What Tiles Can I Use Outside?
Stuck on which tiles to use in your garden or patio? Wondering whether you can use porcelain tiles outside? The answer is both yes and no!
The trouble is that unless you have the right kind of material, you might waste a whole lot of time and money laying a tiled patio that isn’t extremely strong. So, how can you tell whether the indoor tiles you already have are suitable for outdoor use?
This article gives you a rundown on the best tiles to use outside. We’ll cover the best tile material to use, what to look out for when buying your tiles, and pricing the installation.
Can I Use Tiles Outside?
If you’ve ever been to a garden centre, a car showroom, a landscaped garden, or an outdoor cafe on your holidays, you’ll know how attractive outdoor tiles can be! But can you create similar patios or driveways at home? And can you use ordinary tiles?
The good news is, you can use certain types of interior tiles outside, provided they are of the correct quality and density.
If you want your patio tiled, for instance, standard porcelain tiles. As these materials are vitrified, meaning they are denser and more water-resistant.
Other types of tiles might not be suitable for outside use. Ordinary indoor tiles won’t last long if you install them on your patio or driveway. These tiles are not as dense or water-resistant as outdoor tiles – you’ll find they eventually crack and break even with very little use.
The Advantages Of Outside Tiles
While not all tiles can be used outside successfully, the ones that can, offer many advantages. Unlike wood or plastic, most outside porcelain tiles have slip resistance and they’re scratch resistant.
They also look beautiful and can provide a seamless floor style that runs from inside to outside.
If you live in a rainy part of the world or have an outside pool or jacuzzi, you need flooring that isn’t hazardous to health and safety. Putting down plastic or wood might seem cheaper or more decorative, but you only increase the chances of slips and falls. Some porcelain tiles are entirely slip-resistant!
If you’re the sort of person who likes to create a cohesive theme in your home decorating, then porcelain tiles are an excellent choice.
As well as the many advantages this flooring offers, it can also be used both indoors and outdoors, so you can have seamless flooring in your home that’s low-maintenance and looks fantastic.
Common Tiling Material
There are many types of tiling materials to choose from when it comes to outside tiles. It is not simply a choice between outdoor porcelain tiles.
Other tiling materials include quarry tiles, travertine, slate, limestone, and sandstone. For outside tiles, you need a dense material that is weatherproof and frost-proof.
Porcelain tiles need to be vitrified and treated for outdoor use. You can buy this material quite easily online, from local garden centres or view our large amount of options. Make sure these tiles have a PEI strength rating.
Different outside floor material offers different strengths and different decorative styles.
Quarry, for instance, is a material designed for outdoor use; it’s hard wearing but has a simple look. On the other hand, travertine also has advantages – it’s very beautiful but tends to collect dirt easily.
What Outside Tiles Are Best?
As you can see, different options have different advantages and disadvantages, so what’s the best material to use outside?
Often, the choice of material comes down to taste and the style needed for the outside location. For instance, if it’s a low use area or a pathway, granite tile might be ideal.
On the other hand, if you want to tile your patio – an area that will be used frequently and one that’s fairly visible – use porcelain tiles.
Outdoor Porcelain looks beautiful in your outdoor space due to their matt finish, and they’re scratch-resistant – they also have excellent slip resistance and are frost-proof for a reasonable price.
With all these advantages for a great price point, outdoor porcelain tiles are definitely our best pick.
Limestone or travertine look great, but the material is more porous and might absorb water. Granite also has drawbacks; its surface is glazed, making it slippery to walk on.
What’s The Cost Of Outside Tile?
The cost of outside material varies according to the type of material you choose and your installation method.
In general, vitrified tiles like porcelain are less expensive than natural stone. Natural stones include materials such as slate, limestone, and sandstone. The cost of your material is also determined by the area you’re covering and the cost of the installation process.
If you have some knowledge, you can install it yourself; otherwise, it’s best to hire a professional tiler even if it adds to the overall cost.
For example, if you want to lay a patio area that is 10m2 with porcelain, it might cost you between £1000-£2000 – depending on the company, materials and labour. In some cases, excavation and preparation of the site are required before the porcelain can be laid.
How Do I Choose Outside Tile?
The first thing to consider is where the material will go and how it will be used. This will shape your subsequent decisions when buying your material.
For example, if you want tile for a new patio area, it needs to be decorative and functional. You also need to think about how safe the tile is, especially in the rain.
The next thing you want to think about is the size of the area you need to be covered, how much the tile will cost to buy, and how much it will cost to have it installed.
Porcelain tile is an excellent mid-way tile. They are more expensive than concrete but competitive against natural stone and aren’t easily scratched.
Finally, think about the design of your outdoor tiling and how to incorporate it into your garden layout. Different tiles offer different qualities in terms of colour, texture, and durability.
Your selection will depend on your answer to these criteria. Remember, planning is key to making the best buying decisions.
FAQs
Do indoor tiles work outside?
The short answer is, it depends on the tile; you can use porcelain tiles outside as long as they are suitable.
If the porcelain tile is vitrified, it should be able to withstand the weather and water penetration.
What is the best material for outdoor tiling?
Any material that can withstand long term weathering and frequent footfall is suitable for external use. On the lower end of the price scale, you have concrete slabs and wood.
The higher-end offers a full range of natural stone. Porcelain sits in between; it’s a decorative tile for a reasonable price.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to outdoor tiling spaces, there are several things to consider.
First, you need to think about the space requirements in terms of decoration and footfall, the durability of the tiles you plan to lay, and the cost of the tiles and installation.
You also need to think about weatherproofing and safety. When you have indoor tiles already, you could add to them and lay them outside; you might think this is the savvy and cost-effective way to pave your outdoor area.
In some cases, this is true! But first, you need to check the strength and durability when using porcelain tiles.
If you use porcelain tiles, chances are it has been made suitable for external use and internal. Porcelain tile is usually vitrified, unlike ceramic, making it the best choice if you want to give your patio a new lease of life.
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