What is porcelain paving?
Porcelain paving is a contemporary paving which uses modern manufacturing techniques to enhance a traditional design. These outdoor tiles are both structurally stronger and aesthetically more developed than other traditional pavers. Porcelain is made from a mixture of natural materials, mostly clay, sand and a few other minerals such as feldspar. To further enhance surface and scratch resistance a glaze is also added to the surface.
Although historically porcelain was used much more for indoor applications than outdoor applications, tiles are now produced in a 20mm thickness specifically for external environments. These thick tiles are extremely strong, and easily handle normal traffic from people and cars. Some of the most popular applications of outdoor porcelain tiles includes driveways, patios, outdoor kitchen/dining areas and terraces.
How is porcelain paving made?
The mixture of natural materials is combined with water into a slurry to create an even mix. Then, the slurry undergoes a drying process to remove almost all of the moisture from the mix to create the strongest possible end product. This dried mix is then pressed under an enormous amount of pressure to create a dense, uniform tile. Modern 3D printing techniques are then used to apply all kinds of different designs to the tile, where the possibilities of colours, textures and patterns are endless.
To reduce porosity even further a glaze is added to the surface before the tiles are fired at high temperatures in large ovens. This glaze, or vitreous glass layer, also improves stain and scratch resistance whilst adding a textured finish to the tile. The baking process vitrifies the porcelain, causing it to harden and increase in durability. The last step is the rectification of the baked tiles, which ensures that the tiles have exact dimensions up to a high precision, and the end product is an extremely high quality overall.
The two key factors in the quality of the finished porcelain is the pureness of the original raw materials and the precision of the manufacturing process. Tiles that are pressed under higher pressure, are baked in higher temperatures and finished with better glazes will come out as more durable, hard-wearing tiles. Through this combination of natural raw elements and precision manufacturing porcelain tiles are able to achieve technical specifications far superior to their natural stone counterparts.
Benefits
Impermeability
Porcelain patio tiles are glazed with a thin, vitreous glass layer which makes the tiles almost completely impermeable to water. This lends the tiles longevity, and means that you don’t have to worry about mould or tiles weakening. Our collection of porcelain paving slabs have a maximum water absorption of 0.5%, and many of our premium tiles have an absorption of less than 0.1%!
Frost Resistant
Porcelain Paving is frost resistant, so it can face the freezing British temperatures without any problem. The strong structure has no problem going through repeated cycles of hot to cold which is imperative for withstanding the unpredictable British weather!
Stain Resistant
Another advantage of porcelains low water absorption properties is that it makes the surfaces highly stain resistant. This is ideal for designing sustainable patios with the future in mind as the tiles will maintain their look for years after being laid.
Non-Slip
The textured finish of porcelain patio slabs make them one of the most slip resistant paving materials available on the market, with all of our tiles having an R11 slip rating or higher. It is the grooved finish of the higher quality porcelain that really makes a difference in providing a safe, slip-free patio.
Low Maintenance
Thanks to the technical characteristics mentioned above, porcelain is one of the most, if not the most, low maintenance paving on the market nowadays. It doesn’t require any extra sealing once laid, and any marks can easily be cleaned off with a little bit of porcelain cleaner.
Aesthetics
When porcelain paving tiles were first introduced to the market a few years ago, there were only a few different designs available. They were mainly focused on greys and beiges which imitated sandstone to give the same look as natural pavers with more durability. However the design process has since developed significantly, meaning there are now hundreds of different colours, textures and patterns available for different outdoor spaces.
Stone effect faces are still very popular, and whether your looking for a black slate, cream stone or sleek grey porcelain slabs there are plenty of options to choose from. For more delicate designs there are beautiful marble look porcelain tiles available, or perhaps you’re looking for wood effect porcelain to provide an arboreal vibe. Above and beyond this more intricate patterned tiles are available, in colours ranging from bright whites to metallic greens, allowing you to find the perfect paving for your garden.
Can porcelain tiles be used outside?
Not only can they be used outside, but they have become one of the most popular outdoor pavers. Our outdoor porcelain tiles have a thickness of 20mm, to ensure that they can withstand the extra wear that they face in comparison their indoor counterparts, which are generally much thinner at 7mm or 10mm. Millions of households are using porcelain pavers to create an atmospheric garden that will stand the test of time, and the demand is only pushing further innovations for porcelain uses in the landscaping sector.
Sizes and Finishes
One of the most attractive features of porcelain is it’s versatility and the depth of designs available through modern manufacturing. At Easylawn, our porcelain patio slabs come in a variety of colours, from grey natural stone, to black slates and more complex decorative designs, available in both glossy and matte finishes. We also offer a wide range of sizes, including 300x1200mm, 400x1200mm, 600x600mm, 600x900mm, 600x1200mm and the option to further tailor sizes with our tile cutting service.
Samples
Many people prefer to see what they’re getting before they order a full patios worth of tiles, and to check the colour and finish of a particular tile will be the right fit for their garden. For this reason we offer samples available for delivery of all our different tiles, and recommend you take advantage of this service to take a closer look at any design you particularly like. You will find the option to order samples on all of our porcelain product pages.
Why choose Porcelain Paving?
Porcelain tiles were first used during the Tang Dynasty in China over 1000 years ago, where they adorned palaces with their decorative style. They arrived in Europe in the 16th century on the ships of traders and merchants and spread like wildfire due to their beautiful finish and impressive durability.
However it is only relatively recently that they have started to be used on a mass-scale for outdoor environments in a northernly country like the UK. This has been propelled by technological developments which have sent porcelain pavers flying to the top of the landscaping sector, where they look like they will remain for a long time. So if your looking for a alluring tile that comes with a prestigious history and a bright future as the most durable and aesthetic paving option on the market, look no further than our collection of porcelain paving.
