When You Think Patio, Think Porcelain — Using Outdoor Porcelain Tile

Are you looking to spruce up your outdoor living space? Do you have a pool house, a patio, or any summer entertaining space that is calling for tile? 

With summer approaching, it’s the perfect time to make your outdoor area the perfect hangout.

When choosing the best option for outdoor tile, you really need to consider the elements. 

Questions like: 

The answer is simple: porcelain tile . 

Let’s look at the reasons other types of tile might not be the best outdoor option and why outdoor porcelain tile is one of the best options.

Porcelain tile is the most durable tile, so much so that it is often commercially rated for indoor and outdoor use. It can be used on walls, fireplaces, floors, and outdoors. 

Unlike natural stone tiles and other types of tile, porcelain is non-porous . This means that porcelain tile will not soak in the outdoor elements like water, dirt, etc. 

It will not change color or scratch, either, no matter how much salt or sand it might come in contact with. It is extremely difficult to chip or crack porcelain tile once it is installed, which makes it perfect for the outdoors.

Many think of natural stone tiles for the outdoors because of their natural look. Ceramics are another choice that people think would be appropriate. Both aren’t the best choice for the outdoors, and here’s why.

First of all, natural stone tiles are porous , meaning that salt, sand, sleet, heavy rains will affect your natural stone tiles negatively. This can cause damage, scratches, stains, and more. 

Outdoor applications with natural stone tile can be compared to an outdoor pebble or rock: when water is continuously coming in contact with it, it can change shape becoming smoother or some places and rougher in others.

They can also become oxidized, which results in a rusty-colored & weathered surface. You can see in our post how to clean natural stone tile and how to maintain it to make sure your natural stones are sealed properly indoors. 

Outdoors, the constant maintenance required of sealing season after season is usually not worth it. Especially when we offer porcelain tile that looks just like natural stone that’s also rated for the outside weather without maintenance.

Ceramic tiles should never be used on the floor or ground. They are not floor rated and are likely to crack.

Outdoors, ceramic tile is best for backsplashes. If you have an outdoor bar and grill and are looking to add ceramic tile to the backsplash, we recommend staying away from ceramic tile that has a crackled glaze.

A crackled glaze ceramic tile is absolutely stunning. However, it needs to be properly sealed (see our sealing and maintenance options ) at least once a year for indoor use and more often for a shower system application. 

This is because, like natural stone, ceramic tile is porous and can collect water, dust, and dirt easily. 

Want to see how we use ceramic tile effectively?

Check out examples of our ceramic tile work .

Porcelain tile is extremely diverse and comes in a variety of sizes. 

A 4 x 12 porcelain tile can be stacked or laid herringbone outdoors. A 12 x 12 or 12 x 24 look flawless transitioning from an indoor to outdoor space. A porcelain plank can be used and laid like hardwood.  

The sizes that porcelain tile come in are just the beginning. Porcelain can be made to look like natural stone such as a slate, which is heavily used for outdoor spaces but made of the durable and appropriate porcelain material. 

Porcelain tile can also be made to look like a wood parquet or plank for a log cabin. It’s so versatile that it can be rustic, natural, modern, beachy, and more in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

You’ll also choose whether it has a polished or matte finish, with either high or low texture. It can come in one color or have a high gradient throughout each piece. The options are endless!

We recommend using a matte finish tile for outdoor use. The polished may become slippery when wet, which can be an issue near pools, with rain, etc. The look of a matte tile is also more organic and stays true to the aesthetic of an outdoor patio or four-season porch. 

The texture is completely up to you and your design! 

Now that you know that your best bet for a patio space is outdoor porcelain tile, we can help you figure out the details. Our design experts and staff with years of experience working with these materials can help you pick tile that matches your aesthetic and your needs.

Contact us today to speak with one of our experts and arrange a no contact pick up! 

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