Some advice about the use of Porcelain Paving in landscape design

Is Porcelain Paving going to be a short lived fad in landscaping history?

Are you thinking of installing a Porcelain Paved Patio? Are you tempted to rip out that mouldy old deck installed during the days of Alan Titchmarsh’s Ground Force? Porcelain paving is the latest material to become popular in the UK for garden Landscaping projects. The dizzying array of colours and finishes available can mimic all the previously popular landscaping materials.  Whether your taste is for stone, terracotta, concrete or wood effect, all can be sourced in the new Porcelain Paving format.

For many years we in the UK have shied away from Porcelain, due to misgivings about its suitability to withstand a British climate. Could Porcelain Paving withstand frost, snow and rain?

However, with technological developments in the manufacture of Porcelain Paving, we think it’s likely to be here to stay.

The beauty of the product can now be matched with endurance, due to recent improvements in the technology that can now create a strong and attractive paver. The product is non porous, colourfast and resilient. Porcelain Paving offers the customer a lightweight, low maintenance alternative to many materials, such as wood, stone, concrete, etc

Where does Porcelain Paving come from?

Italy was originally the market leader for quality and design.  Now, well designed, good quality product can be also be sourced from India and China where European influence and guidance have been sought to raise the quality of production in these countries. This has enabled the introduction of good quality product at a less expensive price. The cheaper, lower quality products are also coming in from India and China, so how do you choose a good one?

What is the right price for Porcelain Paving?

We advise you to do your research carefully before making the decision which company to buy your Porcelain paving from.

The original price set for good quality Porcelain Paving products in the UK was a fair one.  Unfortunately, this is now being eroded by poor sellers who have introduced poor quality product to the market. This in turn is affecting the reputation of this product overall, as retail customers may not be fully aware of the quality of a product they are being offered until it is too late.

‘You only get what you pay for’ is the old adage here!

If you invest in a quality Porcelain paver and have it installed by an expert landscaper, you will have nothing to worry about. 

If you cut corners on this product, it will not last!

Is it safe to lay Porcelain Paving outside in the UK?

If you select good quality Porcelain Paving slabs they will withstand UK weather conditions so long as they are laid correctly.

Good quality Porcelain paving slabs are manufactured at 20mm thick. This provides a slab that is strong enough to withstand British weather conditions, if laid correctly.

Buyer Beware of the invasion of cheaper porcelain paving products

New and popular products often suffer when the ‘vultures’ circle. Looking for more profit at less cost, corners are cut! The customer will suffer!

We advise that you don’t be tempted by the cheaper product that is due to flood the market during 2019.

Cheaper porcelain paving that is being introduced to the market this year has been manufactured at 15-16mm thick making production cost savings, that mean you can be offered the product at a lower price than previously available. 

What is the correct way to lay quality Porcelain Paving?

Once you’ve chosen your good quality Porcelain Paving, please ensure it is laid on a full mortar bed.

Read one of our previous blogs to find out the full method for laying a Porcelain Patio as there are a few particular points to follow to ensure success, and we have laid them out here:https://www.stoneworld.co.uk/what-is-the-best-way-to-lay-porcelain-paving/

 Advice if you succumb, and buy inferior product

If you succumb, and buy an inferior cheaper porcelain product you will need to make extra preparations before the product is laid. In order to give any endurance in our climate this cheaper porcelain will need to be laid differently to the above method used for the thicker quality Porcelain slab.

Thinner porcelain paving product will need to be laid on a concrete screed.  A concrete screed needs expansion joints in the concrete. To deal with the expansion and contraction in the screed there is a potential need for the use of an uncoupling membrane such as Ditramat, otherwise cracks will appear in the base, and eventually in the paved porcelain surface.

Money saved by buying cheaper, thinner porcelain paving, will need to be spent in more expensive and complicated base preparation. 

Therefore buying cheaper Porcelain Paving is a false economy.

Using Porcelain Paving for Step Treads and Pool Copings

You will also see a big difference in the quality of cheaper porcelain slabs if they are used to create step treads and pool copings.

We strongly recommend using a good quality porcelain paver whenever a vertical cut will be visible, such as on step treads and pool copings. The better quality porcelain paver will offer consistency of colour throughout the depth of the paver, which will be seen whenever there is a need to cut and finish the exposed side edge of a paver.

Cheaper products on the market can have a ‘toothpaste effect’ when the tile is cut. The vertical cut will expose striped layers of varying colours caused by inferior porcelain used in the manufacture. This effect will spoil any landscaping feature where they are used.

The Future is here

As a stone merchant our initial scepticism in offering Porcelain Paving and Flooring to our customers has been replaced with respect for the industry. The technology has advanced so quickly and successfully in Porcelain production that at Stoneworld we have researched and are now confident that the product we are offering is an excellent alternative to stone where that is desired.

Rest assured that we will only be interested in selling the best quality porcelain paving product we can find to offer our customers

View our Porcelain Paving Range Here>>https://www.stoneworld.co.uk/exterior-stone/paving/stoneworld-porcelain-paving/

We believe that this trend is here to stay, at least until the next generation of landscaping material is developed!

Please call us on 01844 279274 or email us at sales@stoneworld.co.uk for any further advice you require.  Our knowledgeable staff are always on hand for tips and advice. Alternatively, you can fill in the enquiry form below and one of our team will be in touch shortly.