In recent years porcelain paving has gained substantial popularity as a great alternative to traditional natural stone paving. Whether you use porcelain paving for patio tiles or garden tiles, they surely enhance the aesthetics of your home and its exterior decor. Anyone who has used porcelain paving would agree that each porcelain patio tile exudes a designer feel, adding a touch of luxury to your living space.
Despite its popularity, selecting the right porcelain patio tiles or slabs can be a challenging task. Having realized this, we bring you a comprehensive guide highlighting all the key aspects to consider when purchasing porcelain paving.
We are confident you will be able to make an informed decision with the help of this guide when choosing porcelain paving next time for your home.
Table of Contents
Porcelain Paving Is Highly Stain Resistant
One crucial aspect to note about porcelain patio tiles is their exceptional stain resistance, thanks to their non-porous nature. This attribute sets them apart from typical stones. Liquids rest on the surface of porcelain, and they are not absorbed, making them highly resistant to stains.
Even if oily products accidentally spill on porcelain paving slabs, they can be effortlessly cleaned without worrying about stubborn stains. This quality makes porcelain an ideal choice for driveways, as it can quickly and effectively deal with vehicle oil and grease leaks.
When used for outdoor flooring, porcelain tiles stay blemish-free for many years.
Porcelain Tiles Are Extremely Strong
Porcelain tiles are simply unbeatable when it comes to toughness and durability. These tiles are built to withstand the toughest conditions, making them perfect for high-footfall areas and driveways that endure heavy vehicle traffic.
The secret to the tiles’ strength lies in their manufacturing process, as they are baked at incredibly high temperatures, resulting in slabs and stones that are remarkably strong, durable, and dense.
This exceptional strength and durability make porcelain an ideal choice not only for residential applications but also for commercial purposes, whether it is busy driveways or roads with regular traffic.
Choose Relevant Size and Design
Selecting the right size and design for your porcelain paving as porcelain offers a wide range of options in terms of size, designs, patterns, colors, etc. You can tailor your porcelain selection to your design preferences with these many options.
Likewise, size is a crucial factor when using outdoor patio slabs for a walkway. Small slabs are the best for shorter walkways, while longer slabs can make larger walkways visually more appealing.
Select the right size and design that will enhance the aesthetics of your living spaces.
Choose the Right Type of Porcelain Stones
You may find a variety of porcelain paving stones in the market, each serving different purposes. However, not every porcelain slab is suitable for all applications.
For example, polished porcelain paving slabs with their sleek finish would be a great choice for a luxurious floor. However, these may not be the best option for garden patio flooring. If you require slip-resistant flooring, it is advisable to opt for textured porcelain paving slabs. This is something we always educate our patrons at Strata Stones.
Hence, do your homework before making a purchase decision for porcelain patio tiles.
It Is Easy to Clean
Cleaning your patio becomes a breeze with porcelain paving. You don’t need any fancy industrial cleaning chemicals or complicated jet washers. Its non-porous qualities naturally resist moisture build-up, making it resistant to algae, mold, and bacteria growth.
Any dirt or debris on the tiles can be easily swept or wiped away. You can restore your porcelain pavers to their pristine condition with a sponge and a bucket of soapy water.
And the best part? You just need to do it a couple of times a year to keep your tile clean and sparkling.
It Offers Consistent Color and Pattern
Consistent color and pattern are one of the key advantages of porcelain. Unlike natural stone, which can exhibit variations in color and patterns within and between tiles due to its natural formation and quarried origins, porcelain tiles offer a uniform appearance.
Through the printing process, porcelain tiles ensure a consistent pattern and color throughout, resulting in a seamless finish that effortlessly creates a harmonious inside-to-outside flow.
Hence, don’t worry about your patio or floor looking like a random collection of tiles with no sense of consistency.
Slip-Resistant and Frost-Proof Outdoor Porcelain Tiles
Outdoor porcelain tiles offer excellent slip resistance and are frost-proof. These tiles are crafted from refined clay, which undergoes a vitrification process in a kiln. This ensures a highly durable product with minimal water absorption.
With an R11 rating, these tiles are perfect for British gardens, particularly wet areas like swimming pool surrounds. The higher the slip resistance, the lower the risk of accidents on wet surfaces.
Being frost-proof means that they won’t crack or break when exposed to freezing temperatures during winter. This makes porcelain paving a versatile option for outdoor spaces, regardless of weather conditions.
Easy to Install as Natural Stone Paving
Installing porcelain patio tiles is as straightforward as natural stone, albeit with a few differences.
While porcelain paving is non-porous, it still requires a solid installation process. Using slightly more cement helps create a strong bond between the earth and the paving, preventing shifting. It’s important to install the tiles at a sloped gradient to ensure proper drainage.
Apart from these variations, the installation process for porcelain paving closely resembles that of natural stone.
Porcelain Paving Is Man Made
It’s worth noting that porcelain paving is man-made, contrary to the association often made with natural stone. It is made by baking a blend of sand, clay, and other materials at high temperatures. As a result, you get a non-porous, durable material.
This process also renders porcelain versatile, making it an ideal choice for most paving projects.
Concluding Thoughts
These are some of the key factors that you must know before jumping into buying porcelain patio tiles. Consider each of these elements carefully with your engineer or design consultant and make the best purchasing decision to make your home even more beautiful.
