Outdoor Porcelain, the hard landscaping option for 2022
Pros of Porcelain Paving
Long lasting – Porcelain is strong and hard-wearing meaning that it will last for years and often still looks the same as when it was installed. Being non-porous means that our porcelain floor tiles are naturally stain resistant, and will keep their looks and charms with the very basics of cleaning.
Tough – During the manufacturing process our outdoor porcelain slabs are baked at extremely high temperatures, turning them into a glass like material. Once cooled, the tiles are so dense and so hard that they can only be cut by diamond! This process is called ‘vitrification’ and our vitrified porcelain paving are some of the hardest tiles around!
Range – Thanks to advances in porcelain inkjet printing technology you can now get porcelain paving that looks a lot like the material that inspired it – great news if you want a stone, cement or wood effect outdoors.
Frost proof – Because porcelain has extremely low porosity the tiles are unaffected by changes in temperature which can sometime cause damage to natural products. They don’t expand or contract, and they don’t bend and warp like real wood does.
Engineered – Most porcelain paving is both calibrated and rectified, meaning that the sizing is consistent throughout the batch and the edges will be extremely sharp and square, perfect for creating contemporary narrow grout joints. This is doubly true if you choose a range with machine rectified straight edges!
Low maintenance – Stone and decking will require regular sealing and sometimes specialist cleaning products. Porcelain paving does not need sealing and can be cleaned with a basic brush & mop or a pressure washer. For tiles you don’t have to think about or maintain, we always recommend porcelain.
Fade resistant – Porcelain is unaffected by the sun so the colour will not fade or change over time, the slabs are also resistant to staining as mentioned above. You never want to step outside and be underwhelmed by your outdoor area, especially when you’ve gone for a marble effect or stone effect tile. Porcelain ensures this never happens.
Slip resistant – Because porcelain paving is man-made, a textured surface can be added to create an anti-slip finish. All of our outdoor tiles have a minimum R11 slip resistance rating. The non-porous nature of porcelain also makes it resistant to moss & mould growth, another factor that can cause outdoor flooring to become slippery.
Contemporary – Porcelain provides a much more contemporary and clean look to traditional concrete or stone slabs. With the advances in print technology and 3D textured surfaces, it’s hard to tell effects from the real thing. For example, you’d be hard pushed to tell the difference between wood effect or stone effect porcelain tiles from their naturally occurring counterparts!
Making Your Decision
Are you thinking of bringing your garden or patio area to another level after months of imagining how life will be outside and finally being able to be with extended family and friends. And now the days are getting warmer, the nights longer and you've decided - now is the time. But, there are so many options. To deck or not to deck, real grass or artificial, or for a more natural look, sandstone or the new kid on the block, porcelain. Overwhelming, isn't it? Here at Stonenation, as a team of project managers, high quality product sourcers and expert pavers, we are here to help you make the right choice by demystifying porcelain and helping you to make a decision that you won't regret. Porcelain is commonly associated with indoor decorative pieces and basically tea drinking but that's just one feature of this unique ancient technology. Dating back over 2000 years to the Eastern Han Dynasty in China and later moving to Europe, porcelain production is the result of combining a carefully selected and measured amount of ceramic material and heating these ingredients at specific temperatures for specific times. This is why porcelain is regarded as an art and a science due to its necessity for precision.
Outdoor porcelain tiles are the result of this science and with emerging manufacturing technologies and the combination of the right clay and heated to the right temperature for the right amount of time, porcelain tiles are slowly being regarded as the ideal choice for your outdoor area or commercial space especially if you live in a climate like Ireland's. Outdoor porcelain tiles are hard and dense, easy to clean, non porous so nothing can grow on their surface, they're versatile, long lasting and most importantly, affordable.