With porcelain floor tiles for outside continuing to grow in popularity and outdoor spaces one of the key areas of our homes we are investing in, understanding the best tiles for your outdoor project is important and that includes slip resistance of the tiles you are installing.
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Porcelain floor tiles for outside are tested and graded for their slip resistance. Those grades can help you choose the right tiles for your project. They are important, particularly for the elderly or those with visual or mobility issues. So no matter how small your space is, whether that is the tiniest of outdoor areas or a sweeping patio, picking a beautiful tile is a must and understanding tile slip resistance is too. In our blog we find out more about how porcelain tiles can transform your garden and what you need to know about porcelain and tile slip resistance.
Porcelain is the ideal material for outside spaces. It’s considered one of the leading materials because of the latest tile innovations and its practicality. It is a highly versatile material.
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Porcelain is frost and fade resistant, scratch and stain resistant and it’s the perfect pick to create spaces that have a crisp, architectural feel about them. These are spaces with a touch of luxury and very different to the spaces that feature the charm of slate or stone flagstones. The latter tend to bring a more rustic feel to spaces whereas with porcelain tiles tend to be rectified ie have straight edges. This means precision installation. With porcelain you are effectively creating an inside room but outside. Think outdoor kitchen, lounge, dining area.
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More and more of us are looking to turn our patios and external areas into spaces to lounge, entertain and dine. Picking the right porcelain tiles for your outdoor area can add value to your home and project.
There are a number of things to think about when selecting porcelain floor tiles for outside.
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Design
One of the key benefits of porcelain is design. Tiles are available in a whole heap of different designs as porcelain cleverly mimics other materials. From stone effect to marble effect, concrete and cement look tiles, tiles that look like real wood and metallic tiles you really can create the look and feel you desire with porcelain tiles. And of course you have all the brilliant performance of porcelain as mentioned above. This is a material that is exceptionally hardwearing and installed correctly will stand the test of time.
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Tile shape and size
The size and shape of tile you opt for may partly depend on budget aswell as preference. Larger tiles tend to be more expensive per sqm however, with larger formats there are less grout lines making spaces feel less busy. Rectangular tiles can add interest to spaces with more laying pattern options. Do you stack these tiles or offset – if offsetting it is important not to offset by more than 1/3 to ensure you don’t have an issue with lippage.
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Tile thickness
Porcelain tiles for outside tend to be thicker than interior tiles. Typically an internal tile may be 8mm, 9mm or 10mm thick and an external tile 20mm thick (or even thicker for driveways). However, there are thinner porcelains available for outside spaces too. A thinner porcelain eg 8mm, 9mm or 10mm thickness must be installed onto a fully cured concrete bed with the correct tile adhesive. These cannot be fitted using pedestals or dry laid onto grass or gravel. A thinner porcelain will potentially be more cost effective than a 2cm tile and easier to install but it is critical that these tiles are installed correctly, for instance, into a full bed of adhesive so there are no voids under the tiles and no water can seep under the tile and freeze.
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Co-ordinating internal tiles
With the latest bi-fold doors allowing us to open up space like never before, opting for a porcelain tile collection that houses both internal and external co-ordinating tiles can help you connect lounge to lawn in style. Internal tiles tend to be smoother and have a matt or natural finish and are thinner eg 9mm or 10mm thickness and have a co-ordinating external tile in 2cm thickness. The two tiles have the same look and feel with the external tile having that extra layer of frit to the surface to create an antislip texture and an R11 A+B+C slip rating.
Outside tiles generally have a rougher surface than inside tiles. This is because an extra layer of frit is applied to the tile to create the antislip surface to give that extra grip. There are a number of tests that apply to slip resistance. The Ramp Test is the most commonly found rating. Tiles are given an R rating of between 9 and 13 with slip resistant outside porcelain tiles achieving a rating of R11 or higher.
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The Ramp Test is for shod foot ie where an individual walks on a wet surface wearing cleated safety boots whilst being held in a harness. The angle of the ramp is adjusted and whilst doing this the degree at which the person slips is the R value.
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There’s an additional layer of testing – DIN51097 – which is carried out in wet and barefoot conditions and the same angles repeated. This should be considered where tiles are being used around swimming pools, wet rooms or any other places where footwear would not be worn. In this case tiles are given an A, B or C rating.
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Tiles with an A rating for dry barefeet areas eg a kitchen or bathroom.
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Tiles with a B rating for pool surrounds and showers.
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Tiles with a C rating are for commercial pools, jacuzzis and gym showers.
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In addition there is a PTV test which replicates the motion of a slipping foot and the tiles response to that motion by measuring the surface friction between them. The value generated is called a PTV value and it is between 1 and 100. The Health and Safety Executive ‘s guidelines recommend a minimum score of 36 for floor coverings used in public places in both wet and dry conditions. All our outside porcelains have an R rating and an ABC rating. You will find this on our product pages.
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It is important to understand that the ratings are not necessarily black and white so the best way to ensure you choose the best tiles is to chat through your project requirements and get some advice from a trustworthy source.
Incorrect care and maintenance can affect the slip rating of tiles. Poor initial cleaning where excess grout is not successfully removed can result in a build-up of dirt on the tile surface over time. So it is important the correct cleaning procedures are carried out at the start. Using the incorrect day to day cleaning products can leave a film on tiles.Â
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Ongoing, porcelain really only requires a sweep or vacuum along with a mop and warm water inside. Outside, a sweep up with a dry brush or a wet brush and water if necessary usually does the trick. You can jet wash external porcelain tiles however, it is important to work around the grout.
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Many of our collections feature a co-ordinating inside porcelain tile making it easy to connect inside and outside spaces with the same flooring if you wish. The creme de la creme really is a 2cm porcelain paver onto concrete. However, sometimes you may not have a concrete bed and the beauty of 2cm thick tiles is there are other install options.
Whilst this blog is not exhaustive regards installation, there are a couple of key things to mention to ensure your porcelain patio looks stunning for years to come. Ideally 20mm porcelain pavers are installed onto a fully cured concrete bed with the appropriate tile adhesives. However, if that is not an option then you could opt for a compacted hardcore base again with the correct tile adhesives.
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20mm pavers can also be laid on grass or directly onto gravel.
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Other key considerations include using the correct install products and ensuring the tile is fully supported on a full bed of adhesive ie there are no air pockets underneath. Â We always recommend employing the services of a professional installer. You will find more information on our website or for more advice or help with porcelain floor tiles for outside use, please contact us, we’d be delighted to help!
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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.Â
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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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