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Installing Outdoor Porcelain Tiles: Biggest Mistakes To Avoid

May 4, 2020

More and more homeowners are using porcelain tile on their homes, from their bathroom and kitchen to their patio and garden. The reason for this is because these landscape stones are durable and water-resistant in comparison to other materials. Likewise, they are easy to maintain, affordable, beautiful, and offer design flexibility.

Tiling is a home improvement job that you can do on your own. And if you’re planning to install your Porcea Stone porcelain tile, here are seven installation mistakes you need to avoid to complete your DIY project without any problems.

Unprepared Surface

Proper preparation is crucial to ensure that your porcelain tile installation goes as smooth and hassle-free as possible. So before starting with your task, do not forget to smooth and clean the surface where you’ll lay your Porcea Stone outdoor porcelain tiles, as well as get rid of any debris or sticks.

Moreover, slightly undulating (or wavy) surfaces can cause big headaches once your porcelain tiles are installed, so it is very critical that the entire installation area is leveled properly with a gradual slope towards one side for proper drainage of rainfall.

Not Laying The Tiles Out Fully Before Installation

Laying your tiles before installing them enables you to try and experiment with different patterns. Likewise, you will be able to see which layout goes well not only with your tile’s pattern but the overall space as well.

Porcelain tiles are excellent to use in spaces where a comfortable outdoor living area fuses into a busy kitchen. In such cases, select a tile that’s both slip-resistant and easy to clean. Our Porcea Ash Timber is an ideal choice as it has a look and design of hardwood flooring but with all of the benefits of porcelain tiles. This means that unlike composite or hardwood decking, which requires constant maintenance, staining, sealing & care, outdoor porcelain tiles are a zero-maintenance product.

Loose Tiles

Often, the current pavers you have are already beginning to come loose from the substrate. Usually, you won’t notice this problem unless you investigate further.

To determine whether your existing landscape materials are in good shape, hit it gently using a tool. If it sounds hollow, it means that your tile is not properly adhered to the surface. Sometimes it’s also due to the substrate you used.

Before you begin the tile installation process, it is important to properly remove the existing landscape paving that has been used, clean the area, re-level the surface, and then install your outdoor porcelain pavers onto the surface.

Using The Wrong Trowel Size

You must ensure that the size of your trowel matches the size of your Porcea Stone tiles. If you’ll use larger porcelain tiles, you want your thinset to be deeper. You can create this by using a trowel with deeper notches as it will enable you to adjust while laying the tiles.

When buying a thinset, look for phrases such as large format or large tile on the label. This type is a bit thicker and can hold larger tiles.

Not Applying The Thinset Evenly

Don’t let all the money you spent and hard work on installation go down the drain with tiles that crack or pop up. This is what will happen if you don’t apply an ample amount of thinset evenly. So don’t rush the installation of your Porcea Stone porcelain tiles and use a level throughout the process. You can prevent future headaches if you prepare the underlayment suitably.

Applying The Wrong Grout

One of the best ways to ruing the overall look of your tiling project is by using the wrong grout. What you want to achieve is even, clean, beautiful grout lines.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Use your trowel to mix the grout until it gets a consistency similar to that of peanut butter.
  • Utilizing a paddle or drill will introduce air, which tends to weaken the holding intensity.
  • When done applying the grout, let it rest for at least ten minutes. Do not skip this step or your grout will be weak, which leads to cracking.

Not Enough Room For Expansion And Contraction

Two of the most crucial things that affect the expansion and contraction of porcelain tiles are chemical reaction and curing concrete. Your tiles will pop in the air if it lacks proper joints. This is especially true if they are against adjacent surfaces.

Remember that both the tiles and other materials will expand and contract. So what you want to do is to have at least half an inch between the last line of your Porcea Stone tiles and the adjoining surface or material. It can be either on the wall or floor. Doing so will enable both materials to expand and contract accordingly.

Neglecting to Use Outdoor Porcelain Spacers

Porcea Stone has a special range of spacers that are designed specifically to be used when installing outdoor porcelain tiles. It is very important to not have the edges of your tiles touch each other as freeze-thaw cycles will cause slight shifts and ultimately, if the tiles are touching each other, there will be chipping.

Spacers help ensure there is ample distance between your tiles. Also, it is critical to use rectified tiles when installing porcelain as having too much gap between outdoor porcelain pavers will also cause problems down the road.

