Mar 15, 2022
It’s one thing to have a home for yourself. Having one with a green and open backyard is another level of dream home living. The perk of owning a free space, whether vast or small, is the creativity you can project on a blank but flexible slate.
A swimming pool.
A patio.
A themed garden.
A children’s playground.
Whichever you desire, all these choices almost have one thing in common: designs urbanely accentuated with gorgeous outdoor tiling. In today’s blog post, we at AllHome will be guiding you on how you can choose and install those tiles to give your lot a modern look.
Before coming into a hardware/construction store, you must understand the difference between exterior and interior tiles, as you may assume that they are one and the same. (They’re not.)
While there are many points to consider, most of them are related to one differentiating characteristic: durability.
Outdoor tiles have a higher exposure to the elements than indoor tiles; therefore, manufacturers have to make them more durable and more resistant to weathering. Qualities to look out for in such a tile set include material, texture, and grout formula.
Tiles come in various materials. Two of the most commonly used for outdoor construction are porcelain and ceramic. Both are most preferred among contractors due to their non-porous qualities, making them more resistant to water damage. In addition, porcelain is more durable against extreme temperatures due to its creation in super-heated stoves; therefore, these tiles are most suitable in extremely hot or cold climates.
Their contrasts, however, are in their designs. Porcelain tiles possess more simplistic and plain designs, whereas ceramic tiles are available in more complex and modern designs. Hence, choosing from the two may also be a matter of preference and personal vision.
For instance, try this ROSSIO Pil 6D3973 30X60 CM Tile, whose Cuero colors and patterns can bring out the American West vibes to your backyard, or this MARIWASA Digitile Iris Grey 40X40 CM Tile for an artsy and earthly aesthetic to your garden.
After choosing your preferred tiles for your outdoor project, learning where to install them comes next, especially on a grassy surface. Firstly, find where you will be positioning the tiles and arrange them according to your intended pattern. Mark the placements using a shovel or trowel to trace an outline of the tile’s shape. Remove the slab, and start digging a few centimeters to create a hole where you will be putting the tile.
For concrete surfaces in patios and terraces, an important task to do prior to installation would be to measure the floor’s dimensions. Should the 40X40 or 60X60 tiles not fit on some corners, grab a tile cutter such as the KEN MARBLE CUTTER 1200W4100 to slice them into their proper shape. That said, an uncareful use of the tool can be dangerous, so, if possible, do not hesitate to seek professional assistance.
Now, it’s time to put them in place using a specific concrete type called tile adhesive. At AllHome’s Builder’s Center, we have a supply of European-standard Novtek Tile Adhesive to assist you with your tile installation needs. Procuring a mortar mixture is a delicate process and requires the proper measurements and conditions. Wear first protective gear such as face masks and goggles to avoid the powder from irritating your eyes. Grab a bucket or any sizable container, and pour in water and the tile adhesive powder. Mix it thoroughly using a margin trowel or a drill with a mixing attachment. The latter of which is a more preferred option for large mixtures.
Ensure that the solution has the proper ratio for the right consistency. Leave it afterward for a few minutes. To check, pick it up with the trowel and watch how it flows. If it slips off, it is too watery; therefore, add more adhesive powder. If you shake it and it does not come off, the mixture may be too compact and needs more water. The ideal consistency should be similar to thick cream or peanut butter.
Pick a clump of tile adhesive with the trowel and spread it out on the floor like putting filling on a sandwich. Repeat for the back of the tile and lay it in on the adhesive-covered floor. Let it solidify by waiting for 24 hours.
Just because you laid out all the tiles does not mean that the work is complete. The spaces in between need to be filled out with grout as porcelain and ceramic have a feature invisible to the naked eye. Such tiles contract and expand due to heat and moisture, especially in an outdoor setting, and leaving them unattended will lead to future cracking.
To prevent this, prepare a mixture of water and tile grout powder such as Novtek’s Tile Grout.
Spread it across the floor in a diagonal pattern for the grout to enter and seal the gaps. Wipe off the excess, and let it dry for 24 hours.
And, the job is finally complete. Follow these steps, and you will have yourself a beautiful outdoor space you can be proud of.
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