Decorating your backyard in the first phase requires planning and design. For some people, creating the perfect backyard is instinctive: they know what they want and have a good idea of how to achieve that look in their own way. Again, for most people, this is a rather complicated process, because designing isn’t the most crucial part. The emphasis lies on how the yard or garden survives and eventually comes out looking better. The essence of a lovely decorated yard or open outdoor space which also complements the indoors is in providing enjoyment and quality time, relaxation, relief from stressful life, and socialization or peace within a green oasis. For those who have a small yard, need not worry, you can still get your outdoor patio tile ideas, for an everyday joy.

What do you need to know?

One of the best ways of achieving a perfectly practical outdoor patio is by continuing hard surfaces from the inside to the outside. Quite simply you allow your garden to become an extension of your home. Hard landscaping is ideal from a practical point of view and will last for long years. It even ties pretty well with its surroundings. The growing trend is to have a continuous, matching surface from the inside out. These choices totally depend on how you plan to fix the material. If you are fixing onto a solid concrete base with adhesive as you would fix inside, thinner thickness slabs can be used. If perhaps you have a large area to cover and a mix of sand and cement is your base, thicker slabs are the best bet. We offer many of our natural stone tiles in both interior and exterior thicknesses allowing you to easily achieve this seamless scenario.

What are the types of tiles you can use?

Natural stone tiles are the best tiles for the outdoor patio as it offers a wealth of choice and is undeniably beautiful to choose. The most economical options for outdoor patio tile ideas are usually sandstone and slate tiles. These materials have great natural slip resistance, as the majority is available in a natural-textured or ‘riven’ finish. On the other end, even smooth or ‘honed’ sandstone tiles can be considered suitable for exterior use. From among the various sizes available, which allow you to lay in more traditional patterns, or for a more contemporary look, you can opt for single sizes. Other natural materials include marble tiles, limestone tiles, granite tiles and travertine tiles that are available in larger flagstones or traditional cobble formats.

Figure in your mind the shades you prefer. Lighter shades look great when it’s all sparkly, clean & new but not so smart when covered in green algae! However, if you’re prepared to put in some extra work or have a south-facing terrace, they may well be a great choice for you. Greys, buffs, and blacks are generally more forgiving. There’s always the option of using a protective stone tile sealer but many people are prone to leave the outdoor stone upon weather naturally. In terms of maintenance, you can go for a simple sweep-over or going out with the hoover that always works! It’s worth noting that all the materials outside, tend to lighten over time but in certain cases, this seems to help them settle for the scheme of their surroundings.

Choosing the best tile for outdoor patio

Before choosing the type of tiles, several factors need to be kept foremost in mind:

•    Strength: Outdoor tiles need to be particularly strong, to be able to withstand a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions.
•    Budget: A patio is quite an expansive space, and covering it with luxury tile can cost far more. For this reason, the range in price should be as low as possible.
•    Style: Outdoor patios must blend in with the overall looks of the landscape and the architectural features and materials of the house. Choose materials with colors and textures that are consistent with the overall look of your property.
•    Texture and Slip Resistance: The texture of a tile is very important in outdoor applications. The tile texture must provide some grooves that keep users from slipping. Non-slip surfaces are crucial for outdoor tiles.

Wood decking your outdoors

Composite wood decking gives the best of both worlds. It blends modern technology with a realistic wood look such that you can achieve a gorgeous look also without the challenges of traditional wood

Composite deck flooring is like luxury vinyl from the flooring market. Composite decks may someday be embraced as the outdoor flooring of the future.

Wood is notorious for being high-maintenance. The problems of its expansion, contraction, and termites, wood rot, refinishing, etc. goes on and on! Composite decking allows simply cleaning off the deck with soap and water when it gets dirty.

Composite floors, unlike wood, are made to be fire resistant to keep the floor and, more importantly, the family safe.

Purchase your solid wood from a reputable source and make sure that it was legally harvested.

Not every outdoor flooring option works or looks good on a smaller upstairs balcony but composite deck tiles do!

Climate playing a major factor

Natural materials like travertine, marble, and slate are due to their rugged beauty and durability. Fabricated materials such as terracotta are much sought after due to their fabulous look fabulous but they work well in warmer temperatures. Porcelain is the material that gets the best balance between beauty and elegance along with durability and low porosity. Climate should be the first criteria to address when choosing tile material. The choice will very much depend on your geographical location and its associated seasonal weather patterns.