Outdoor Tiles

Outdoor Tiles – Buying Guide

Learn more about choosing the correct outdoor tile

How to Choose Outdoor tiles

Choosing outdoor tiles for your garden can be quite tricky, especially in rainier countries such as the UK. If you are shopping for external tiles which will be placed in a wet environment, there are a number of things to consider.

Ideally, you should go for outdoor floor tiles that are both frost resistant and anti slip. As showcased above, at Direct Tile Warehouse we offer a wide selection of tiles you can use outdoors, without compromising the attractive design of your landscaping.

Here’s all you need to know when choosing your outdoor floor tiles:

What is the best material for Outdoor tiles?

Porcelain tiles are our top recommendation for clients tiling their gardens and patios and outdoor porcelain tiles. A porcelain tile is denser and less porous than ceramic, which means it’s well suited for colder weather conditions – the less water that can get in the tile, the less likely it is to crack if that water freezes.

The new range of 20mm outdoor tiles are particularly popular offering superior strength, durability, an anti slip surface easier installation.

Slate and quarry tiles also make the list of outside tiles with high frost resistance. All three of these options are extremely strong and durable, and will keep your exterior tiles robust come rain and shine.

What do the different ‘R’ anti slip ratings mean? 

Especially important if you are shopping for outdoor path or patio tiles is making sure they are anti slip. While not all domestic tiles will necessarily have a slip rating, you fill find the majority of them will provide grip through textured or matt finishes.

For areas exposed to large amounts of rain, it’s important to find suitable non slip outdoor tiles to ensure the safety of your household and guests.

R13 NON SLIP TILES

The highest outdoor tiles non slip rating, R13 is what we would recommend if you are tiling outdoor areas exposed to water most of the time. Your outdoor patio tiles, as well as the tiles surrounding your pool or hot tub, should ideally be R13.

R12 NON SLIP TILES

Slightly lower on the non slip outdoor tiles scare are the R12. Outdoor porcelain tiles rated R12 will also do a fantastic job as exterior floor tiles if you are laying them in flat areas of your garden such as your pool side or patio. However, if you have any steeper paths, we would suggest you stick to R13.

R11 ANTI-SLIP TILES

Anti slip outdoor tiles from the R11 category are also considered to be a secure and hard wearing choice for outdoor areas. Make the most of the stylish designs and textured anti slip finish of these exterior tiles to create stunning patio and garden areas. Just make sure your R11 areas are not exposed to much water or soap, as that would make them unsafe to walk on barefoot.

R10 ANTI-SLIP TILES

You can also use porcelain R10 tiles as anti slip outdoor tiles. While we wouldn’t recommend these if you need high slip resistance, they are well suited for areas where occasional wetting occurs. Think utility rooms, green houses and even a patio – provided it’s not too exposed to the elements.

The various uses of exterior tiles

Landscaping experts and external design novices alike are won over by the increasing versatility of outside tiles. With a rich choice of anti slip ratings and an ever-growing variety of designs, external floor tiles are the ideal solution if you are looking to spruce up your outdoors.

From doorstep tiles to outdoor path tiles and patio tiles and garden tiles, the sky is the limit of what you can do with your exteriors. Secure the footing outside your front door, create a trendy indoors to outdoors flow with matching interior and exterior tiles, pave (or rather tile) a path through your back garden – whatever your vision is, you can realise it with the right outdoor tiles.

Outdoor tiles design ideas

There are a number of things that can affect your design choices when you’re choosing exterior tiles. As a general rule, you would, of course, be choosing outdoor floor tiles that match the overall style and colour scheme of your garden, with all the nuances of space and light.

OUTDOOR GARDEN TILES

If your outdoor areas are fairly open and filled with light, you should choose a bright colour that would accentuate the airiness of the garden. We recommend terracotta outdoor garden tiles for the fans of the shabby chic of southern Spanish architectures.

OUTDOOR TILE FOR YOUR PATIO

Another great way to spruce up your path or patio is to use outdoor patterned tiles. You can create a rustic vibe with Moroccan outdoor tiles, or design your own patterns with interlocking or modular effect tiles. An added benefit of using the latter is the natural anti slip effect finish they will create with the rough surface.

OUTDOOR DECKING STYLE TILES

If you are looking for decking tiles, wood effect outdoor tiles are a fantastic choice. Bringing the authentic back-to-nature feeling of a remote cabin in the woods right to your back garden, these exterior wood effect tiles are a durable alternative to real timber, and will transform your patio into a design masterpiece.

QUARRY TILES FOR OUTDOOR USE

Fans of traditional English cottage style can opt for the staple of British outdoor tiles – the quarry. You can experiment with the different shades of exterior quarry tiles now available on the market, adding classic year-round charm to your country style garden with a sprinkling of the small black or red outdoor tiles.

TILES FOR LARGE OUTDOOR AREAS

For outdoor areas that are smaller, or more exposed to the elements, we would suggest you use darker exterior tiles, ideally with a matt finish. To give the impression of open space, we recommend you invest in some large outdoor tiles. Now available in a variety of slab sizes and a palette of colours, outdoor slate tiles offer great durability and slick style guaranteed to transform your exteriors.

Here at Direct Tile Warehouse, we have a wide range of outdoor floor and wall tiles in stock – contact us to request free cut samples  or return to the top of the page and shop our full selection.