OUTDOOR S-TILE
LESLEY TAYLOR suggests a garden project or two might help you keep calm in these troubled times
DURING this unusual time, where more and more of us are trying to deal with the prospect of self-isolating due to coronavirus, there is a need to find things to do to reduce stress and anxiety. In order to look after our own wellbeing this could be the ideal time to tackle a new hobby. You may be part of the Netflix crowd and want to catch up on some TV shows that you’ve missed, or perhaps you’ve been calmed by the prospect of painting your first masterpiece or writing your first top ten hit.
According to This Morning presenter Rochelle Humes, there has been a huge surge in recent days in the purchase of bulbs and perennials as many of us get outdoors and make the most of our gardens by creating that vision of a leafy oasis just outside the kitchen door.
Plants and flowers can add colour and texture to your garden but this could be the perfect opportunity to inject your outdoor area with personality and design by using some of the wide ranges of tiles now available to enhance your outdoor space. While many of the same considerations used for indoor tiles also affect your choice of outdoor patio tiles, there are some issues that need to be kept foremost in mind.
FREEZING CONDITIONS
IN Britain we are exposed to frosts and freezing conditions that are then eventually followed by a thaw, so you will need an outdoor patio tile that can withstand diverse, all-yearround, changes in temperature.
Water absorption rates between porcelain and sandstone are very different and the latter, being very porous would crack when frozen.
Porcelain tiles, on the other hand, absorb very little moisture, meaning they are really easy to maintain as stains don’t get into the body of the tile, unlike natural stone for example.
But it also means water cannot penetrate into the core of the product and then expand when it freezes. That is what causes so many products to crack in the cold weather.
WET WEATHER
BUT frost isn’t the only issue the products we place on surfaces outside need to cope with. Rain is a pretty regular occurrence in the UK, so thinking about the slip resistance of flooring is a big consideration.
Choosing the right slip-resistance for any tiles you use outside very much depends on whether you are likely to walk over the surface regularly when it’s wet.
The path leading to your front door for example, really should have a tile that works well underfoot when wet or dry. Therefore, a tile that is classed as anti-slip would be advantageous.
A patio that’s only used when the sun is shining is a different matter. A frost-resistant, matt-finished porcelain tile would be ideal, even when it isn’t actually classed as antislip. However, I would strongly suggest you avoid any tiles with a polished surface as simply walking from moist grass onto this type of surface could be risky.
I know many people are used to seeing polished marble used externally abroad, but natural stones do absorb a certain amount of moisture through the tiny pores within the product and it is never as slippery when wet as shiny porcelain, despite this, it cannot cope with frost, so isn’t as great a choice for patios in the UK.
STYLE
YOU want your outdoor space to blend in with the style of the landscape that you are adding it to, so it is really important to match the design of your home to the new design and colours of your patio.
Try to pick materials with textures and colours that are compatible with the overall style of your home.
Tiles are so varied in style you can inject the same personality into your garden as you can in your home.
Also, don’t forget many of the items you use to dress your living spaces in the home can be simply transferred into the garden when you are entertaining there.
■ Lesley Taylor BIID is Lead Designer at EDIT Home and Design, edithomeanddesign.co.uk