Using Tiles Outdoors and in Your Garden: 8 Things You Should Know

Every well-planned house exterior is like adding a cherry on top of the house; it instantly uplifts the entire appearance and adds warmth to the house. A beautifully designed landscape can create a unique dimension in your garden.

Modern technology has led to the innovation of remarkable tools and accessories that can make your garden look more relaxing and pleasing to the eye. The markets are filled with tiles that can be used on walkways, exterior walls, and floors to give your garden a makeover.

Tiling the garden, some helpful tips:

In general, tiles can be used in many different areas in your garden. Using stone tiles as a pathway is a best-recommended option suggested by landscape experts. It can give your home a more attractive and modern look and saves you time from maintaining grass. Using tiles to create nice-looking seating areas can help divide your garden into areas.

Generally, people consider the practicality of their house and forget about the exterior. A well-maintained garden adds to the overall beauty of a home. If the landscape is professionally designed with garden paths, it creates an eye-catching and welcoming look. The variety in tiles is limitless; you can choose tiles according to the design and ambiance of your house. While there are many positives to having grass, like natural beauty and having a comfortable place in your garden, it’s not always the best option, especially during colder and wetter seasons.  

Tiling Outdoor Areas, some clever tips:

In general, using outdoor tiles is a perfect way to create a hard surface that looks beautiful. They can bear harsh weather conditions. They are easy to clean and frostproof. Renovating an outdoor area is a great way to give your house a little makeover on a budget. Plus, it elevates the appearance and makes your house look more modern.

● Should I use Ceramic, Porcelain, or stone tiles outside?

Porcelain tiles are a better choice for outdoor use. It is easier to clean and is frostproof. Stone is more prone to crack in cold weather. Porcelain is harder and tougher than ceramic tiles. It is also denser and less porous and can withstand heavy usage over an extended time. The drawback is that it is more expensive and more difficult to cut.

Outdoor tiles have a wide a wider choice of color and design and can give your garden a unique look. Stone tiles are the cheapest type of outdoor tiles and give your garden a warm feeling.

● Choose the Appropriate Outdoor Tile

The most important thing to consider when selecting outdoor tiles is planning to use the Area and the prevalent weather conditions in your city. The best and most convenient option is ceramic tiles; they’re ideal for indoor and outdoor tiling. It’s recommended not to glaze outdoor tiles, as they become slippery when wet. Some other options for outdoor tiling are porcelain tiles, quarry tiles, sandstone tiles, travertine tiles, limestone tiles, soapstone tiles, and granite tiles.

● Know Your Climate

Your preference for outdoor tiles is heavily influenced by the environment in which you live. Soft tiles are suitable for warm regions, while tough tiles for cold regions. Buying tiles just on the basis of their appearance can be risky, harsh weather conditions can damage your tiles, and you don’t want to spend money on brand new tiles to have them quickly look destroyed.

● Prepare the Area

Before you begin the tiling process, it’s important to make the perfect canvas, be it your patio, walkways, outdoor walls, or any other surface. Fill areas holes, hidden valleys, or other gaps. The surface needs to be smooth and even so that the tiles can lay perfectly.

● Check the Light Exposure and choose matching tiles

You might not know this, but light exposure or moisture have a great impact on tiles. It’s recommended that darker tiles should be used in bright, sunny areas, whereas lighter tiles should be used in dark, shady areas to brighten the room.

DIY Tiling the Outdoor Patio, some helpful tips:

In general, tiling a new patio is not a difficult job. One of the essential points for a successful result is the preparation of the surface. The surface needs to be straight, and holes need to be filled. Make sure you mark the layout before starting.

To add tiles to your outdoor patio, you have to decide if you will put the tiles on the sand directly or use concrete slabs. Tiles directly on the sand are much less work, cheaper, and easier to do. The downside is that they can become unstable after a while. They can cope less with wet environments and see weed coming up between the tiles.

