This depends on the application requirements. Porcelain tiles are manufactured as a cast-formed, pressed, cut and fired product. Due to this process, the porcelain may have some variance in dimension–length and width–or even thickness, all in a range within an acceptable industry standard. The tolerance range will vary by manufacturer. These tiles can be used without issue and can, in most cases be installed with a consistent 3/32”-1/8” open grout line.
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If although precision in spacing or small gaps between tiles or long horizontal alignment of lines is critical, these tiles could be a challenge. For these precise surface finish conditions, rectified tiles are the preferred choice. These tiles have a post production process such as cutting or grinding or other manufacturing method to uniformly size the tile in dimension and create a 90 degree edge face to the surface finish. This makes it possible to place tiles in long straight lines with a narrow 1/16” open gap or grout line. So if your project demands an indoor to outdoor floor, continuous space, a rectified tile is the solution.
MORE: other perspectives on rectified porcelain tile
Not necessarily. Standard porcelain tiles of reasonable quality can be used. These tiles are made from clays and other compatible material, mixed, blended, pressed, fired and glazed. They are recognizable by the color difference between the surface color and the body color. The newer wood plank tiles are a good example of this type of porcelain tile. These are affordable tiles and can be used with Outdoor Floor System®. In addition, they generally have more varied texture and styling. Two important details to consider.
Full body and thru body porcelains are manufactured with very select materials that are blended and pressed to create a tile that has a uniform color from the body thru the surface. No glazing or coating. Veining or similar variations full the complete tile thickness. These are usually 1/2-5/8” thick. If a chip occurs, there is minimal visual effect since the surface color is the same as the body.
Both types of porcelain can be used.
MORE: full body porcelain or glazed tile
MORE: what is full body
Yes. The porcelain industry grades tiles for exterior use based on a “coefficient of friction” or slip resistance. This does not mean a tile that does not meet this rating will not work or perform.It simply means it may be more slippery than the industry recommends. As a general rule, do not use a high polished or glazed tile. In addition, porcelain tiles will be rated with a “moisture absorption” rate. Tiles used for Outdoor Floor System® applications should be <0.05%.
These are a thicker porcelain tile 3/4” thick. They are full-body porcelains with very high breaking strengths. All 2cm porcelains can be used. They can be placed as a dry-lay or glue-bonded depending on the site requirements. Although they do not need to be glued down since they are a paver grade material, many users prefer to glue-bond using our Hold-Tite® adhesive because it stabilized the surface material, increases the surface strength due to the laminate bond and eliminates any micro movements or the sense of a floating floor.
Thin gauge tiles, either tile or natural stone, do not have enough internal strength to support live loads even when placed over a hard stable surface. Micro movements over time will cause the material to fracture. Alternatively, paver grade tile, stone or concrete can be walked on repeatedly without issue and without a glue-bond to a substrate. To achieve the same strength with a thin gauge material, it must be glue-bonded. Outdoor Floor System® is the optimal solution for using his material in an outdoor floor application. When the thin porcelain or natural stone tile is buttered with our Hold-Tite® adhesive, the tile becomes fixed to the Deck Plank creating a laminated panel, now stronger then the individual strengths of the separate materials. The tile can now perform in the sam manner as a paver but at 1/2 the weight.
Brazilian slates are generally consider the highest density and most durable. The quality can vary greatly depending on the global source. The nature of slate is a layered clay pressed together under compression. This makes slate more vulnerable to fracturing or shaling, peeling layers. Generally slate from India and China have softer and weaker layers. This can be identified by looking at the very visible edges of the the stone tile. Compare these to a Brazilian slate which has very tight layers, sometimes nearly invisible. This makes the Brazilian slate more durable. This is because this stone has been under heavier compression making the tone more dense.
Bluestone is a cut stone. As a cut stone, it is traditionally only offered in a paver grade, 1”-2” thick. In addition, depending on the source, many vendors do not cut the stone to tight dimensional tolerances as the material is generally mud-set into a bedding material with wide grout lines. The Outdoor Floor System® although, requires a uniform gauge, ±1/16” in all dimensions. The tighter the dimensional tolerance, the happier you will be with the installation. Modular pavers with varied dimension can be used. Flagstone style should not be used.