More and more homeowners are using porcelain tile on their homes, from their bathroom and kitchen to their patio and garden. The reason for this is because these landscape stones are durable and water-resistant in comparison to other materials. Likewise, they are easy to maintain, affordable, beautiful, and offer design flexibility.

Tiling is a home improvement job that you can do on your own. And if you’re planning to install your Porcea Stone porcelain tile, here are seven installation mistakes you need to avoid to complete your DIY project without any problems.

Unprepared Surface

Proper preparation is crucial to ensure that your porcelain tile installation goes as smooth and hassle-free as possible. So before starting with your task, do not forget to smooth and clean the surface where you’ll lay your Porcea Stone outdoor porcelain tiles, as well as get rid of any debris or sticks.

Moreover, slightly undulating (or wavy) surfaces can cause big headaches once your porcelain tiles are installed, so it is very critical that the entire installation area is leveled properly with a gradual slope towards one side for proper drainage of rainfall.

Not Laying The Tiles Out Fully Before Installation

Laying your tiles before installing them enables you to try and experiment with different patterns. Likewise, you will be able to see which layout goes well not only with your tile’s pattern but the overall space as well.

Porcelain tiles are excellent to use in spaces where a comfortable outdoor living area fuses into a busy kitchen. In such cases, select a tile that’s both slip-resistant and easy to clean. Our Porcea Ash Timber is an ideal choice as it has a look and design of hardwood flooring but with all of the benefits of porcelain tiles. This means that unlike composite or hardwood decking, which requires constant maintenance, staining, sealing & care, outdoor porcelain tiles are a zero-maintenance product.

Loose Tiles

Often, the current pavers you have are already beginning to come loose from the substrate. Usually, you won’t notice this problem unless you investigate further.

To determine whether your existing landscape materials are in good shape, hit it gently using a tool. If it sounds hollow, it means that your tile is not properly adhered to the surface. Sometimes it’s also due to the substrate you used.

Before you begin the tile installation process, it is important to properly remove the existing landscape paving that has been used, clean the area, re-level the surface, and then install your outdoor porcelain pavers onto the surface.

Using The Wrong Trowel Size

You must ensure that the size of your trowel matches the size of your Porcea Stone tiles. If you’ll use larger porcelain tiles, you want your thinset to be deeper. You can create this by using a trowel with deeper notches as it will enable you to adjust while laying the tiles.

When buying a thinset, look for phrases such as large format or large tile on the label. This type is a bit thicker and can hold larger tiles.

Not Applying The Thinset Evenly

Don’t let all the money you spent and hard work on installation go down the drain with tiles that crack or pop up. This is what will happen if you don’t apply an ample amount of thinset evenly. So don’t rush the installation of your Porcea Stone porcelain tiles and use a level throughout the process. You can prevent future headaches if you prepare the underlayment suitably.

Applying The Wrong Grout

One of the best ways to ruing the overall look of your tiling project is by using the wrong grout. What you want to achieve is even, clean, beautiful grout lines.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Use your trowel to mix the grout until it gets a consistency similar to that of peanut butter.
  • Utilizing a paddle or drill will introduce air, which tends to weaken the holding intensity.
  • When done applying the grout, let it rest for at least ten minutes. Do not skip this step or your grout will be weak, which leads to cracking.

Not Enough Room For Expansion And Contraction

Two of the most crucial things that affect the expansion and contraction of porcelain tiles are chemical reaction and curing concrete. Your tiles will pop in the air if it lacks proper joints. This is especially true if they are against adjacent surfaces.

Remember that both the tiles and other materials will expand and contract. So what you want to do is to have at least half an inch between the last line of your Porcea Stone tiles and the adjoining surface or material. It can be either on the wall or floor. Doing so will enable both materials to expand and contract accordingly.

Neglecting to Use Outdoor Porcelain Spacers

Porcea Stone has a special range of spacers that are designed specifically to be used when installing outdoor porcelain tiles. It is very important to not have the edges of your tiles touch each other as freeze-thaw cycles will cause slight shifts and ultimately, if the tiles are touching each other, there will be chipping.

Spacers help ensure there is ample distance between your tiles. Also, it is critical to use rectified tiles when installing porcelain as having too much gap between outdoor porcelain pavers will also cause problems down the road.

