Your Cart is Empty
GemCore tiles offer tremendous advantages over classic ceramic tile and natural stone, while still giving you the same gorgeous looks, high durability, and waterproof performance that make those options so attractive. GemCore tiles overcome the key challenges to those products, with an easy-to-install, easy-to-maintain floor that retains its original appearance and will never break or crack.
Ceramic & Stone: Selecting among natural stone and ceramic tile options can be frustrating because not every option is suitable for every space. Some types of stone and ceramics are susceptible to staining and damage from heavy traffic. Often the desired look has to be abandoned because it won’t meet the demands of the application. Also, the grout in ceramic and stone installations gets discolored over time and is difficult to clean.
GemCore: Identical in structure and performance, all GemCore tiles are waterproof, heat resistant, and extremely stain and dent resistant, making them a great option for demanding areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, and high traffic commercial areas. The grout lines built into GemCore tiles are made of the same stain-resistant material as the face. Backed by solid warranties, GemCore tiles are built with the highest quality stone composite construction in the industry. They can be used in virtually any interior space.
Ceramic & Stone: Labor is often the most expensive component of an installation, as natural stone and ceramic tiles require the skills of an expert installer and must be cut and installed with professional tools. Stone & Ceramic tile installations require the use of additional supplies such as thinset, levelers and grout that add unexpected layers to the cost of the floor. Subfloor preparation can be complex and expensive, as subfloors for tile installations must meet very specific criteria. Multiple steps make the installation of stone & ceramic tiles a slow, multi-day process that takes expert skill to get a quality result. In today’s market, finding skilled tile installers is becoming more and more difficult.
GemCore: Can be installed over virtually any type of flat subfloor, or even over an existing floor, with no special prep work. A simple click-together system allows for installation to be performed by any flooring installer with basic construction tools. No additional materials are required. Many projects can be finished and walked on within a single day. The savings on the total installed cost of a GemCore tile floor are DRAMATIC!
Ceramic & Stone: An imperfection in the subfloor, a flaw in the installation work, any settling of the home, or an impact from above can all lead to cracks in ceramic or stone tiles. And cracks in grout are par for the course. Nothing can be done to repair a cracked tile besides removing and replacing it. This can be difficult to do without damaging the surrounding tiles, and the new grout never quite matches the old grout that surrounds it. If you ever decide to change your flooring, ceramic and stone require difficult, labor-intensive demolition. Removal often causes damage to the subfloor, requiring costly additional repairs before a new floor can be installed.
GemCore: Will never crack. Although GemCore is extremely hard and durable, if a piece does get damaged, it can easily be replaced and fit seamlessly back into the original installation. Backed with a lifetime residential warranty, should you decide to change or remodel, a GemCore floating floor can be easily removed by hand without any affect on the subfloor. If removed carefully, GemCore can even be reused after removal!
GemCore: Tiles are designed to capture a desirable, intentional, controlled range of looks that when properly mixed during installation create the appearance of consistent, natural variation. Precision manufacturing guarantees a flat floor with properly aligned seams.
*Image shown is GemCore Prescott
Ceramic & Stone: Stone and ceramic tile floors are hard on the body. It’s that simple. Stone and ceramic also radiate the subfloor temperature, making them feel cold on those chilly mornings. Owners often opt for adding costly radiant floor heating to offset the unpleasant feeling of walking on a hard, cold surface.
GemCore: The bottom layer of the GemCore tiles is a thin pad that, along with the hardened acrylic top layer, provide a comfortable walking surface similar to wood flooring. Whether installed as a floating floor (not adhered to the subfloor) or glued down, GemCore’s temperature is a more comfortable reflection of a room's ambient temperature.
Ceramic & Stone: Natural stone and the grout used for tile installations both require cleaning methods and solvents specifically designed to not cause damage. Cleaning of grout can require professional expertise and be very tedious. Often professional resealing of stone and grout is recommended annually depending on the level of traffic.
GemCore: Simple to clean using a sponge mop with affordable cleaners that are available everywhere. Nothing more will ever need to be done to the floor.
