Outdoor Porcelain Patio instillation

Unglazed Tiles

Unglazed porcelain tiles are produced by dry pigmented powdered clay that is injected into a mould and then pressed and fired. This type of production creates porcelain tiles where each tile has a different pattern. Unglazed porcelain typically doesn’t require any further treatment and sealing may not actually be required.

A structured finish can be produced by pressing powder into a patterned mould. The tile then takes on the texture of the mould. This type of external tile is extremely hard wearing and is ideal for both domestic and commercial application. Typically, no sealing is required

What are the benefits?

The benefits of porcelain paving begin with its properties: the materials used and the way it’s manufactured. This combination makes an incredibly strong product, being pressed in a raw state to become solid and then fired at very high temperatures (1200 degrees). This creates a highly dense and consistent product that out performs natural stone in relation to long-term appearance and durability.

Once installed and in use, porcelain paving is virtually maintenance free; it doesn’t stain, is highly resistant to scratches and is UV and frost-proof.

The four main types of Porcelain Paving?

1. Unglazed porcelain tiles

Unglazed porcelain tiles are produced by dry pigmented powdered clay that is injected into a mould and then pressed and fired. This type of production creates porcelain tiles where each tile has a different pattern. Unglazed porcelain typically doesn’t require any further treatment and sealing may not actually be required.

A structured finish can be produced by pressing powder into a patterned mould. The tile then takes on the texture of the mould. This type of external tile is extremely hard wearing and is ideal for both domestic and commercial application. Typically, no sealing is required.

  2. Glazed Porcelain Tiles

Glazed porcelain tiles are available in gloss, matt or semi-polished form. Glazed tiles can be created through several methods and the glazes can have either a solid colour or a pattern with a gloss or matt finish. After a porcelain tile has been glazed, it doesn’t require any further treatment or sealing.

  3. Digitally Printed Porcelain Tiles

Digitally printed porcelain is another type of glazed porcelain. This is the latest method of tile production which allows for natural materials to be photographed and digitally printed onto the tile to create images that are natural in appearance. These tiles do not need to be sealed.

  4. Full Bodied, Double Loaded, and Colour Bodied Porcelain Tiles

Full bodied, double loaded and colour bodied porcelain tiles are a type of tile where the colour and pattern of the tile runs all the way through the biscuit, with a single colour from the surface to the base of the tile. Double loaded tiles are made by compressing two layers of clay together. These tiles are great for high traffic areas.

Why choose outdoor porcelain paving?

As with all paving options, you need to consider the pros and cons to ensure you are making the right decision for your outdoor paving area. Below we have listed the pros and cons of porcelain paving.

Porcelain paving is becoming an increasingly popular paving solution for outdoor living areas. Porcelain outdoor slabs have a number of attractive advantages when compared to other paving options. However, there are some downsides to porcelain garden slabs too. We hope our rundown of the pros and cons of porcelain paving will help you make the right decision for your outdoor living space.

The Pros of Porcelain Paving

• Porcelain patio slabs offer low porosity. This means that they are far less absorbent than natural stone, for example. This makes porcelain patio slabs significantly more resistant to moisture, damage, staining, etc.
• Porcelain patio tiles are low maintenance. Due to their low porosity and outstanding durability it means that porcelain patio tiles require virtually no maintenance at all. In fact, unlike other paving solutions, porcelain patio tiles never have to be sealed. All they need is an annual jet wash to keep them looking great.

The Cons of Porcelain Paving

• Porcelain flags will often cost more than other paving options. However, this does depend on the quality of the product you are buying. As a general rule, you can expect to pay more for porcelain than any other paving materials. It is worth noting that this is only the initial outlay that costs more though. When you compare the lifetime, maintenance requirements and other key performance indicators, you will see the long-term cost is lower.
• Porcelain outdoor slabs can be more difficult to cut as they are harder than other paving materials. It can be done, but specialist cutting equipment is required. This is why some installers may be more reluctant in laying porcelain paving, especially if they are less experienced in this area.
• Porcelain paving slabs offer a very different appearance to natural stone paving. While they are still beautiful, if you’re a big fan of the natural stone paving look, then porcelain paving slabs probably aren’t the right paving product for you. That said, ,any of the porcelain paving products we sell have been designed to look like natural stone, on top of the additional benefits, this may swing it for you.