More and more homeowners are using porcelain tile on their homes, from their bathroom and kitchen to their patio and garden. The reason for this is because these landscape stones are durable and water-resistant in comparison to other materials. Likewise, they are easy to maintain, affordable, beautiful, and offer design flexibility.

Tiling is a home improvement job that you can do on your own. And if you’re planning to install your Porcea Stone porcelain tile, here are seven installation mistakes you need to avoid to complete your DIY project without any problems.

Unprepared Surface

Proper preparation is crucial to ensure that your porcelain tile installation goes as smooth and hassle-free as possible. So before starting with your task, do not forget to smooth and clean the surface where you’ll lay your Porcea Stone outdoor porcelain tiles, as well as get rid of any debris or sticks.

Moreover, slightly undulating (or wavy) surfaces can cause big headaches once your porcelain tiles are installed, so it is very critical that the entire installation area is leveled properly with a gradual slope towards one side for proper drainage of rainfall.

Not Laying The Tiles Out Fully Before Installation

Laying your tiles before installing them enables you to try and experiment with different patterns. Likewise, you will be able to see which layout goes well not only with your tile’s pattern but the overall space as well.

Porcelain tiles are excellent to use in spaces where a comfortable outdoor living area fuses into a busy kitchen. In such cases, select a tile that’s both slip-resistant and easy to clean. Our Porcea Ash Timber is an ideal choice as it has a look and design of hardwood flooring but with all of the benefits of porcelain tiles. This means that unlike composite or hardwood decking, which requires constant maintenance, staining, sealing & care, outdoor porcelain tiles are a zero-maintenance product.

Loose Tiles

Often, the current pavers you have are already beginning to come loose from the substrate. Usually, you won’t notice this problem unless you investigate further.

To determine whether your existing landscape materials are in good shape, hit it gently using a tool. If it sounds hollow, it means that your tile is not properly adhered to the surface. Sometimes it’s also due to the substrate you used.

Before you begin the tile installation process, it is important to properly remove the existing landscape paving that has been used, clean the area, re-level the surface, and then install your outdoor porcelain pavers onto the surface.

Using The Wrong Trowel Size

You must ensure that the size of your trowel matches the size of your Porcea Stone tiles. If you’ll use larger porcelain tiles, you want your thinset to be deeper. You can create this by using a trowel with deeper notches as it will enable you to adjust while laying the tiles.

When buying a thinset, look for phrases such as large format or large tile on the label. This type is a bit thicker and can hold larger tiles.

Not Applying The Thinset Evenly

Don’t let all the money you spent and hard work on installation go down the drain with tiles that crack or pop up. This is what will happen if you don’t apply an ample amount of thinset evenly. So don’t rush the installation of your Porcea Stone porcelain tiles and use a level throughout the process. You can prevent future headaches if you prepare the underlayment suitably.

Applying The Wrong Grout

One of the best ways to ruing the overall look of your tiling project is by using the wrong grout. What you want to achieve is even, clean, beautiful grout lines.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Use your trowel to mix the grout until it gets a consistency similar to that of peanut butter.
  • Utilizing a paddle or drill will introduce air, which tends to weaken the holding intensity.
  • When done applying the grout, let it rest for at least ten minutes. Do not skip this step or your grout will be weak, which leads to cracking.

Not Enough Room For Expansion And Contraction

Two of the most crucial things that affect the expansion and contraction of porcelain tiles are chemical reaction and curing concrete. Your tiles will pop in the air if it lacks proper joints. This is especially true if they are against adjacent surfaces.

Remember that both the tiles and other materials will expand and contract. So what you want to do is to have at least half an inch between the last line of your Porcea Stone tiles and the adjoining surface or material. It can be either on the wall or floor. Doing so will enable both materials to expand and contract accordingly.

Neglecting to Use Outdoor Porcelain Spacers

Porcea Stone has a special range of spacers that are designed specifically to be used when installing outdoor porcelain tiles. It is very important to not have the edges of your tiles touch each other as freeze-thaw cycles will cause slight shifts and ultimately, if the tiles are touching each other, there will be chipping.

Spacers help ensure there is ample distance between your tiles. Also, it is critical to use rectified tiles when installing porcelain as having too much gap between outdoor porcelain pavers will also cause problems down the road.

