Paving Slabs

Many ask what the best outdoor patio tiles for gardens are – natural stone and porcelain both offer practical and beautiful outdoor paving. One big benefit of outdoor porcelain paving is its stain resistance, scratch resistance and UV stability, meaning it will not stain, scratch, or lighten overtime and is easy to maintain. Stone paving is naturally very dense, will offer an entirely unique patio floor, and will lighten or season with time for an authentic feel.

Stone paving is a natural material quarried from the earth. Most natural stone pavers are either limestone or sandstone. Limestone is a sedimentary rock, formed over millions of years. A combination of sediments, broken seashells, coral and the remains of aquatic animals deposited on the waterbed, slowly compresses over time into a hard rock. Sandstone is also a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized silicate grains.

Porcelain paving is a man-made product that combines kaolin clay, finely ground sand and feldspar. The clay mixture is fired to an extremely high temperature, resulting in a very dense tile that benefits from a low water absorption rate.

It is not essential to seal natural stone paving when laid outside, but we do recommend doing so as it will help protect the stone against water and stain contamination. Porcelain pavers do not require sealing. The surface is very strong and near enough scratch resistant, stain resistant and will not lighten over time.

A fantastic benefit of stone and porcelain pavers is that they are forgiving and very hardwearing. For regular maintenance, you can use a stiff brush to sweep and brush away any leaves or debris. Outdoor paving can be jet washed seasonally combined with a cleaner designed for natural stone or porcelain.

Read our full guides on how to clean outdoor tiles.

Yes! Outdoor paving is simple to install following a few key steps. An outdoor patio should always be laid onto a level substrate, using a full bed of tile adhesive and grouted in between the joints.

Read more on how to tile outdoor paving.

The main difference to indoor and outdoor tiles is the thickness. Natural stone paving is usually 20mm or 30mm thick. Porcelain paving is in a 20mm thickness with a ‘R11’ grip/anti-slip finish. Internal porcelain tends to be 10mm thick with a ‘R10’ finish.