Tiling outdoor spaces provides a strong and sturdy surface finish underfoot that can be easily maintained and kept clean. Specific outdoor tiles can be used to define areas in your garden, to provide a simple to maintain flooring solution in an alfresco or outdoor dining and lounge space, to provide a safe pool surround option as well as to create paths and walkways in the outdoor environment that will complement your landscaping design.
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Popular Outdoor Tile Materials
Traditionally, outdoor pavers have been used to provide a solid surface underfoot in outdoor spaces. Modern tile manufacturing techniques have since developed new and exciting options that can be used in outdoor spaces in a variety of different materials such as natural stones, glass, cement, terracotta and even porcelain tiles. It is important to note that each option will have its own limitations, benefits, cleaning and maintenance recommendations in order to ensure a long lasting and top quality end result. Your local tile store will advise which outdoor tiles are best suited to your intended application as certain collections can be limited to use in covered outdoor spaces only whereas other options can be installed in outdoor areas that are completely exposed to the elements.
Caption: Outdoor tiles are available in a large variety of materials, sizes, colours and textures, allowing you to create a completely custom look in your outdoor spaces. Porcelain outdoor tiles are especially popular thanks to the many varied options available. Porcelain tiles can be designed to mimic a range of materials such as concrete, natural stone and even timber, allowing for more flexibility in your outdoor design scheme.
Outdoor Pool Tiles
The most popular choice in outdoor pool tiles are glass tiles, specifically glass mosaic tiles. Glass mosaic tiles add a luxurious, glistening touch to your outdoor pool as their surface refracts and reflects light through your pool’s water for a sparkling look. Aside from the more traditional options of blue or aqua, you will find many other exciting colour options to choose from with each offering its own unique look to your outdoor pool area. It is important to keep in mind when selecting coloured tiles for your pool that the colour you choose will of course, show through the water, changing its colour. Green, black and even purple tiles for example, will offer a much darker look in your pool’s water, making for a unique and modern touch.
Caption: Glass mosaic tiles are available in a large amount of different colours and sizes to help you create the perfect look in your outdoor area. There are specific materials and methods used in their installation to ensure a quality job that is long lasting, especially as the product and adhesives will be in constant contact with water. Your local tile store will be able to offer you the best advice specific to your pool tile selection.
Options in mosaic pool tiles include shimmering glass in blended cascades of colour, recycled glass options as well as some collections of porcelain pool tiles. As can be expected with smaller sized tiles, there is often a higher price tag attached to their installation due to their size and increased amount of grout required throughout the process.
Decorative Tiles for Alfresco Spaces
Alfresco dining and cooking spaces offer a versatile area of the home that can usually be used all year round. These spaces can dub as an extension of your existing kitchen, dining, lounge or living area, making an alfresco space an excellent investment into your property. As these areas are most often undercover, there is some protection from direct sunlight, rain or hail. The design may also often include ceiling fans, feature lighting and outdoor heating solutions as well as outdoor cooking appliances and bench space. Using decorative tile patterns, you can create a bold and colourful visual statement in your alfresco area that will perfectly offset the more industrial appearance of the traditional concrete and stainless steel finishes that are most often used in these areas, adding a sense of colour, character, pattern and texture to your alfresco space.
Caption: Decorative wall tiles can be used in your alfresco dining and cooking spaces to add more character, shape, colour and pattern to the design. As most outdoor appliances use stainless steel, these can give the space quite an industrial vibe. Decorative tiles offer the perfect colourful balance to these materials, allowing you to add a personal touch to your outdoor design scheme.
Cleaning Outdoor Tiles
Outdoor tiles are often a breeze to keep clean and maintain however, just like any other product, you can expect there to be certain key points to keep in mind. Each different outdoor tile material will require its own specific cleaning techniques or products, with certain options (such as outdoor terracotta tiles for example) also requiring ongoing sealing in order to provide a level of protection to the tile itself as well as the grout. As a general rule of thumb, any garden clippings, dirt or debris as well as animal droppings should also be cleaned up from the surface of your outdoor tiles in a reasonable timeframe as if these items are left unchecked, they could potentially lead to some discolouration, staining or damage to the tiles. While selecting your new outdoor tiles, whether they are pool tiles, alfresco tiles or pavers, you should always seek your tile store’s best advice on installation pointers as well as cleaning and maintenance tips to ensure the best end result.
Outdoor tiles can be used in a variety of ways to help you bring your outdoor design scheme to life. Outdoor floor tiles can be used as a pool surround, paver or as a durable and simple to maintain surface finish for outdoor dining, living and cooking areas while specified pool tiles can add a glamorous touch to your outdoor pool or spa. Finish off your landscape design scheme with a range of decorative tile pieces that will add a strong sense of character to your home for that perfect designer touch!