More and more homeowners are using porcelain tile on their homes, from their bathroom and kitchen to their patio and garden. The reason for this is because these landscape stones are durable and water-resistant in comparison to other materials. Likewise, they are easy to maintain, affordable, beautiful, and offer design flexibility.

Tiling is a home improvement job that you can do on your own. And if you’re planning to install your Porcea Stone porcelain tile, here are seven installation mistakes you need to avoid to complete your DIY project without any problems.

Unprepared Surface

Proper preparation is crucial to ensure that your porcelain tile installation goes as smooth and hassle-free as possible. So before starting with your task, do not forget to smooth and clean the surface where you’ll lay your Porcea Stone outdoor porcelain tiles, as well as get rid of any debris or sticks.

Moreover, slightly undulating (or wavy) surfaces can cause big headaches once your porcelain tiles are installed, so it is very critical that the entire installation area is leveled properly with a gradual slope towards one side for proper drainage of rainfall.

Not Laying The Tiles Out Fully Before Installation

Laying your tiles before installing them enables you to try and experiment with different patterns. Likewise, you will be able to see which layout goes well not only with your tile’s pattern but the overall space as well.

Porcelain tiles are excellent to use in spaces where a comfortable outdoor living area fuses into a busy kitchen. In such cases, select a tile that’s both slip-resistant and easy to clean. Our Porcea Ash Timber is an ideal choice as it has a look and design of hardwood flooring but with all of the benefits of porcelain tiles. This means that unlike composite or hardwood decking, which requires constant maintenance, staining, sealing & care, outdoor porcelain tiles are a zero-maintenance product.

Loose Tiles

Often, the current pavers you have are already beginning to come loose from the substrate. Usually, you won’t notice this problem unless you investigate further.

To determine whether your existing landscape materials are in good shape, hit it gently using a tool. If it sounds hollow, it means that your tile is not properly adhered to the surface. Sometimes it’s also due to the substrate you used.

Before you begin the tile installation process, it is important to properly remove the existing landscape paving that has been used, clean the area, re-level the surface, and then install your outdoor porcelain pavers onto the surface.

Using The Wrong Trowel Size

You must ensure that the size of your trowel matches the size of your Porcea Stone tiles. If you’ll use larger porcelain tiles, you want your thinset to be deeper. You can create this by using a trowel with deeper notches as it will enable you to adjust while laying the tiles.

When buying a thinset, look for phrases such as large format or large tile on the label. This type is a bit thicker and can hold larger tiles.

Not Applying The Thinset Evenly

Don’t let all the money you spent and hard work on installation go down the drain with tiles that crack or pop up. This is what will happen if you don’t apply an ample amount of thinset evenly. So don’t rush the installation of your Porcea Stone porcelain tiles and use a level throughout the process. You can prevent future headaches if you prepare the underlayment suitably.

Applying The Wrong Grout

One of the best ways to ruing the overall look of your tiling project is by using the wrong grout. What you want to achieve is even, clean, beautiful grout lines.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Use your trowel to mix the grout until it gets a consistency similar to that of peanut butter.
  • Utilizing a paddle or drill will introduce air, which tends to weaken the holding intensity.
  • When done applying the grout, let it rest for at least ten minutes. Do not skip this step or your grout will be weak, which leads to cracking.

Not Enough Room For Expansion And Contraction

Two of the most crucial things that affect the expansion and contraction of porcelain tiles are chemical reaction and curing concrete. Your tiles will pop in the air if it lacks proper joints. This is especially true if they are against adjacent surfaces.

Remember that both the tiles and other materials will expand and contract. So what you want to do is to have at least half an inch between the last line of your Porcea Stone tiles and the adjoining surface or material. It can be either on the wall or floor. Doing so will enable both materials to expand and contract accordingly.

Neglecting to Use Outdoor Porcelain Spacers

Porcea Stone has a special range of spacers that are designed specifically to be used when installing outdoor porcelain tiles. It is very important to not have the edges of your tiles touch each other as freeze-thaw cycles will cause slight shifts and ultimately, if the tiles are touching each other, there will be chipping.

Spacers help ensure there is ample distance between your tiles. Also, it is critical to use rectified tiles when installing porcelain as having too much gap between outdoor porcelain pavers will also cause problems down the road.