Tiling the patio can make your house look completely different, and if a concrete slab or brick patio becomes old, laying tiles may be an excellent way to spice it up. To help you with the process, here is a guide through the whole process of tiling a new patio with some helpful tips:

● Step 1: Choose Tiles and Materials

The first thing you want to do when tiling the patio is to have all the correct measurements. Once you have done that, visit your nearest tile provider to choose the tiles and other materials. Keep in mind the previously mentioned tips before selecting the tile for your patio. You want to make sure that the tiles are dense, water-resistant, and suitable for the climate.

● Step 2: Prepare the Canvas

Tile adds weight but doesn’t strengthen the surface. Concrete slabs should be prepared to provide a solid base. Clean the surface and level out irregularities by filling in holes and cracks. Ensure that the surface is straight and can bear the weight of the tiles.

● Step 3: Mark the Layout

It’s essential to mark the layout before tilling. Placing the tiles on assumptions can jeopardize the process. It’s not always easy to rearrange tiles once they have been placed, and attempting to do so can result in tile breakage.

● Step 4: Apply Thin-set

Mix the thin-set according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Apply it evenly using your notched trowel between the marked layouts. The thin-set mixture should be uniform. Otherwise, the tiles will be uneven.

● Step 5: Lay the Tiles

Start laying the tiles following the marked pattern. Begin your work from one corner and continue along the grid. Apply pressure to the tile to set it properly into the thin-set. Continue the process until all tiles are placed.

● Step 6: Fix the Tiles

Once you have placed the tiles, secure them gently by using a rubber mallet. You can check the placement of the tiles and can adjust them while the thin-set is wet. Check the leveling of all the tiles. If any are too high, press them down into the thin-set and if any are too low, add more thin-set to the back of the tile and re-adjust it.

● Step 7: Grout the Tile

Apply the grout in the joints using a float in a sweeping motion, adding the grout into the corners. Scrap off the excess grout and continue the process. Once you’re done and the grout is settled, clean the tiles with a sponge.

● Step 8: Seal the Tiles

Now that your tiles are in place, you want to ensure that they are protected from discoloration, mold growth, and damage. Apply grout sealer to fill any gaps left between the tiles so that the moisture doesn’t sweep in.

Tiling a Garden Wall, some helpful tips:

In general, adding outdoor wall tiles is essentially similar to adding indoor wall tiles. You use thin-set to add them to the wall. Ensure that you use a thin-set and tiles that can cope with your climate. Not all tiles are frostproof.

Adding tiles to a garden wall is a great way to introduce a different texture and design into your lawn. A tiled garden wall makes your garden look more polished and well designed. There are a variety of tiles to choose from ceramics to stones.

Outdoor wall tiles have similar benefits: structural versatility, a wide variety of colors, textures, and styles, and years of longevity if installed correctly. Before picking your tiles, keep in mind the temperature and weather conditions of your region.

The first thing you need to do is clean the surface, wash away any dirt, and let it dry. Mark the layout using chalk and start applying thin-set evenly. Lay the first tile and press it into the thin set and hold it for a few minutes. Add tile spacers between each tile to equally divide the distance. Cut the tiles to fit around pipes and other obstructions using a tile saw. Continue the process and tap each tile into the wall lightly utilizing a rubber mallet. After 24-hours, remove the spacers and apply the grout to fill the gaps. Clean the extra grout and apply a sealer to cover any gaps.

Outdoor Wall Tiling Tips

Outdoor wall tiles are more prone to damage. Here are some valuable tips to help you pick suitable tiles for your exterior walls so that you can save yourself from future problems:

• The tile color: Choose light and natural shades for wall tiles, as they absorb less sunlight. If you live in a warm area, this will lead to less heated walls.
• Water-resistant sealer: If you live in cold areas, seal your tiles with a water-resistant sealer. The moisture can freeze in tiles causing them to expand and break.
• Your budget: Always keep your budget in mind when shopping for wall tiles. The surface area can be vast, and tiles can be expensive. If you want to achieve a sleek and modern look achievable on a budget, plan it correctly.