If the bluestone is available in a 3/4”-7/8” thick, it can be installed as a glue-down assembly using our Hold-Tite® adhesive with 1/16”-1/8” open joints for drainage. The stone must meet the minimum ±1/16” dimensional requirement for best results. This installation should be light weight and meet dead load standard deck framing dimensional construction requirements.
Replacement is very simple. Use a hammer and tap the tile to break it into small pieces. Remove the pieces using a small flat bar or stiff putty knife. Be careful not to apply pressure to the edges of adjoining tile. This can cause chipping. Once the small pieces are removed, scrape the adhesive residue from the Deck Plank with the same tool. The surface does not have to be completely free of old adhesive but rather smooth and flat. Once clean, take the new tile, extrude Hold-Tite® adhesive to the back of the tile and trowel with a 3/16” v-notch trowel. Place the tile and set with a little light pressure. Done.
Porcelain pavers are the hottest new trend in the hardscape industry. With unmatched resistance and efficiency in maintenance costs, it has proven to be a top choice of material even for the most demanding homeowners. Porcelain pavers come in a lot of options of design and color. But how thick are porcelain pavers, and what are their applications?
The good news is: porcelain pavers serves a lot of different applications, both indoors or outdoors. The resistance of porcelain makes it a good material even for factory floors and vehicular traffic. On the other hand, its delicacy and pristine look make it an excellent choice for elegant interior design.
So what is this magic? How is porcelain so good and versatile? What is the recommended thickness for each possible application? That’s what we are aiming to answer in this article, so let’s get to it.
Porcelain pavers can be found in two categories of thickness: standard thickness and 2 cm thickness.
The standard thickness category includes any pavers that are between 8 mm and 10 mm thick.
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These pavers are recommended for indoor use. The standard thickness pavers work best when protected from weather conditions and water. Also, for a vehicular traffic area, like a driveway or a garage, the standard thickness pavers can get damaged.
This damage happens not exactly because of the weight of the vehicles (again, porcelain pavers are very sturdy) but because of the shifting in place that can happen, especially in a dry installation.
That’s why, for outdoor use, it is recommended to use the 2 cm thickness category of pavers.
The 2 cm thickness pavers can hold themselves in place by their sheer weight. For that reason, they are an excellent choice for a dry installation, which is something you’ll usually want in an outdoor design.
The 2 cm pavers, again, due to their weight, don’t need adhesive during installation. As for the standard thickness pavers, some form of adhesion can be recommended in areas with high traffic.
Depending on what exactly you need for your installation, a certain thickness of paver is more recommended than the other. The following table presents some possibilities and recommendations of the proper thickness according to some characteristics of your installation.
If you have just discovered that porcelain pavers are an option, maybe some doubts are still on your mind. After all, when we think of porcelain the first thing that comes to mind are those old style porcelain wares, like plates, cups and bowls.
Well, that is a very common misconception.
That is indeed how porcelain started being used centuries ago in China. But throughout history, many cultures have developed technologies that improved the quality of porcelain to a point where it was even possible to be used in construction.
A modern examples of the use of porcelain in construction is the Dakin Building, located in Brisbane, California.
Nowadays, porcelain pavers are used in many applications and are considered to be a top choice due to their resistance and how easy they are to maintain.
Porcelain is a form of ceramic, but with a special kind of mineral on its structure: the mullite.
When heated to the high temperatures in which porcelain is made, between 2,200 and 2,600 °F, the mullite undergoes a process called vitrification, in which it, essentially, becomes a form of glass.
That’s what makes the porcelain such a high resistance without sacrificing the aesthetic appeal. To answer our own question, that’s how the magic happens.
It doesn’t matter how thick your porcelain pavers are, as long as you keep a good maintenance of them, they can last for years and years. And this maintenance really is simple. Some simple guidelines and practices will suffice.
Now that you know how thick are porcelain pavers, what are the advantages of using them and the proper way to maintain it, the only thing left in to get your own and add them to your hardscape or interior design project.
Being a growing trend, porcelain is easy to find on most contractors who work with pavers and natural stone. Look for a professional you can trust and start planning your next steps.
An in case you are around the Sarasota and Manatee Counties, in FL, why not give us here at Eagle Pavers a call?
For the last 14 years, we’ve been serving the area with only the best when it comes to paver supply. Our customers who have acquired porcelain pavers have never regretted it.
For more information, please visit China 2cm Paver Factory.