More and more homeowners are using porcelain tile on their homes, from their bathroom and kitchen to their patio and garden. The reason for this is because these landscape stones are durable and water-resistant in comparison to other materials. Likewise, they are easy to maintain, affordable, beautiful, and offer design flexibility.

Tiling is a home improvement job that you can do on your own. And if you’re planning to install your Porcea Stone porcelain tile, here are seven installation mistakes you need to avoid to complete your DIY project without any problems.

Unprepared Surface

Proper preparation is crucial to ensure that your porcelain tile installation goes as smooth and hassle-free as possible. So before starting with your task, do not forget to smooth and clean the surface where you’ll lay your Porcea Stone outdoor porcelain tiles, as well as get rid of any debris or sticks.

Moreover, slightly undulating (or wavy) surfaces can cause big headaches once your porcelain tiles are installed, so it is very critical that the entire installation area is leveled properly with a gradual slope towards one side for proper drainage of rainfall.

Not Laying The Tiles Out Fully Before Installation

Laying your tiles before installing them enables you to try and experiment with different patterns. Likewise, you will be able to see which layout goes well not only with your tile’s pattern but the overall space as well.

Porcelain tiles are excellent to use in spaces where a comfortable outdoor living area fuses into a busy kitchen. In such cases, select a tile that’s both slip-resistant and easy to clean. Our Porcea Ash Timber is an ideal choice as it has a look and design of hardwood flooring but with all of the benefits of porcelain tiles. This means that unlike composite or hardwood decking, which requires constant maintenance, staining, sealing & care, outdoor porcelain tiles are a zero-maintenance product.

Loose Tiles

Often, the current pavers you have are already beginning to come loose from the substrate. Usually, you won’t notice this problem unless you investigate further.

To determine whether your existing landscape materials are in good shape, hit it gently using a tool. If it sounds hollow, it means that your tile is not properly adhered to the surface. Sometimes it’s also due to the substrate you used.

Before you begin the tile installation process, it is important to properly remove the existing landscape paving that has been used, clean the area, re-level the surface, and then install your outdoor porcelain pavers onto the surface.

Using The Wrong Trowel Size

You must ensure that the size of your trowel matches the size of your Porcea Stone tiles. If you’ll use larger porcelain tiles, you want your thinset to be deeper. You can create this by using a trowel with deeper notches as it will enable you to adjust while laying the tiles.

When buying a thinset, look for phrases such as large format or large tile on the label. This type is a bit thicker and can hold larger tiles.

Not Applying The Thinset Evenly

Don’t let all the money you spent and hard work on installation go down the drain with tiles that crack or pop up. This is what will happen if you don’t apply an ample amount of thinset evenly. So don’t rush the installation of your Porcea Stone porcelain tiles and use a level throughout the process. You can prevent future headaches if you prepare the underlayment suitably.

Applying The Wrong Grout

One of the best ways to ruing the overall look of your tiling project is by using the wrong grout. What you want to achieve is even, clean, beautiful grout lines.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Use your trowel to mix the grout until it gets a consistency similar to that of peanut butter.
  • Utilizing a paddle or drill will introduce air, which tends to weaken the holding intensity.
  • When done applying the grout, let it rest for at least ten minutes. Do not skip this step or your grout will be weak, which leads to cracking.

Not Enough Room For Expansion And Contraction

Two of the most crucial things that affect the expansion and contraction of porcelain tiles are chemical reaction and curing concrete. Your tiles will pop in the air if it lacks proper joints. This is especially true if they are against adjacent surfaces.

Remember that both the tiles and other materials will expand and contract. So what you want to do is to have at least half an inch between the last line of your Porcea Stone tiles and the adjoining surface or material. It can be either on the wall or floor. Doing so will enable both materials to expand and contract accordingly.

Neglecting to Use Outdoor Porcelain Spacers

Porcea Stone has a special range of spacers that are designed specifically to be used when installing outdoor porcelain tiles. It is very important to not have the edges of your tiles touch each other as freeze-thaw cycles will cause slight shifts and ultimately, if the tiles are touching each other, there will be chipping.

Spacers help ensure there is ample distance between your tiles. Also, it is critical to use rectified tiles when installing porcelain as having too much gap between outdoor porcelain pavers will also cause problems down the road.