Porcelain Paving

Porcelain Paving Slabs | Light & Dark Grey Outdoor Tiles

Porcelain slabs are an excellent paving option for any garden or patio as they are robust, long-lasting, and have a stain and scratch-resistant surface.

Porcelain Paving: For Strength and Class

As you refurbish your outdoor space, you want to meet vital specifications; magnificence, comfort, safety, and durability. When you use these slabs, you can create the exact space you’re yearning for. Porcelain slabs are durable and robust, with the benefit of attractive visuals included. With these slabs, you can have a bespoke patio that reflects your personality. You should create a space that you can enjoy sitting and walking in even 20+ years later. That’s what you get when you install grey porcelain outdoor slabs. They maintain their glossy look regardless of the weather. Besides, they’re strong and difficult to damage even when installed on the driveway.

What Are the Areas of Application of Porcelain Paving Slabs?

The slabs are specially designed for outdoor spaces. Whether you’re redesigning your patio, refurbishing your garden, or making your swimming pool area more refreshing, you should always consider porcelain paving. UK households have made it their stone of choice, and for good reason. The first reason to select these slabs is because of their robustness. They can withstand the heavy foot traffic in these areas, and they don’t absorb moisture. These slabs are also irresistibly beautiful. So, you can have an outdoor space that’s modern, strong, and safe for you and your loved ones. Black porcelain slabs are also perfect to walk on. They aren’t slippery even when wet. You get value for money with these top-grade paving slabs.

Why should you use Porcelain paving tiles?

Not only do our outdoor porcelain slabs look amazing, but there are many benefits to choosing them over traditional decking or patio flags including:

• Porcelain outdoor paving slabs are a cost-effective alternative to natural stone, while still giving a stylish finish
• Our porcelain patio tiles are durable and hard wearing, making them extremely practical for use outdoors
• They are slip resistant (R11 rating), which is perfect for British weather!
• All our porcelain garden tiles have a high resistance to moss, algae, and mould, so they will look just as good as when they were first laid with minimal upkeep.
• Outdoor porcelain paving tiles have a low water absorption rate, which is why they work so well in your garden!
• We have a huge range of porcelain patio stones in a wide variety of styles and colours available to choose from, all at cost effective prices.

 

What are the different types of paving options?

Grey porcelain slabs, sometimes referred to as outdoor porcelain tiles, are extremely similar to the porcelain tiles that you can use on your interior walls and floors. They are essentially made out of the same materials, but they are a lot thicker (usually 20-25mm deep). Outdoor porcelain slabs are stronger, denser, and absorb much less water than natural stone or concrete paving slabs, making them frost resistant, scratch resistant and extremely durable – while looking more attractive than other types of paving. The manufacturing process also ensures that there is very little variation in the size and the shape of porcelain garden patio slabs, making them easier to lay and grout.

Colours and styles of porcelain paving slabs

The design on grey porcelain outdoor paving slabs is printed using special inks, making the design possibilities endless! Stone and wood effects are increasing in popularity, but there are many plain light grey porcelain paving tiles still available to add lightness and space to your garden or driveway. Choose from our wide range of porcelain paving slabs with options ranging from the dark and striking black porcelain slabs and dark grey porcelain slabs if you are looking to make a statement, all the way through to the popular light grey porcelain paving or Indian porcelain paving slabs if you are looking for a more contemporary look. Whether you are looking at black or grey porcelain paving slabs, they will all feature a flat and lightly textured surface to mimic the natural effect of stone (or the grain of timber if you have opted for a wood effect porcelain grey patio slabs). The modern design and manufacturing of grey porcelain paving slabs means that often simple laying patterns are used, as you only need to purchase one size of paving slab. If you are looking for a more rustic appearance, then you can try buying mixed sizes of grey porcelain slabs and create a more random pattern look.

How are porcelain tiles made?

