Mainland UK
A guide to indoor outdoor floor tiles – All-in-one Porcelain Tiles
Jo Gilhooly
A guide to indoor outdoor floor tiles
All -in-one Porcelain tiles
More and more of us looking at ways to connect our inside and outside spaces and create a seamless flow from home to garden. Advances in bi-fold and sliding glass door systems along with minimal thresholds mean it has never been easier to achieve that inside outside living feeling.
Flooring is a vital component - using the same flooring across inside and outside spaces cements the feeling of continuity and Porcelain is one of the few materials that can be used with ease.
This is a very different look to the rustic charm of paving slabs, slate or limestone. Effectively with porcelain, you are creating a continuation of your inside room, outside. This is a canvas that bears all the hallmarks of architectural contemporary design - sleek, crisp lines and pared back styling.
What are all-in-one indoor outdoor floor tiles?
Lots of porcelain collections house the same tile in different slip ratings or surface finishes. This is important because the outside tile will have a more textured surface than the inside tile to give additional grip. An outside tile would have a rating of R11 or R12 whereas an inside tile may have an R9 or R10 rating or possibly no R rating for example with a polished tile. Slip ratings are a good way to understand different tile finishes - See Our Guide to Slip Ratings.
That means you need 2 tiles to create that flow from in to out. One finish inside and another more textured finish for outside.
Our All-in-one tiles are porcelain tiles that combine the softness of an inside tile with the antislip properties of an outside tile in an Antislip Soft R11 finish.
With an all-in-one tile exactly the same tile can be used inside and out. Both tiles are the same thickness - usually around 9mm or 10mm and both have the same Antislip Soft surface texture. The surface is designed to be easy to clean and these tiles can be used on walls and floors in the home aswell as outside. Tiles must be ordered from the same batch to ensure they match of course. Amongst other things, thinner 10mm porcelains must be installed onto a fully cured bed with the correct adhesives and we'd always recommend employing the services of a professional.
If your project requires a tile with even more grip then our Metro collection features an R10 A+B Soft finish tile for inside and a co-ordinating R12 A+B+C finish for outside.
Or if you prefer or need a 2cm or 20mm thick outside porcelain tile then check out our 2cm paver collections. If you have a particularly large area or are likely to have very heavy objects moving around on the outside space in the future then opting for a 2cm pavers may be a better option for you. It's always worth a quick check aswell with your installer regards suitability of tiles. There are some instances in which only a 10mm or 9mm tile thickness will do!
The benefits of inside outside porcelains
Indoor outdoor floor tiles lead the pack when it comes to design and versatility. They open up a whole host of design possibilities and are clever stuff.
Opting for flooring that runs from inside to outside the home creates a feeling of flow and opens up space.
A 10mm thick porcelain is significantly lighter than their 20mm paver counterparts. So they are easier to cut and handle on site. However, they must be installed onto a concrete bed - see more further down in our blog. Having said that, ideally a 20mm porcelain tile is also installed onto a concrete bed.
Why porcelain outside?
Aside from amazing design, porcelain will take pretty much anything life throws at it! It's an incredibly dense materials, which is one of the reasons it is so hardwearing. It's also highly resistant to stains, is scratch proof, doesn't need sealing, waxing or polishing and can be used pretty much anywhere in the home.
Add to that a water absorption rate of less than 0.5% and porcelain is frost and fade resistant and in finishes with additional grip for outside areas.
Installation
You want your porcelain installation to look amazing for years to come so it is vital that correct installation is adhered to. Thinner porcelains must be installed on a solid concrete bed with the correct products, adhesives and grouts. Grouting joints means there is nowhere for moisture and dirt to collect.
It is vital tiles are fully supported with a cement based adhesive and ensure there are no air pockets or voids under the tiles that could create a vulnerable spot or where water could seep or freeze. Fixing directly onto wet concrete is a no-no, it's critical the slab has cured sufficiently. British winters can bring frost so getting the installation right is critical.
We would always recommend you employ the services of a competent installer. Get in touch with us for more information on installation, we work with Mapei and BAL adhesives and can organise a specification specifically for your project and installer if you wish. For more information go to our Installation page.
Care and Maintenance
Ongoing, porcelain indoor outdoor floor tiles do not really require much more than a sweep and jet wash outside and a vacuum and mop with warm water inside. However, it is critical both inside and outside that the correct initial cleaning regime is followed to ensure that things like excess grout and debris are removed from the tiles.
For all porcelain and ceramics, a poor initial clean can lead to future issues and can affect the slip rating of tiles. Using the incorrect cleaning products day to day can also leave a film on tiles which can affect the surface. For more information see our Care and Maintenance page or get in touch with us.
So, if you're losing sleep over which indoor outdoor floor tiles to choose for your project, please get in touch. We would be delighted to help.
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 and video design consultancy. 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. www.thetileportfolio.co.uk. We always recommend using a professional installer and checking with your installer that your chosen tiles are suitable for your project.
