Sunroom Floor Plan: Choosing the Right Surface for an Indoor-Outdoor Space

Last time you saw our sunroom it looked like this:

And now it’s starting to look more like this:

Forgive the poor iPhone photo — it was the quick snap I sent to my parents before the rain moved in — but you can see we’ve made solid progress lofting the ceiling. We had a professional framer check the roof framing to make sure everything was structurally sound. We’ll cover the full ceiling story next week after the electrician converts the loose wiring into junction boxes for two fans.

Today’s update is about the floor plan — specifically, how we’ll finish the sunroom floor.

We’ve considered several approaches. The quickest and least expensive option would be to stain or paint the existing concrete, similar to what we did in our previous sunroom. That process is straightforward and can deliver an instant refresh at low cost.

On our old sunroom we first stained the concrete a semi-transparent “Tuscan Yellow” and later painted it a glossy chocolate when we wanted a darker look. While painting or staining would be the easiest route here, a few site-specific issues pushed us to explore other options.

The concrete in this sunroom is marred by old carpet glue stains from the previous flooring removal, so semi-transparent stains aren’t an option because those marks would show through. Even a solid paint job would leave the brick border — attractive from a distance but rough up close with glue stains, nail holes and a few gouges from the old sliding doors — looking unfinished.

We also worry about safety. The concrete gets slick when it’s wet — our daughter Clara often has wet feet from playing with a water table or small pool, which leads to slips and sudden gasps. We wanted a surface with more grip and better traction, something designed for outdoor conditions, which pushed us toward textured patio-style tile.

The final factor that ruled out paint was future flexibility. Painting the concrete would prevent tile installation later because paint interferes with thinset bonding. Removing paint down the road would require hand-chipping every trace off the slab. Because we don’t want to limit our options permanently, painting felt like a short-term fix with long-term consequences. So we began tile shopping.

We fell in love with large-format tiles right away, but the cost on some of those options was steep — one tile we admired was $6.29 per square foot, which would have pushed this 200+ sq ft project well beyond our budget. Then we noticed a Labor Day sale offering 20–25% off total purchases plus 35% off tools and supplies, which opened the door to more affordable choices.

After narrowing our criteria — tiles had to be suitable for outdoor use, textured for slip resistance, and more budget-friendly — we came away with three strong contenders. The tile pros recommended porcelain for outdoor durability, and we focused on porcelain tiles that mimic natural stone surfaces while providing the grip we need.

• Outdoor-appropriate (porcelain recommended for exterior-facing sunroom)
• Textured surface to reduce slipping when wet
• Price within our budget

We bought a sample of each tile and laid them near the deck to see how they worked with the wood tones and the small one-inch step into the sunroom. An update: although the tiles carry names like slate or limestone, the samples we tested are porcelain tiles modeled to look like those stones — chosen because porcelain performs well outdoors in our climate.

Our favorite was Mountain Slate Iron. Its deep color and warm brown undertones complemented the deck better than the cooler, washed-out alternatives. It also had the most texture, making it the safest choice for wet conditions, and it turned out to be the most affordable option on sale — a practical and attractive choice.

So last night we placed the order. The tiles won’t be ready for pick up until next week, and we plan to finish the ceiling — installing beadboard, new fans and paint — before installing anything delicate on the floor. The sale brought our tile cost down from $3.48 per square foot to $2.61, which made the decision easier. Clara was so excited she used her toy phone to call Elmo, possibly influenced by the display showers she enjoyed exploring in the store.

We’re relieved to have chosen a long-term solution that upgrades the space, improves safety, and preserves our ability to make other changes down the road. Next up: ceiling details, electrical work, and then the tile install — stay tuned for photos and a full installation recap.