Wooden porches in country houses are usually simply painted or, in extreme cases, lined with decking. For the design of concrete or brick structures of this type, in most cases, tiles are used. There are several types of such material, which are excellent for finishing the porches of private residential buildings.
Basic Requirements
Choose outdoor tiles for the porch, of course, should be as carefully as possible. This material should be:
- non-slip even when wet;
- aesthetically appealing;
- abrasion resistant;
- UV resistant.
The load on the porches of country houses is significant. In winter, outdoor stairs often have to be cleared of ice and snow using special tools, so the tiles on the porch, among other things, must also be very durable, as well as resistant to the appearance ofscratches.
Wear resistance and other characteristics
Choosing for the porch should be first of all a tile, in the marking of which there is an image of a foot. The material with a “palm” is intended exclusively for wall cladding, including outdoors.
Also in the marking of tiles when buying it, you should pay attention to the presence of strokes under the foot. This image indicates an increased degree of wear resistance of the material. The snowflake on the label indicates that the tile can be used on sidewalks and porches in cold climates.
You can also learn about the degree of wear resistance by the numbers on the package. This indicator is marked with numbers from 1 to 5. The larger the number, the more resistant the tile is to abrasion.
When choosing a street tile for a porch, you need to pay attention to the number after the letter R. It indicates the degree of sliding of the material. The most suitable tile for porches is the one that is marked with the number 13.
What types can be used for street stairs
It is believed that three types of tiles are well suited for facing outdoor porches:
- clinker;
- porcelain stoneware;
- pavement.
The most expensive of these three types of material is clinker. Paving slabs are a budget option for covering a porch. These materials are considered the most suitable for finishing street stairs due to the fact thathave the least degree of slip.
What is clinker lining
This tile is appreciated by the owners of summer cottages not only because it does not slip even when wet, but also due to its increased resistance to adverse weather factors. Even severe and frequent temperature changes have absolutely no negative effect on this material.
Another advantage of this tile is its high degree of durability. Such material can serve on the porch for a long time. In terms of strength, clinker tiles are second only to natural stone.
The advantages of this type of cladding include resistance to aggressive environments. Clinker outdoor tiles for the porch are also worth choosing because they will not crack or peel off even if the paths in the settlement are sprinkled with s alt or products containing it in winter.
Clinker tile reviews
The opinion about this type of facing material from the owners of suburban areas has been extremely positive. It is almost impossible to find bad reviews on the Web about such a tile.
Most owners of private houses recommend purchasing German or Dutch-made clinker material for finishing porches. At the moment, this is the best street tile in terms of performance. It's perfect for porch steps. Russian-made tiles also deserve good reviews from owners of private residential buildings. By degreeit is slightly inferior to the wear resistance of the German and Dutch finishes, but at the same time it is also cheaper.
Porcelain tiles
This material is also often used for facing porches. The advantages of porcelain stoneware include, first of all, the richness of colors. Also, the advantage of this version of the cladding is that it is not scratched under the influence of abrasive particles. If desired, you can choose porcelain stoneware street tiles for the porch, smooth, rough or ribbed. In terms of cost, these types of cladding practically do not differ.
What do the owners of suburban areas think about porcelain stoneware
Reviews of this type of finish for porches on the Web are also mostly good. For street stairs, owners of suburban areas recommend purchasing exclusively anti-slip material of this variety. To serve such a tile on the porch, judging by the reviews of the owners of private houses, can be up to 7-10 years.
Paving slabs
The material of this variety is inferior in strength to the two described above. But even such a non-slip street tile for the porch fits very well. It can last quite a long time in the future. The advantage of such a cladding, in addition to low cost, is an aesthetic appearance. In terms of the richness of shapes, reliefs and colors, the tile of this variety surpasses even porcelain stoneware. Mainly due to the low cost, such cladding is by far the most popular among owners of summer cottages. ThisPorches are most often lined with material.
Classification of paving cladding
At the moment, there are three varieties of such non-slip outdoor tiles, suitable for the porch very well:
- vibrating plate;
- vibropressed;
- granite.
