It’s a good question, can you use porcelain floor tiles outside? The short answer is yes you can. However, it is important you chose the correct type of porcelain tiles for your external space. Not all porcelain tiles are suitable for external areas.
Porcelain has had something of a moment in the garden, well more than a moment, it has fast become the go-to material for patios and pathways, stepping stones and courtyards. That’s because it brilliantly combines outstanding performance with beautiful design and with the advent of sliding patio doors allowing you to connect internal and external space like never before, porcelain tiles have fast become the go-to flooring for both home and garden.
Unlike slate, limestone or natural stone all of which bring a more rustic feel to spaces, porcelain brings a contemporary, architectural look to gardens and allow homeowners to create an inside room, outside – think kitchen, dining area, lounge and more. These outside spaces have all the luxury of indoor spaces and with advances in furnishings, awnings and more, you really can make this space an extension of your home.
Tough enough to handle the great British weather, porcelain is well-known for mimicking other materials bringing all the beauty of limestone, slate and stone with a modern look and feel – add to that metals, marbles, woods and more and suddenly a whole world of design possibilities opens up. Plus, with porcelain, there is little ongoing maintenance – another brilliant benefit of this material.
In this blog, we dig into some of the key considerations when choosing porcelain tiles for external areas from water resistance to tile finishes to help you make an informed decision.
Porcelain tiles are available in a variety of finishes from matt to natural, soft to grip, antislip to honed, polished to silk and a whole heap in between. The slip resistance scale begins at R9 with R13 offering the best traction. Outdoor tiles need to offer good traction especially in areas prone to rain or where water may be present eg swimming pools, so looking for a tile with an antislip finish and an R11 A+B+C rating is key.
These tiles have an added layer of frit to the tile surface, and this gives added grip. Where the R rating is with shoes on, the A+B+C rating is with shoes off so important for swimming pool surrounds for example. For more info on slip ratings check out our guide to slip ratings.
Porcelain tiles are made from a mix of clays and minerals and fired at high temperatures and that makes them dense and strong. It also makes them frost resistant. To be called porcelain a tile has to have less than 0.5% porosity, and it is this low water absorption that makes porcelain ideal for outdoor spaces. So, it’s important to make sure that the porcelain tiles you are looking to use outside are labelled frost resistant and are suitable for outdoor spaces.
Porcelain tiles hold up well in warmer and cooler temperatures so as well as being frost resistant, they are also fade resistant and can cope with a wide range of temperatures.
Porcelain is renowned for being super durable. As well as coping well with heavy traffic and footfall, porcelain is also highly scratch and stain resistant so is perfect for outdoor areas.
Unlike some natural stones, porcelain does not need sealing. And because it is highly resistant to staining and scratching, day to day tiles just need a dry brush and sweep with a broom to remove loose debris and then a sweep with water to clean them.
There are cleaning products designed specifically for porcelain if you want to give them a good clean. You can jet wash tiles too, but it is important to avoid the grout.
You want your porcelain tiled area to look flush and beautiful and remain so for years to come, so correct installation is key. More rustic paving products are not necessarily beautifully flush as this is part of their charm and character. With porcelain tiles and particularly rectified porcelain tiles ie tiles with straight edges, grout lines are down to a minimum and that delivers a clean, crisp, architectural feel.
Ideally, outdoor tiles are installed onto a fully cured concrete bed. It’s critical the correct tile adhesives and grout are used, and drainage taken into consideration. This all makes for a super easy, low maintenance product in the future.
So, it’s important to employ the skills of a professional installer and amongst other things:
Use the right adhesive and grouts that are rated for exterior use, are resistant to moisture and can cope with temperature fluctuations.
Ensure good drainage – for most outdoor tile installations there will need to be a fall to create a slight slope so water can drain away and not pool on the tile surface.
Porcelain outdoor tiles can also be laid directly onto grass and gravel and are suitable for use with pedestal systems – get in touch for more details.
Outside tiles are usually 20mm in thickness and come in a variety of sizes eg 60 x 90cm, 60 x 30cm, 60 x 60cm, 80 x 80cm, 120 x 120cm and 120 x 60cm. There are also thinner porcelains available eg 9mm or 10mm. These thinner porcelains are sometimes specifically needed due to threshold levels and for smaller patios they can be a good choice, however, these tiles must be installed onto a fully cured concrete bed with the right adhesives and grout and unlike their 2cm thick counterparts, they cannot be installed directly onto gravel, grass or with pedestals. For driveways you may need an even thicker porcelain to cope with weights.
Porcelain cleverly mimics other materials and high-quality porcelain tiles do this superbly well. Gone are the days of 2 or 3 patterns per tile. With a good quality porcelain tile you can have 20, 30, 40 or even 50 pattern repeats all of which means tiles are echoing natural and other materials with incredible realism.
One huge benefit of using porcelain tiles outside is that collections can now house a co-ordinating tile for inside too. This means you can now run the same tile from inside to outside connecting lounge to lawn in style and with ease. Inside tiles will have a more matt or natural finish whereas, as we have already discovered, the co-ordinating outside tile has a textured surface for more grip. The two tiles look the same to the eye and whilst they are produced differently, a great quality indoor outdoor porcelain should be a good match. With inside outside porcelain tiles that look like wood, stone, marble, metals, quartz, slate and more, you really can have the look you want with all the benefits of porcelain.
Pathways and Walkways
Porcelain tiles are a stylish option for pathways and walkways – minimal grout lines and crisp clean edges make for beautiful paths.
Patios
Whether a grand garden design, or a small patio area, porcelain delivers and allows you to create that “room outside”.
Pool surrounds
Low water absorption and high slip resistance make porcelain tiles perfect for pool surrounds. In addition, many porcelain tile collections feature pool pieces to create a perfect flush finish.
Outdoor kitchens
Super hardwearing and easy to clean, porcelain makes a great flooring for outdoor cooking areas and of course, dining too!
So, can you use porcelain floor tiles outside? The answer is a resounding yes. In the right thickness and the right slip ratings, porcelain tiles are ideal for external areas. Add to that professional installation and even the smallest and most humble garden can be transformed into a little oasis, and you will benefit from a low-maintenance garden that not only looks stunning, it is super durable too.
If you would like to know more, please get in touch...
The TilePortfolio specialise in Italian and Spanish Porcelain and Ceramic tiles, in particular large format Porcelains and Porcelain tiles for inside and outside. Our carefully curated, stunning tile portfolios are beautifully presented online and supported by our fuss-free ‘go-the-extra-tile’ service. In addition, you can view our entire tile collection at our Northamptonshire Showroom. Visit our website for unmissable interiors inspiration. The TilePortfolio team are always available to chat, we’d be delighted to help with your project so please do get in touch.
Please note: We strongly recommend using a professional tiler for your project. Installation requirements may vary depending on the tiles you choose, the fixing products used and the specific conditions. Always check with your tiler regards the suitability of the tiles. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions.
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