In our guide to outdoor porcelain paving for 2024 we explore the very latest exterior floor tiles and trends that will be making their way into our gardens in the coming year! With porcelain patios and pathways becoming the go-to for garden projects across the UK we dig into the design and detail and explore why porcelain is fast becoming the first choice for projects.
There are a whole heap of great reasons to choose porcelain exterior floor tiles. As a material porcelain really does deliver in a variety of ways. This brilliant material is everything from frostproof to stain resistant and you will find it a super hardwearing material that is a breeze to keep clean.
Frostproof – porcelain stoneware surfaces don’t freeze – to be called porcelain, tiles have to have a porosity level of less than 0.05% this means they are pretty much waterproof.
Stain resistant – because of their low porosity level porcelain is highly stain resistant making this material a great option for a dining or cooking area outside.
Antislip – all our 2cm outdoor tiles have an Antislip or textured surface and a minimum R11 A+B+C slip rating.
Hardwearing– not only are 2cm porcelain pavers designed to withstand everyday footfall, they are also pretty robust allowing you to create a contemporary external kitchen, dining area or place to relax and unwind.
Thermal shock – outdoor porcelain paving is highly resistant to sudden changes in temperature.
Hygienic – with the exception of a very dark, dank area of the garden, porcelain tiles naturally inhibit the growth of mould or moss on the surface.
Easy to maintain – porcelain tiles do not need any sealing or ongoing maintenance. A dry sweep followed by a brushdown with water are pretty much all that is really required to keep them in tip top condition.
2cm thickness – 2cm thick porcelain paving is perfect for creating a super sleek patio space. All our 2cm porcelain tiles have rectified (straight) edges – this means grout lines are at a minimum of just a few mm for minimal joints. 2cm porcelains should ideally be laid onto a fully cured concrete bed with suitable adhesives. They can also however, be laid directly onto grass or gravel which makes them a super flexible solution.
Porcelain is a material that echoes and imitates other materials to high standards. Opting for a high-quality porcelain tile means you not only benefit from superb quality, you also enjoy exquisite design with tiles imitating everything from stone, quartz, metallics, concretes, cements and more! This gives you the best of both worlds – a high performing product and one that emulates a whole host of natural materials.
Unlike natural slate or limestone, both of which bring more of a rustic charm feel to spaces, porcelain is designed to deliver a seamless, architectural feel. With porcelain outdoor paving the aim is to create an inside room … outside. A flush finish, minimal grout lines and installation onto a fully cured bed means porcelain delivers a uniquely uniform surface. This is a very different look and feel to a natural limestone or slate which tend to deliver a more rustic finish.
We’ve a whole collection of new 2cm outdoor porcelain paving for 2024. These are all rectified tiles with an anti-slip surface finish specifically for outdoor spaces. The 20mmm thickness means they are highly versatile. For an economical and quick install of stepping stones, they can be laid using the dry installation method either onto grass or gravel.
Or, if your aim is to create that outside room then installation onto a fully cured concrete bed with the right tile adhesives will deliver an ‘inside room’ outside feel. This gives you maximum planning ability with minimal effort.
Of course, our blog is not an exhaustive guide to installation and which ever installation method you choose, we would always recommend you employ the services of a professional installer.
Let’s take a stroll through some of our new collections. This isn’t just about exterior floor tiles either – all our outdoor porcelain paving options have a co-ordinating indoor tile option to so you can link lounge to lawn with ease.
Our Fusion collection is a limestone effect porcelain tile that also includes a beautiful outdoor terrazzo porcelain tile. Terrazzo Cold works brilliantly with the Fusion collection or as an option in its own right. A lovely example of terrazzo tiles these 2cm thick 1200 x 600mm tiles are perfect for creating a feature in your garden space. We can’t promise the pool, but we can promise beautiful tiles!
It’s one of our favourite tiles that has been with us for a number of years and graces the patios of a few of our previous clients. Ethos Shore has been updated to now include a stunning 800 x 800mm version. We love this off-white stone effect tile. It is beautifully understated and the epitome of Italian styling with merest hints of veining.
We are super excited about Poise exterior floor tiles. This is a stunning Italian refined stone porcelain tile collection. 5 beautifully balanced colours feature the subtlest of white veining with Silver, Charcoal and Pebble all featuring an outside 2cm patio paver with co-ordinating 9mm tiles for inside. We love the 800 x 800 format for inside and outside tiles – large enough to feel large format, but not so huge they are difficult to handle on site from an installation perspective. The surfacing of these 2cm pavers give a stone like feel too enhancing the look and feel.
This brand new slate effect porcelain tile collection features 3 wonderful shades. This lovely charcoal colour delivers all the beauty of slate, with a modern twist. As we have already explored, our external porcelain tiles all have rectified ie straight edges and that means grout lines are at a minimum. In turn that delivers a contemporary canvas.
This trend is set to continue with inside outside spaces made possible with the advent of bi-fold and sliding door systems that are opening up space like never before. All our garden flooring tiles have a co-ordinating inside tile making it easier than ever to connect lounge to lawn. Size of tile, style and colour all make a huge difference to spaces. Less grout lines equal a less busy space and opting for a tile where you have a closely matching grout colour will also open up space and give an airy feel. With minimal thresholds and contemporary sliding doors becoming the go-to for home developments, extensions and makeovers, more and more of us are choosing to create that feeling of flow from inside to outside space.
Visit our website to find out more about our outdoor porcelain paving collections. We’ve a broad selection of exterior floor tiles! Simply click any of the links under the images! Or click here to view our entire 2cm porcelain outdoor paving collection.
Click the images to head straight to these tiles on our website. Working on a project? We’d love to help! Get in touch and let us start searching for beautiful tiles with you!
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.
