What to Consider When Choosing Outdoor Porcelain Tiles?

You’ve decided that it’s time to add some color and texture to your porch or patio with outdoor porcelain tiles, but you’re not sure where to start when it comes to selecting the best tiles for your outdoor living space. Well, if you want to find the best porcelain tiles out there, here are three things you need to consider before making a final decision about which tiles will look best on your new deck or patio.

Material

Any tile can be used outdoors, but not all are created equal. To ensure you’re choosing tiles with durability in mind, find out what they’re made of. Most porcelain tiles are made from clay and water. Because of their higher density, porcelain tiles are less porous than ceramic tiles and have a higher resistance to fading, staining, moisture penetration, and warping.

Style

The style of your outdoor porcelain tiles will depend on how they’ll be used. If you’re looking for outdoor porcelain tiles for patios and walkways, you may want something as natural as possible (hence, natural stone) or as artificial as possible (hence, mosaic tile). But if you’re shopping for an exterior kitchen countertop, then texture and color will play a bigger role in your decision-making process.

Size

First, consider how large your patio will be and how much square footage of tile you’ll need. Larger porcelain tiles (8×8 or 8×10) are generally more expensive than smaller ones, so if you plan on covering an area that’s less than 200 square feet, small mosaic tiles might save you some money.

Installation

While some types of tile can be installed on your own, porcelain tiles are often too large and heavy for one person to handle. They also require special adhesives and fixings, which you might not have access to if you’re DIY-ing it. Always hire a professional who has experience installing outdoor tiles —it will save you time, money, and energy in the long run.