behr has some options) of choice.
You can also curate some paint patterns, say Bauhaus-themed, striped, abstract or any of the other balcony tiles ideas we mentioned in our other blog for more curb appeal. Alternately, you can also mix them with some outdoor rugs for a tribal effect!
But that’s not all! Here are some more balcony floor paint pros & cons that you must know:
6. Glass Pavers Over a Sunk Concrete Slab
Estimated Cost: Roughly ₹250 or $50+ per square foot
Glass pavers are one of the top most balcony tiles alternatives for brightness and a crisp modern balcony tiles design. These are quite durable, resisting weather, impact & vibrations like a pro! Plus, you can even give them a textured finish for extra grip!
One more idea is to curate a gravel, pebble or organic turf floor art over a sunken balcony slab and then placing your glass pavers on top to protect it.
However, glass can break easily over time, so it’s a good idea to put scratch-resistant or plastic coatings on them for extra durability.
Here’s a list of some more glass paver pros & cons to help you decide the best balcony tiles alternatives for your outdoor oasis:
7. DIY Balcony Tiles Alternatives with Wood Pallets
Rough Cost: Literally free of cost if you recycle them!
Wood pallets are one of the most sustainable yet easiest to DIY balcony tiles alternatives out there. These add a crude natural or rustic aesthetic just like wood, but at over 50% less cost than normal wooden balcony tiles. Plus, you can stain or paint them as per your existing balcony color scheme too!
But here are some wooden pallet balcony tiles alternatives pros & cons you might want to consider first:
Quick Tip: Seal your wood pallet floors with a hydrating linseed oil, tung oil or polyurethane varnish to save it from buckling & warping due to moisture.
8. Using Metallic Epoxy Paint Floors
Estimated Cost: Just a few bucks to get the epoxy paint cans
If normal, matte-painted floors sound too mainstream, then you can go with the metallic epoxy paint ones. These balcony tiles alternatives are super shiny and stylish, like an Art Deco piece, and can handle moderate foot traffic too!
However, you must, first clean your slabs thoroughly and apply a non-slip additive to fill in the cracks and provide traction. Then, just choose a primary base color, say blue or gray, and paint in some borders or lattices with silver or golden metallic epoxy paint.
Here’s a list of some more metallic epoxy balcony tiles alternatives pros & cons you might want to consider:
Caution: Prioritize safety when using epoxy paint: put on a mask, safety goggles, and make sure to open windows and doors to avoid breathing in the fumes.
9. Balcony Tiles Alternatives with a Living Moss Floor!
Average Cost: About ₹50–450 or literally $1-2 per square foot
While a living moss floor sounds nearly impossible in modern apartment balconies, you can still adorn it, along with a few stepping stones or concrete blocks. And today, we’ll show you how!
Well, first, spread some pea gravel along the plants in your balcony to create crevices for your moss to stick on. Then, add in your moss with a pair of tweezers or simply drop it from your planters onto the floor. Make sure to mist it properly without fail!
Also, remember not to add the moss on the entire floor! Just a few stalks of shade-loving moss, say Sphagnum, Sheet or Hair-cap for example, along the plants, furniture & corners are enough.
So, what are the pros & cons you can expect from these unique balcony tiles alternatives? Well, here’s a small list:
10. Using Polished Exposed Concrete Balcony Floors
Exposed Concrete Cost: Just a few bucks for polishing & sanding the slabs
Well, one of the best balcony tiles alternatives for free is to do nothing at all! Like, keep your exposed concrete slab as it is. You can obviously polish it with a concrete stain or densifier to avoid scratches & climatic wear & tear, but that’s all!
Just keep in mind that concrete has a tendency to generate a lot of heat islands; So you might want to add a little garden or rock waterfall to help cool things down.
Also consider the other exposed concrete balcony floors pros & cons we’ve listed below:
FAQs
Sure, you can totally tile your balcony with regular concrete, porcelain, or vitrified tiles from the store. But guess what? It’s not a must! You could also check out cheaper balcony tiles alternatives like rubber pavers, turf, or gravel for better grip.
Usually, large 12 X 12 or 24 X 24 inch tiles are best for plain-tiling most large & medium-sized balconies. But if you are up for some floor art or patterned floor, then you can even consider the smaller, 2 X 2-inch ones.
Conclusion
Now that you know the 10 best balcony tiles alternatives, your budget-friendly balcony oasis is practically begging to be built! So ditch those concrete or porcelain balcony tiles (literally everyone uses them) & embrace the bespoke with rubber, foam or any other options we mentioned above.
But, if you do decide to tile your balcony, then don’t forget to refer to my detailed guides on ‘16 Tested Balcony Tiles,’ ‘15 Balcony Tiles Ideas’ or ‘10 Best Modern Balcony Tiles Design Ideas’ for easy help!
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About the Author:
ArchWhispers Team
We, at ArchWhispers are a team of passionate storytellers with 5+ years of experience weaving tales through architecture and interiors. We translate complex design concepts into engaging narratives, making architecture accessible and inspiring for everyone.
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