Purchasing Porcelain Tiles

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Porcelain is a ceramic material pressed into the desired format (shape) and fired at around 1,200 degrees which eradicates almost 100% of the moisture. The nature of manufacturing means that porcelain has minimal water absorption (not more than 0.5%.) but is also an extremely hard and durable material. 

With over 20 years experience of sourcing products for commercial and residential applications, alongside our technical experience of R&D and manufacturing of ceramic and porcelain we have a wealth of knowledge in the manufacture and supply of this product. The products we offer are supplied to some of the most demanding market sectors in the the world and not only meet but often exceed any technical requirements.

Porcelain Benefits (summary)

Porcelain tile & external porcelain paving comes in a variety of sizes and finishes the manufacturing process means porcelain can replicate most natural stones and unlike many stone products porcelain is generally produced with precision tolerance. All our porcelain paving is minimum R11 but more importantly is PTV 36+.

The nature of porcelain manufacture also provides more than aesthetic benefits, for example:

• It is relatively simple to install
• Once installed and in use, porcelain paving is virtually maintenance free; it doesn’t stain, is highly resistant to scratches and is UV and frost-proof. 
• Anti-Slip
• Often natural stone or concrete slabs are used on patios; however, these materials can require regular cleaning and sealing, and can look a little old fashioned. If you are looking for a long-lasting and modern looking alternative to traditional flooring or paving products, porcelain is the perfect choice.

Overall, with the amount of choice in both colour and designs now available to the consumer, porcelain paving is often seen as the ultimate product for that contemporary finish too an outdoor space. With the trends for the future combining the indoor with the outdoor the use of porcelain will become increasing standard over the next few years.

Can I use any porcelain tile in my outdoor space?

The short answer to this question is if it is a natural finish and anti slip then yes. However, the key consideration for the type of porcelain used outside is usage and application. 20mm+ are manufactured specifically for usage externally they have the strength, durability and slip rating to meet the demands of external usage.  8-10mm porcelain tiles can be used outside however 20mm porcelain has a number of installation methods available to the consumer 8-10mm porcelain must be installed via the conventional screed & adhesive method only.

Is porcelain paving difficult to cut?

Porcelain is a very hard a durable material and in short you need the appropriate equipment other than that 20mm porcelain can be cut and fabricated as per other materials please see our installation guide for further information or visit our blog post on cutting porcelain paving.

What is the best method for installation?

The short answer to this is it depends on what finish you are attempting to achieve, the usage and location. Typically four main methods exist please see our installation guide or blog post on installing porcelain paving for further information.

How to maintain porcelain ?

Porcelain paving is simple to maintain please see our installation guide for further information.

What is Rectified / Non Rectified?

Rectification is an additional manufacturing process, generally rectified product enables a perfectly straight edge and has perceived aesthetic value to non rectified products we only offer rectified products here at Premier Porcelain.

Can you acquire finishing products for porcelain?

The short answer is yes you can but often these require a bespoke production please visit our Bespoke Product section.

Can you install porcelain paving on a driveway?

Products suitable for driveway installation are now available, generally the answer to this question has a number considerations, traffic, load bearing, quality of paving and installation. We have a number of ranges that can be used for driveway installation please click the link to driveway porcelain slabs please see our post on driveway products for further details.

Is all porcelain paving of the same standard?

Firstly, no UK manufacturing of porcelain paving exists therefore all porcelain is imported into the UK. The increase in demand both in the UK and overseas has seen a substantial increase in manufacturers producing 20mm porcelain. The debate between who produces the most high-quality porcelain has been discussed for many years. The true fact is there are good and bad producers in all locations but in essence regardless of the origin the old adage of you get what you pay for generally stands true.

Here at Premier Porcelain we have over 20 years’ experience of sourcing ceramic products from across the globe, we regularly audit our suppliers to ensure they meet our requirements and we only supply from the leading manufacturers that we have confidence will provide high quality fit for purpose product.

What you should look out for when purchasing porcelain?

You may see the term vitrified porcelain paving or porcelain tiles this is not a unique selling point all quality porcelain will be fully vitrified -vitrification occurs in the firing process its nothing more than a reaction of the materials when fired at a specific temperature.

Look at the definition of the design poor definition means inferior production or materials being used.

Rectified edges are beneficial to provide uniform sizing and minimal grout joints

Check the anti slip properties R11 is a minimum requirement.

Check the country of origin! Think you’re buying premium porcelain from Europes leading producers? Then double check the country of manufacture or you may be buying paving not produced in the advertised country of origin This is not an issue for us we can supply any data required on the COO regarding your paving.

What else should I be aware of when considering porcelain paving?

In the main porcelain paving is easy to install has infinite design options and maintance free, however it does require some addition patience and consideration regarding handling and installation please read or installation guide for further information.

Is porcelain worth the extra cost?

Of course we would say yes, the simple facts are the benefits far outweigh the marginal extra cost of porcelain paving versus stone such as: Durability, breaking strength, anti slip, frost proof, easy to maintain, multiple installation options and finally infinite design options.

Applications of Porcelain

• Court yards
• Garages
• Gardens
• Paths
• Outdoor stairs
• Outdoor public areas
• Swimming pool surrounds
• Verandas
• Driveways*

Benefits Porcelain

• Easy to install
• Resistant to breaking loads
• Unaffected by the passing of time
• Resistant to thermal shock
• Easy to clean
• Superior non slip performance
• Perfect indoor/outdoor coordination
• Removable for ease of inspection
• Can be reused
• Frost proof and fireproof
• Not affected by acids
• Eco friendly

How to order your porcelain tiles

Please carefully measure the area to be paved or tiles L x W to determine the M2 required for your project and factor in + 5-10% for cuts and wastage.

We advise to purchase a modest amount of additional paving to keep for furfure reference as we cannot guarantee additional pavers will be from the same shade and batch. We advice you to careful measure your area as we can only accept certain returns from excess paving and any returns will be subject to a restocking fee.

Please remember if you need more paving at a later date that these products are produced in batches it is not always possible to replace or provide more product from the exact same batch.

Careful measurement and factoring in the extras for cuts and wastage also means you should not be left with significant excess porcelain tiles. You should always keep a few spare tiles for the future as it is not always possible to replace or provide more product from the exact same batch.

We advice you to careful measure your area as we can only accept certain returns from excess paving and any returns will be subject to a restocking fee.