Tiling a Shed Floor, some helpful tips:

Have you spent a lot of time, resources, and effort designing and constructing the ideal storage shed? Now you want to install the flooring to make it look more attractive and practical and have a solid and stable feel. Consider tiling your outdoor shed floor. If you live in a warm place and want an easy-to-clean floor, tiles are the best option. They are easy to apply, and they’re durable. Apply tiles on a shed floor the same way you would tile a patio or any other floor.

Porcelain tiles are maybe the best choice for lay tile in your shed. They can withstand heavy usage over an extended time, are easy to clean, and are frostproof. Ceramic tiles are the second choice but are less tough. Stone tiles are more prone to crack in cold weather. The drawback is that porcelain tiles are more expensive and more difficult to cut.

Is Tiling a Garage Floor a Good Idea?

In general, using tiles on your garage floor can be a good choice. It depends on how you are using your garage. Compared to a concrete floor, using tiles make your garage look nicer. Porcelain tiles are frost resistant and can cope with the spillage of most liquids.

Often, when people build their homes, they don’t pay much attention to their garage. Fancy porcelain tiles are used inside the house but not in the garage because it’s considered too weak or light. However, contrary to this popular belief, porcelain tiles are commonly used in car showrooms and garages. Not only that, hotel entrances and a variety of other commercial areas involving cars also use tiles, so why not your garage?

An unfinished concrete garage isn’t the most appealing flooring choice, but it may also be the most practical one for some people. Increasingly, people are upgrading their garages through tiling because it leads to a neater appearance and makes the garage easier to clean and maintain. Take a look at the advantages of garage floor tiles so that you can make the right decision for your home.

● Benefits of Garage Floor Tiles

Garage floor tiles have several advantages:

• Easy to do: You can easily install them yourself.
• Easy to clean: Tiles are a much easier surface to keep clean compared to unfinished concrete.
• Removable option: You can install interlocking tiles, which can be easily removed. So, if you want to remove the flooring when you’re moving out, you can take the garage floor with you.
• Aesthetically pleasing: Tiles make the garage look aesthetically pleasing, and unique patterns, such as checkerboard, are a creative way to add a personal touch to your garage.
• Improve old floor: Tiles can be placed over stained or cracked floors without putting much effort into repairing the floor.
• Resistant: Tiles are stain-resistant; therefore, they make your floors last longer.

● Types of Garage Tiling

Garage floor tiles come in different types, Porcelain, Ceramic, Stone, rigid plastic tiles, and lightweight, flexible tiles. Each type creates a fantastic result; however, their differences should be considered before buying the tiles for your garage. This article can find a lot of information about Porcelain, Ceramic, and stone tiles.

Rigid Plastic Tiles: These tiles are PVC, which means that they are resistant to the effects of heat, cold, and humidity, and they are straightforward to clean and maintain. They are also oil, gas, and chemical resistant, making them the better option for your garage.

Flexible Garage Tiles: These soft interlocking floor tiles are easy to install and remove. They are easy to clean and more comfortable than rigid tiles and are much easier to stand and walk on for lengthy periods.

Tiling a Garden Table, some helpful tips:

Tile tables are a great way to add color to your garden or patio. You can easily make it yourself, using plywood and other tiling tools.

Measure the inside portion of the table is glass, cut the plywood accordingly, and place it inside the table. Measure the tiles and cut any pieces which aren’t required using a wet tile saw. Spread a layer of adhesive (thin-set) evenly on the table and start placing the tiles. Once you have done so, repeat the tiling process as mentioned above, and there you go. Your newly tiled table is ready to take center stage in your outdoor oasis!

Final remarks

Tiling is a great way to add color, texture, and design to your house, both indoors and outdoors.  The proper tiling techniques can save you from a lot of hassle and make the tiling process a lot smoother. The benefits of using tiles in your home are endless, and it can give your home a complete makeover without breaking the bank. Everyone desires a welcoming home. Creatively tiling your floors and walls can help you achieve that.