TILE CARE & MAINTENANCE
a thicker tile should be used outside to ensure it can withstand heavy patio furniture and general external wear and tear.
Internally, porcelain is extremely easy to keep clean and, while external porcelain is made of the same material the anti-slip surface gives it a slightly rougher texture. This means that it can take a little longer to remove any build up – it will require a good brush and mop to keep dirt and debris from contaminating the surface of the tile. There are some steps you can take to help keep external porcelain looking its best – starting with installation.
Many paving installers are treating porcelain just like any other slab by installing it onto a wet bed of sand and cement. Not only does this make getting a narrow grout joint and level surface extremely difficult, it is also not the best way to treat porcelain. As the material is non-porous, it will not adhere to the wet bed, meaning an admix or primer is required. These primers are extremely messy and hard to remove from the surface of the tile once dried. Using a suitable installation method like tile adhesive or a pedestal, you can avoid this problem. Waiting for a solid base to be ready for tiles can often take weeks, however using the PorcelQuick Adped system directly on an MOT type 1 sub base can save you time and materials. This also removes the need for a primer since the tiles are fixed onto the Adpeds using tile adhesive.
EXPOSED TO THE
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Hampshire Tile Warehouse, distributor of tile and stone products, discusses how to care for and maintain external porcelain tiles.
The external porcelain market has exploded over the last few years, with some predicting sales could overtake traditional concrete slabs soon. It’s easy to see why porcelain has become a popular option for external use; it’s frost-proof, resistant to staining, fade-proof and is not affected by moss, mould or lichen growth. It also doesn’t need sealing and is available in a range of traditional and modern styles.
Porcelain is made in a similar manufacturing process to ceramic, however it is fired at even higher temperatures which causes vitrification. This turns the material into an almost glass-like form, which then becomes extremely hard when cooled, making it almost as hard as diamond. Although porcelain is extremely tough and hardwearing,
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Grouting can also cause problems – a brush-in jointing compound again will not adhere to the inside of the joint, so a traditional tile grout is more suitable. Tile grout can flash dry, particularly on hot sunny days, and the textured surface of the tiles makes removing residue more difficult. Once dried, it can be hard to remove. We recommend avoiding grouting the tiles on hot sunny days, and using a temporary protective sealer to act as a barrier against the grout, such as BAL Protective Sealer.
A pressure washer can be used to remove stubborn marks from the paving if necessary, and specialist cleaning products are also available from manufacturers such as Lithofin to remove residues like cement, rust or marks left by decaying leaves.
Follow these easy steps to keep external porcelain looking its best:
1. Sweep away any debris or loose dirt using a broom
2. Use warm soapy water and a brush to remove any residue from the surface of the tile
3. Leave the tiles to dry
As external porcelain specialists, we stock a wide range of contemporary and traditional paving styles as well as installation and maintenance products. Visit
www.LondonTile.co.uk to see our full range of external porcelain paving and co-ordinating indoor-outdoor porcelain tiles.
www.htw.co.uk www.tomorrowstileandstone.co.uk
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