The most budget option in this case is the first type of cladding. Such tiles are made, including in a handicraft way. That is why it is distinguished by a wide variety of colors and shapes. Some disadvantage of this lining is the ability to absorb moisture. Therefore, in cold regions in winter, such material can be destroyed. Use of this type of cladding is recommended only in areas with a temperate or warm climate.
Vibropressed anti-slip tiles for the outdoor porch are also very good. It is produced only in industrial enterprises. In terms of variety of designs, it is inferior to the first type of material. But at the same time, such a cladding is superior to vibrating tiles in terms of strength and durability.
The advantages of granite tiles include, first of all, a solid appearance. Such a cladding is quite expensive.
Paving slab reviews
This version of the finishing material is kept on the porch, as the owners of houses note, usually for a long time. But the owners of suburban areas recommend observing the rules for the operation of paving slabs exactly. Otherwise such a cheap claddingwon't last a couple of years on a street staircase.
Rubber tiles
This material is used for finishing porches less often than the three varieties described above. But rubberized street tiles for the porch can come up very well. At least, the owners of country houses will not have to be afraid that such a lining will deteriorate from water. In particular, this tile option has earned good reviews precisely from owners of low-rise real estate in regions with a humid climate.
This type of tile is made from industrial waste. And that is why it is very inexpensive. The surface of the finishing material of this variety is rough. And so this tile is also practically non-slip. The appearance of this material, judging by the available reviews, is quite aesthetic. In any case, it will not be difficult to choose a rubber tile that is in harmony with the design of the building itself and the yard.
Types of tiles by design and dimensions
In this regard, the material is distinguished:
- glossy;
- matte;
- polished;
- structural;
- embossed;
- grungy.
All these types of tiles are suitable for porches. But it is best to choose, as already mentioned, rough or embossed tiles for such stairs.
The size of outdoor tiles for the porch in width and height can be different. The choice of material in this case depends only on the characteristics of the landscape.home design.
The thickness of the facing tiles can also vary within fairly large limits. In this regard, there are finishes:
- pedestrian - 30 mm;
- universal - 50-60mm;
- monolithic - up to 80 mm.
The thickness of outdoor tiles for the porch is usually chosen not too large. Cheaper 30 mm pedestrian material is quite suitable for such a ladder.
Installation technology
All types of cladding described above are mounted on the porch using almost the same technology. Below we consider the method of finishing the street stairs using the most popular paving slabs. In most cases, such a cladding is fastened to cement glue. At the same time, they begin finishing the stairs from the bottom step. According to the rules, the tread is first finished, and then the riser.
The porch tiling technology looks like this:
- glue is applied to the back of the tile;
- apply the element to the surface of the porch, level it and press it firmly.
First, corner tiles are mounted in this way. Then the intermediate ones are glued. When laying, it is imperative to monitor the width of the seams. It should be the same over the entire area of the porch. Otherwise, the finish will look sloppy. In order for the seams to be as even as possible, slats of a given thickness or special plastic elements are used when laying tiles.
Featuresoperation
Thus, the owners of country houses should choose non-slip clinker, cement, stone or rubberized street tiles for the porch. All these types of material can serve for a very long time. However, so that the life of such a cladding is not reduced, it is, of course, necessary to take care of it correctly. To make the tile last as long as possible, it is not recommended:
- in winter, clean it with metal tools - shovels, scrapers, brushes;
- use aggressive chemicals to clean tiles from dirt in summer or ice from ice in winter.
Wash this lining should be using the mildest household products, diluting them in plenty of water.
Can it be dyed
In some cases, the owners of country houses can also use very inexpensive street tiles for the porch. To paint such material to make it more attractive, experts do not advise. Perhaps, from an aesthetic point of view, the material will really benefit from this. But the performance of painted tiles, unfortunately, will decrease.
First of all, such a lining will become more slippery after processing with paintwork. In addition, even the best paint, as you know, does not differ in special wear resistance. Soon, the tile treated in this way will begin to fade and peel off. It will be very difficult to clean off the remnants of paint from it. The tile, most likely, in this case will have to be changed or a new one laid on top of it.