Porcelain paving slabs are made using a mix of clay, sand and minerals that is baked at an extremely high temperature. Once they have been fired, each slab is ground and polished to ensure that they are all consistent in size and colour. This vitrification process means that the grey porcelain slabs are easier to lay and you will have a patio or driveway with an even and consistent look.  

How to maintain porcelain tiles?

As all our dark grey porcelain slabs (and other colours) are resistant to moisture, they are extremely difficult to stain, and they repel moss, algae, and mould. They can be easily cleaned, and we recommend going over them once or twice a year using a power wash or a simple hose and brush to keep them looking brand new.

Natural Variation Information

As each of our porcelain tiles go through a strict vitrification process that includes grinding, polishing, and printing the pattern, there is not much natural variation to consider when purchasing.  

Installation and Aftercare

Firstly, you will need to ensure that your groundwork has been laid correctly to keep your porcelain tiles secure for years to come. You will then need to mix the mortar correctly – laying porcelain requires more cement than other pavers as you need to create a stronger bond between the earth and the paving slab. You will also need to ensure that your pavers fall at a slight slope to effectively carry away any surface water. When your base is ready, you will need to prime your porcelain slabs before you begin to lay them. As they are non-porous, they will not stick to the mortar as effectively as other pavers, and you will need to use a slurry primer to create a stronger bond. Once you have primed the slabs and the base, then you can start to lay your slabs. The installation of porcelain paving slabs may seem like an easy task on the surface, but unless you have experience in laying other pavers we would always recommend a skilled professional to help you to ensure that your patio or driveway will stand the test of time.  

Porcelain Paving FAQs

 

Is porcelain good for paving?

Porcelain is extremely good for patio paving, not only is it durable, low maintenance and aesthetically beautiful, but you can also get fantastic offers that are more cost-effective than using natural stone. Porcelain paving also offers stain resistance, slip resistance and frost resistance – so you know that your patio will withstand all weather conditions.  

How long does porcelain paving last?

One of the main benefits to using porcelain paving is its good longevity. Providing you choose high quality porcelain tiles and have them laid properly with a good bedding, your porcelain paving can last you many decades (up to 50 years).  

Can I use porcelain tiles outside?

In short, yes – porcelain tiles are perfect to use outdoors and are extremely suited to the British weather conditions. Due to the manufacturing process, porcelain paving tiles are strong and hard wearing, and compared to natural stone or concrete slabs, porcelain requires very little cleaning to maintain.  

Do porcelain paving slabs stain?

Due to their strong glazed surface, porcelain tiles are extremely stain resistant and have a low water absorption rate. These characteristics mean that staining is rare, and the only cleaning they require is washing with water or a diluted neutral detergent. Some stubborn marks may need a bit of elbow grease to get rid of them, but they will look brand new in no time.  

How much does porcelain paving cost?

Porcelain paving slabs in general are cheaper than natural stone, but slightly more expensive than concrete flags. The cost has come down over the years for porcelain paving tiles, and the number of benefits you have over choosing porcelain greatly outnumber saving a little bit if you opt for concrete flags.  

Is porcelain paving slippery when wet?

Unlike natural stone, porcelain tiles are non-porous, and they do not attract algae, moss, or mould. While they are extremely slip resistant, porcelain paving can still get slippery when it is wet or icy, as any outdoor surface can.  During harsh weather conditions, you will still need to be careful when walking on porcelain paving.  

What is the best way to lay porcelain slabs?

Porcelain paving does need to be laid slightly differently to natural stone paving due to the non-porous properties of the tiles. You will need to ensure that you prepare the base correctly, prime the stones and use the correct mix of mortar to ensure longevity to your patio. You will also need to remember to lay your tiles at a slight gradient to allow water run-off.  

What is 'vitrified' porcelain paving?

Vitrified porcelain paving refers to the type of paving tile that is made from pure kaolin clay mixed with minerals, including quartz and feldspar. It is then fired at 1200 degrees Celsius, making vitrified porcelain tiles very hard and extremely durable. The high firing temperatures also ensure that vitrified porcelain tiles have a low water absorption rate.  

