Choosing tiles for your home renovation can be daunting, and deciding where to buy them is challenging. Two popular stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot offer a wide variety of tiles, but you might wonder who has better quality.
Home Depot and Lowe’s offer you a wider range of premium tiles. But Lowe’s leads the way with a slight difference in pricing and durability due to their high PEI wear rating and free tile-cutting services.
However, the tiles installation cost at Home Depot is cheaper.
To help you make an informed decision, we’ll explore who has better tiles, Lowe’s or Home Depot. We will also compare the key factors that may differ in the tile selections of both stores.
Who Has Better Tiles, Lowe’s or Home Depot?
Tiles add value to the home by achieving a luxurious look and are easy to clean and maintain. However, choosing them for their style patterns, quality, and, at the same time, affordability is what most people seek.
Big retail stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot are the best option for buying tiles. But preferring one over another can be confusing and depend on various factors.
1. Variety
Home Depot offers designer and premium tiles in various shapes, sizes, and colors, making it a great place to shop if you want unique and high-end options. For instance, Marazzi brand tiles at HD are quite a hit.
Choose tiles with dark colors for a homey, warm aesthetic. But, if you have a small space, install white or tan tiles to create a spacious feeling.
Lowe’s also has a huge selection of tiles, such as ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, and glass, in different shapes and sizes. In addition, you can choose between a matte or glossy tile finish.
Satori and Style Selections are popular tile brands at Lowe’s for bathroom or kitchen flooring.
One of the benefits of shopping at Lowe’s is its online selection. If you cannot visit the nearest Lowe’s store to touch and see the tiles, you can order their $5 samples with free delivery.
Alternatively, you can use the Lowe’s Visualizer tool to see how different tiles may look on kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or living room floors.
2. Price
Home Depot and Lowe’s offer competitive pricing and discount opportunities for their tiles. Most of the time, the tile prices are priced within pennies of each other.
However, you’ll get more options to save pennies at Lowe’s than Home Depot for the same material and quality.
For example, Home Depot sells MSI Marble Look Porcelain Tiles for $2.99 per square ft., whereas Lowe’s sells Satori Matte Porcelain Tiles for $2.29 per square ft., but both give the same quality white marble finish.
Lowe’s offers a 10% military discount, making it a great place for veterans and active-duty military members to shop for tiles.
If you want to buy a specific tile, the price can vary based on the size, shape, material, brand, and finish, even at the same store.
For instance, the Satori Matte Porcelain Tiles at Lowe’s cost $2.29 per square foot, but Satori Absolute Black Granite Tiles cost $6.49 per square foot at the same store.
On the flip side, Home Depot has the edge over Lowe’s for tile installation service. The store charges a lower installation fee of $5.50 compared to Lowe’s $5.75 for a 12×12 tile.
3. Quality
Lowe’s and Home Depot offer a range of tiles options, from basic to premium. But if you’re looking for durable tiles that can withstand heavy foot traffic, pay attention to the PEI wear rating.
Most Lowe’s tiles have a PEI rating of 4, suitable for high-traffic areas like entryways, kitchens, and bathrooms.
Many Home Depot tiles, on the other hand, have a PEI rating of 3, which means they are better suited for low-traffic areas like walls and backsplashes.
The higher the PEI rating, the stronger and more stain-resistant the tile will be.
Another important factor to consider is the COF, or coefficient of friction. This measures the slip resistance of the tiles, which is vital for safety in areas that may get wet, like bathrooms and kitchens.
Lowe’s and Home Depot offer tiles with different COF ratings, so ask for help if you’re unsure.
Lowe’s may be the better choice if you’re looking for high-quality tiles that can withstand heavy foot traffic with their higher PEI wear rating.
4. Customer Service
Regarding customer service, Lowe’s and Home Depot are known for providing great assistance to their customers in the tile section.
However, Lowe’s edges out Home Depot by offering free tile-cutting services if you buy from them. Unfortunately, Home Depot does not offer this service but instead rents out tile-cutting tools.
If you need to install new tiles on your floors, it might cost about $1959 with professional help. But if you want to add tiles to your kitchen countertops or backsplash, it could be even more expensive.
In addition, Lowe’s also has an extensive online resource to help you find the perfect tiles for your project instead of physically visiting the store.
Lowe’s and Home Depot offer a return policy if you change your mind or if the tiles arrive broken or damaged. Just be sure to have your receipt and a valid ID on hand.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we’ve discussed who has better tiles, Lowe’s or Home Depot, and the factors that affect your choices, like quality, variety, price, and customer service.
We hope this guide helped you compare the two retail giants, and you can now choose the best tiles for your home improvement projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Highest Quality Tile?
Tiles made with natural stone tiles like granite, marble, or limestone are of the highest quality. You can find such tiles and porcelain and ceramic tiles at Lowe’s or Home Depot.
Does Lowe’s Do Competitive Pricing on Tiles?
Yes, Lowe’s matches the price of the tile you bought if you find it for a lower price in another store within 30 days.
