Porcelain Patios: An Introduction

Enhancing both your property and your lifestyle, a patio is a special addition to your outside space. It’s important to make the right choices when planning your patio and selecting the most appropriate paving is certainly key.

Beautiful, durable and versatile, porcelain paving creates stunning outside spaces. Elegant porcelain could transform your garden and give you a stylish yet functional patio that complements your home. There’s no doubt that porcelain is growing in popularity and for good reason.

But we know that it can be hard to settle upon the best paving for your patio, so here’s everything you need to know about porcelain:

What is porcelain paving?
A ceramic material, porcelain was first evolved in China between 1200 and 2000 years ago. Its manufacture; and use eventually began to spread across the world. The English term porcelain is derived from the old Italian word porcellana meaning “cowrie shell”, as the material resembles the surface of this shell.

Porcelain is a manmade material. It features a mixture of refined clay, sand and minerals which is fired at high temperature in a kiln. This process is known as vitrification. The resulting pavers are strong, hard-wearing and non-porous. The tiles are generally dense, fine-grained and uniform.

What are the benefits of porcelain pavers?
There are several good reasons to consider using porcelain pavers for your patio:

• Frost resistance – porcelain is a dense material that doesn’t absorb water and so won’t crack in cold temperatures.
• Stain resistance – courtesy of its low porosity, porcelain isn’t susceptible to staining caused by leaves, berries, lichen or liquid spills.
• Slip resistance – porcelain pavers boast a textured, slip resistant surface ideal for outdoor use.
• Scratch resistance – unlike softer ceramic materials or wood (decking), porcelain slabs are resistant to scratching and so will remain pristine for many years.
• Mould resistance – thanks to the density of porcelain, microspores cannot penetrate the material, ensuring that moss and mould will not develop.
• Chemical resistance – this ceramic material boasts a high resistance to corrosive chemicals.
• Low maintenance – porcelain pavers require no aftercare such as sealing. If laid correctly, they simply require washing occasionally to maintain their look.
• Uniformity – being manmade, porcelain pavers boast a uniform look and thickness. They are perfectly flat and so produce a smooth, flat and uniform patio.
• Diverse looks – thanks to advanced inkjet printing technology, porcelain paving is available with a variety of aesthetics. You can source stone-effect, cement-effect or wood effect pavers. The variety of
• styles and colours enables you to create incredible design-led looks.

Are there downsides to porcelain patios?
As with any material, there are a few downsides to using porcelain pavers:

• Brittleness – the pavers are durable and resistant to wear but are brittle which means they are susceptible to damage if knocked.
• Realism – porcelain pavers can look almost identical to natural stones but are not good choices if you favour a totally natural feel.
• Modernity – porcelain tiles can deliver a more contemporary look than natural stone which may not suit period properties.
• Hardness – the density of porcelain makes it hard to cut and to drill without damaging the pavers.

Porcelain patio ideas
As porcelain pavers are available in so many different shapes, sizes and finishes, you can create almost any look for your patio that your imagination can conjure. Whether you favour the simplicity and modernity of concrete, the aesthetics of stone or the texture of wood, you can design a patio that that you love and that complements your home.

Giving you diverse shapes and sizes to work with, there are porcelain pavers to suit patios both large and small. Better still you can use a variety of patterns when laying the pavers:

• Running bond – a pattern like brickwork in which the joints of alternate courses (rows) are aligned. You can also create a three-course running bond using slabs of differing sizes in which the joints in every third course are aligned. This provides a less formal feel.
• Stack bond – in this pattern, the joints of each course are aligned like squares on a chess board. This classic look is perfect for smaller spaces.
• Random patterns – bring your creativity to the fore by evolving a random pattern that delivers an informal feel.

It is worth considering that porcelain pavers tend to deliver a clean, crisp and contemporary patio and so may not suit older and informal properties such as country cottages.

You can utilise colour to evolve your desired look. Lighter tiles are ideal for contemporary gardens and for around pools where a crisp and refined finished is beneficial. Darker tiles could work well if you have pets, or a high footfall area, and you don’t want to be constantly washing away footprints and pawprints. The various shades can also be used to create contrast and to define areas of larger patios.

Porcelain paving presents the opportunity to form a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. By choosing indoor/outdoor tiles, you can ensure that your patio becomes an extension of your interior. This look is a great choice if your kitchen, dining room or open plan space features sliding or bifold doors.

How do you maintain a porcelain patio?
Happily, porcelain is a low maintenance choice and so gives you a hassle-free outside space. You will probably find that the occasional wash using a broom or a jet wash on a low setting will keep your patio looking at its beautiful best.

Should you choose a porcelain patio?
If you favour crisp, contemporary looks, porcelain pavers will definitely deliver the right patio for you. This elegant material is also an excellent choice if you are seeking low-maintenance paving. But if you would prefer a less formal patio or wish to complement a period property, you could find that natural stone offers more appropriate aesthetics.