Are you building a new driveway or patio? Determining if you should get exterior tiles for your outdoor needs is not an easy decision to make — particularly as there are numerous materials that may work just as well. In this blog, we’re providing you with five outdoor flooring options to help you decide which material is best suited for your needs, as well as a handy comparison of each.
Once you’ve found the material you feel most comfortable with, we’re also going to suggest different styles that can work within your space and budget. Without further ado, here are your different outdoor flooring options.
- Exterior Tiles – Tiles that are installed outdoors must be sealed properly to ensure that they can withstand winter and cold weather. They must be highly slip-resistant as well, so your guests wouldn’t have to watch their every step for fear of slipping. Choose tiles that are designed specifically for the outdoors, which is typically dense with low absorption ratings. You should ensure that your installer uses a sealant to further protect the grout from cracking with extensive use.
Tiles are perfect for pool decks, front porches, garden stepping stones, and patios. They can create a classic appearance to your space, particularly when you use accent tiles to create a border. You can also install contrasting tiles in different patterns.
When it comes to exterior tiles, an ideal option would be terrazzo tiles. This material has been used on the most demanding environments in Australia, including airports, shopping centres, and railroad stations, among others, thereby giving you an idea of how durable the material can be. Terrazzo also comes in a variety of designs and colours, which can accent your space the way you want it based on your own theme and preferences.
- Natural Stone – If you are unsure of using tiles, then you can also explore the options provided by natural stones. On the downside, natural stone can be expensive to import, so you’ll have to settle for the local stone in your region. This doesn’t give you a lot of options if you’re trying to find an affordable solution such as exterior tiles, but if you can afford to bring them in, then natural stone can be really durable and, if installed properly, is virtually maintenance-free.
Natural stone as a flooring option is ideal for driveway accents, front porches, patios, pool decks, and walkways. You can simply use the natural colour of the stone and lay them in an interesting pattern, or create a mosaic pathway.
- Wood – Wood as outdoor flooring is perhaps the cheapest among all the options. Unfortunately, this is the one that requires the most upkeep as it has to be resealed every year or two. However, this is ideal for pool decks or raised decks. Design options for woods are very straightforward and traditional.
- Concrete – Unlike exterior tiles that are embraced by those with a keen eye for detail, concrete is generally used by those who have a straightforward approach to their space and simply want functional flooring. A slab of concrete is inexpensive, although once it cracks, it might be tricky to repair. Concrete is ideal for driveways, front porches, garden paths, patios, and pool areas.
In terms of design, there are those who offer concrete in a variety of designs, such as bricks and flagstones.
- Brick – If you are considering a brick-designed cement however, why not go for the real thing? Bricks are low maintenance and slip resistant, and can be installed in a number of interesting patterns. Similar to exterior tiles, the design options for bricks are limitless. Bricks are perfect for driveways, front porches, garden walkways, patios, and pool decks. However, it can be slippery when wet.
There you have it — a handy guide to other outdoor flooring options. Once you have decided on what material to use, you can then head over to your local supplier and see if they can source the materials for you.
If you want to get exterior tiles such as terrazzo tiles, check out Terrazzo Australian Marble. This company has been involved in the terrazzo business for over four decades, which guarantees that you’ll get topnotch services and high quality materials.