What tiles to choose for the terrace and balcony? Porcelain stoneware or clinker tiles

Like choosing tiles for the terrace?

Terrace surfaces must be resistant to low temperatures, abrasion and must also be non-slip. Frost resistance is closely linked to lower water absorption. (Tiles that absorb a lot of water will crack during frost). The material laid on the terrace should have a soakability of less than 3-4%. An abrasion-resistant surface is advisable in such an area, as it will certainly get dust from the ground. On the terrace, tiles with at least abrasion class III (PEI) will work well. It is good to pay attention to the fact that they should also be slip-resistant, i.e. at least class R10. The slip resistance is related to the structured, textured surface. Glazed tiles, especially when wet, are slippery.

Porcelain stoneware tiles are often laid on terraces. They are very durable, resistant to mechanical damage, resistant to temperature differences and have a low degree of absorption - even less than 0.1%. The top side of porcelain stoneware tiles can be finished in several ways, it can be polished or glazed, i.e. covered with an extra layer of glaze or natural. The big advantage of porcelain stoneware tiles is their smooth texture, so they are resistant to dirt, detergents and acids in basic concentration. Porcelain stoneware can be finished in many ways, so there are many interesting collections: single-colour, patterned, with interpenetrating colours, imitating wood, imitating stone, etc.

Stoneware tiles vary in thickness according to size. The most common one is 6-10 mm. More recently, very thick porcelain stoneware slabs - referred to as 2.0 - with a thickness of 2 cm have been available in the shops. Thin (e.g. 6 mm), yet very large stoneware slabs (e.g. 80 x 160 cm) are a hit in recent seasons.

Boards clinker terrace

Clinker paving is primarily dedicated to finishing terrace cladding, due to its low absorbency, which results in its high frost resistance. Clinker tiles are also strong and low abrasion, resistant to mechanical and chemical damage. They do not absorb dirt and are easy to keep clean. Currently, there is a large selection of clinker collections on the market prepared precisely for use on terraces and balconies. Let us remember that clinker tiles have smaller dimensions than porcelain stoneware tiles. The variety of colours and finishes is also somewhat smaller.

Surfaces specifically for the terrace

In the lines of porcelain stoneware or clinker tiles for outdoor surfaces, there are not only basic floor and plinth tiles, but also tiles with anti-slip grooves on one side, which can be used on the edge of a low terrace or the steps leading up to it. The clinker tile collections also include tiles with a nose on one edge for laying in the same areas. The curved edge of the tile, which forms a nose, ensures that rainwater does not run under the tiles, but runs off and falls away from the edge of the terrace.

Dimensions terrace tiles

Tiles of any format can be laid on a terrace, but it is a good idea to choose them according to the size of our terrace. The larger it is, the more aesthetically pleasing large-size tiles look. Many collections include several dimensions that can be combined in the cladding. For small terraces, 30 x 30 or 40 x 40 tiles or interesting 26 x 26 cm hexagons work well. Larger formats are quite popular, such as 30 x 60, 60 x 60, 80 x 80 cm and even 120 x 120 or 120 x 240 cm. Longitudinal formats are also popular, especially those imitating wood. Among the many collections, we can find stoneware „planks” in sizes as large as 20 x 120 or 30 x 180 cm.

You will find a large selection of clinker and porcelain stoneware tiles as well as excellent patio arrangements in the shop Dekordia.pl and e-budujemy.pl