Is Vitrified porcelain paving good?

Due to the manufacturing process of vitrified tiles, which includes firing the tiles at 1200 degrees Celsius, vitrified tiles are extremely hard wearing and durable. They are also slip resistant and have a low water absorption rate, meaning they repel moss, algae, and mould and perfect for use outdoors for projects such as patios and driveways.  

Can you have a porcelain driveway?

As porcelain tiles are hardwearing, durable and slip resistant, they are the perfect option if you are looking for an attractive alternative to natural stone driveways. You can purchase porcelain tiles in thicknesses up to 30mm, and their additional strength means they will offer an ideal laying solution to your driveway.  

How do you cut porcelain paving slabs?

If you are looking to cut porcelain paving slabs, then the only effective way is to use a diamond wet blade saw. You will not be able to use hand tools or basic blades to cut through porcelain tiles due to their strong and hard wearing properties, even if they are marked as suitable for cutting through hard materials.  

What's special about these tiles?

Porcelain tiles are denser than ceramic tiles, and they are a non-porous material. This combination means that they are extremely hard wearing, durable, and slip resistant as they repel moss and algae. These strong properties make porcelain tiles perfect for outdoor areas that will see a lot of heavy footfall, while still looking stunning.  

Should I select a smooth or textured surface?

There are pros and cons to both smooth and textured porcelain tiles – smooth tiles are easier to clean whilst textured tiles over more traction. If you are looking to use porcelain tiles outdoors, for example on a patio or driveway, generally people will use textured tiles so that they have more slip resistance when it is raining or snowing.  

What colour grout should I choose?

The colour grout you pick all depends on the type of look you are trying to achieve with your design. If you are looking to highlight your tile pattern, then choose a contracting colour grout to that of your tile. If you are looking to unify your space, then choose a grout colour that is a slightly lighter shade to your tile colour.  

What laying pattern should I choose?

There are 4 main laying patterns that you can choose from when laying your outside tiles. A random laying pattern will give a more rustic feel, a stack bond paving laying pattern is very uniform and looks like a chessboard, a stretcher bond laying pattern is one of the more simpler laying patterns and is also known and the running bond, and finally the herringbone laying pattern is the traditional laying pattern for single, rectangular tiles.  

Should I seal the tiles?

One of the best things about porcelain tiles is that they do not require any sealing. As they are non-porous and extremely stain resistant, a simple wash with water and diluted neutral detergent, or a pressure wash once a year will keep your tiles looking brand new.  

Is it safe to clean my tiles with household bleach?

While using a household bleach diluted with water will not affect the properties of your tiles and cause them to break or crack, the acid in the bleach may alter the colour of your tiles or stain the grout. Instead, use a diluted PH neutral cleaner or a pressure washer to clean your outdoor porcelain tiles.  

Is porcelain porous?

Porcelain tiles are made from clay and other natural materials. These are blended together and fired at extremely high temperatures, making them well known for being highly uniform and non-porous. This means that they have a low water absorption rate and will repeal moss, algae, and mould.  

What's the difference between ceramic, vitrified and porcelain paving?

Porcelain paving tiles are made using special porcelain clays and fired at extremely high temperatures to create exceptionally hard tiles, whereas ceramics is a broader term that can include everything, including terracotta, stoneware, and porcelain. Porcelain tiles fall under the term of vitrified and refers to the materials that make up the tiles before it is fired.  

How thick are porcelain paving slabs?

The standard thickness of outdoor porcelain paving slabs is usually 2cm (20mm) thick, and this is usually sufficient if you are looking to pave patios, terraces, and pathways. You can get porcelain paving slabs up to 30mm thick, and you should consider using these thicker porcelain paving slabs if you are looking to pave your driveway.  

Does porcelain paving fade?

Unlike other natural stone paving, porcelain paving tiles do not fade or change when they are exposed to direct sunlight over a long period of time.