Choosing the slabs
- Buy 20 mm outdoor porcelain, not thin indoor tile. Most cost about £19 to £35 per m²; suspiciously cheap "outdoor" tiles are often indoor tiles.
- Look for an R11 slip rating and a textured surface.
- 900 × 600 mm is the most popular size and the easiest to lay well.
How it should be laid
- A solid base: a compacted sub-base under a full mortar bed. Never dot-and-dab, which leaves hollow spots that crack or rock.
- Slurry primer on the back of every slab. Porcelain barely absorbs water, so without it the slab won't bond.
- A fall away from the house, so rain runs off and never towards the walls or damp course.
- Proper joints: a jointing compound or mortar made for porcelain, so joints stay tidy and weed-free.
Looking after it
Brush regularly and wash with a patio cleaner suitable for porcelain. No sealing is needed. Check before using rock salt in winter.
See our outdoor tiling page, or browse outdoor slabs in the tile shop.