As trends go, opting for 20mm porcelain patio tiles is so fast becoming the go to for outdoor spaces, that it isn’t really a trend, more of a staple of garden design. With developments in bi-fold and sliding doors opening up space like never before, connecting lounge to lawn has never been easier and there is one thing that will make this connection feel seamless – the flooring you choose.
We are investing more and more in making our outdoor space an extension of our home and porcelain is the perfect material to do this. This is about flush finishes and a crisp, clean, architectural feel. A porcelain patio is very different to the traditional, rustic feel of a slate or limestone patio area. In essence you are creating an indoor room, outside. That may be dining room, lounge, kitchen area or a combination of all these spaces. In addition, porcelain can be used for pathways and stepping stones bringing amazing flexibility to garden design.
Porcelain is incredibly hardwearing as a material with a heap of benefits for external areas and with ranges featuring a 9mm Matt finish tile for inside alongside a 2cm Antislip finish for outside, not only can you create an amazing outdoor space, you can link it seamlessly to your indoor space too. Porcelain is an investment. Picking the right tiles is key and not always an easy decision, especially if your patio is a large space.
So let’s dig into the latest trends and innovations of porcelain patio tiles and find out more about what we have in store.
As a material, porcelain is designed to echo other materials – think stone, slate, concrete, cements, quartz and more. The real beauty lies in the fact that not only do high quality porcelains mimic these materials brilliantly well, porcelain also brings with it a raft of benefits over some of these materials. This is a dense material that is hardwearing, naturally inhibits the growth of mould and moss on the surface, comes in slip ratings for outdoor areas and is frost resistant, scratch resistant and fade resistant.
Slate.
If the rugged natural feel of stone is your go-to, but you don’t want the maintenance, then a stone effect porcelain tile is perfect. Take Slate. Slate porcelain patio tiles have all the beauty of slate, with a rustic, organic look with all the performance of porcelain – and key to that performance is minimal maintenance.
Stone.
Another key benefit is you know what you are getting with porcelain. Colour is consistent batch to batch, as is size. Good quality tiles feature large numbers of different patterns so the tile has great variation – but the real beauty is colour is consistent as is size batch to batch.
In addition, many porcelains are available in a number of colours per collection, so you may love the look of a particular stone, but you would like it in warmer tone. With porcelain many collections house several colours, typically whites, sands, taupes, greys, silvers. So you can achieve not only the look you want, but also the tone. Take our Aspect slate effect tiles shown in Charcoal above, and then in Ash below. The same collection with two different tones, perfect if you are seeking a slate effect tile, but want a tone that is lighter.
Cements and concretes.
These are hugely popular as they offer a beautifully simple canvas to spaces and are available in a range of colour tones so you can tend more towards warmer taupes and neutrals if grey isn’t for you. With warmer tones making their way into our homes, opting for those lovely mushrooms, taupe, sands and neutral hues can really warm up a space.
Wood.
Great quality wood look porcelains make it hard to tell a wood effect tile from the real thing. With tile technology mimicking wood knots and gnarls to perfection, and pattern and texture aligning to make tiles even feel like wood, a porcelain wood tile will not only brings the beauty of it also delivers on durability, moisture resistance and is easy to maintain. Not only that, wood effect porcelains echo a variety of tones and shades from the lightest maples to walnuts and everything else in between.
Tiles come in a variety of slip ratings. These finishes are designed to enhance the appeal of the tile as well as bringing a higher slip resistance to surfaces – this is particularly important around pool areas, paths and patios where moisture can make areas more slippery. Outside tiles are typically an R11 A+B+C or R12 A+B+C finish.
The latest porcelain patio tiles feature textured finishes that work in harmony with the tile design. So let’s take our Blend Matchstick porcelain patio tiles that are designed to echo cement. These beautifully refined tiles feature a fine textured R11 A+B+C Antislip finish that is in perfect keeping for a cement effect tile. It’s a sophisticated finish that works beautifully with these Italian porcelains. And another key benefit is these tiles co-ordinate so you have a beautiful matt finish for inside and an antislip for outside.
Porcelain patio tiles are available in a range of sizes with smaller square tiles, typically 600 x 600mm sitting alongside larger rectangular 1200 x 600mm formats. 800 x 800 and 900 x 900mm formats can be a great shout if you want a tile that feels large format but is still relatively easy to handle on site.
Larger formats really can make a space feel larger and are just the ticket if you want to create a spacious area with a modern, contemporary feel. With grout lines at a minimum the larger the tile, the more seamless the look and feel.
Porcelain tiles are renowned for their hardwearing properties, but they are also fade resistant ensuring they keep their consistency of colour even after prolonged sun exposure – this is a material that won’t degrade or fade over time. With the exception of a very dark, dank corner of the garden, porcelain naturally inhibits the growth of mould and moss on the surface making them easy to maintain.
A 2cm tile should ideally be installed onto a fully cured concrete bed with the correct tile adhesives. The whole point of choosing porcelain is to gain from that clean, crisp, architectural feel. Unlike natural stone flagstones that will weather over time, with porcelain you are creating another room outside. For longevity, professional installation is key.
There are options if you don’t have a concrete bed, compacted hardcore being one, but the crème de la crème and particularly for larger areas is a concrete bed.
Of course, porcelain 2cm pavers can also be used with pedestals making them perfect for rooftops and terraces. Or you can dry lay 2cm porcelain pavers onto gravel, grass or sand for a temporary, flexible option for pathways. If you want to know more about these options then get in touch.
To keep your tiles in tip-top conditions, use an outside brush to sweep away loose debris and then use some water and a brush if necessary to give them a clean. You can jet wash your tiles but be careful to avoid the grout. There are products available too that can help keep them in pristine condition – if you want to more more, get in touch.
Outdoor porcelain tiles are a staple in modern gardens and make it easy to elevate your garden space with crisp, clean styling. This is a material that is hardwearing, easy to clean, will last and last and brings a consistency of design in so many beautiful styles.
All our 2cm porcelain patio tiles are wonderful quality Italian tiles featuring the very latest tile designs and technology. So click any of the links above and dig into our collections!
All our 2cm porcelain outdoor tiles are on display at our Northamptonshire showroom – and all feature an co-ordinating indoor tile tile. Or if you would like more information from us, simply complete the form below!
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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