Enjoying the Great Outdoors

Porcelain paver installations satisfy consumer demand for exceptional exterior spaces

By Sean Smith

Over the last two years, demand for home renovations has reached an unprecedented level, as residents use household savings to tackle remodelling projects both inside and out. And with the rise in exterior upgrades has come the corresponding growth in the use of porcelain pavers.

Porcelain pavers have gained in popularity as an alternative to conventional hardscape materials. Not only do they boast the beauty of their interior porcelain counterparts but at 20-millimetres thick, they’re extremely strong and durable. They also offer the look and feel of natural stone, concrete, wood and metal, but with the added benefits of being low maintenance and stain, salt, chemical and water-resistant, enabling them to handle even the harshest outdoor environments. This lends to porcelain pavers’ versatility — they can be utilized in a wide range of applications that include the use of a traditional mortar bed (wet-lay), granular or sand bed (dry-lay), interlocking base panels or pedestal systems.

WET-LAY VERSUS DRY-LAY

Much like a flagstone installation where vehicular traffic is intended, or on a staircase, for walls and pool copings, porcelain pavers are best-suited to a wet-lay or mortar application. Using an exterior grade tile mortar and a suitable structurally sound concrete base, the pavers can be installed with the knowledge that they will be permanently bonded and not move.

As with a thinner tile installation, outdoor rated grout can be applied in the open spaces between pavers, giving the tiled area a clean, finished look. Since weather can affect the use of mortar and grout outdoors, it is recommended to follow manufacturer installation guidelines and ensure the conditions during installation are within the product’s tolerances to achieve best results.

In certain areas, grout may not be the ideal choice. In this case, silicone can be used. Many manufacturers have developed colour

matching silicones that can be used along with their grouts to create a cohesive and unified look. Where or if needed, trim profiles are available in a variety of finishes to accommodate the thick tile edges.

For patios, walkways and areas of pedestrian traffic, porcelain pavers can be dry-laid much like interlocking brick and some flagstone project installations. Given the thickness of the pavers and strength, they don’t require a mortar bed and concrete. Much like a typical interlocking brick build, an area is excavated and prepped with a compacted granular base before laying the tiles.

One notable difference between a tile and interlocking brick installation is the tiles are not laid tightly together. A gap is required to protect the finished edge of the tile (like that of a square cut flagstone). The gap is then filled with a porcelain tile polymeric sand. A rubber mallet is used to agitate the sand to the bottom of the joint. Water is then applied according to manufacturer directions to activate the polymers in the sand.

INTERLOCKING BASE PANELS

Another possible installation method involves an interlocking panel system in conjunction with a sand bed. This option, which should be employed in areas with pedestrian traffic only, uses recyclable, foam interlocking panels designed to support the static load above and distribute the weight over a greater area. The advantage to this method is it requires shallower excavation and less base material than a typical granular base installation. Much like the latter, the project area is excavated and compacted to obtain a uniform subsoil base. A filter cloth is laid throughout the excavated site followed by a thin layer of sand, which is compacted and graded. The interlocking foam panels are laid over the sand in an offset pattern followed by the tiles in the chosen pattern. The panel manufacturer’s spacers/discs are used as the tiles are being laid to ensure even joints between the tiles, as well as to provide a surface area for adhesive to form a bond that connects all the tiles together. To finish, porcelain tile polymeric sand is applied according to manufacturer directions.

PEDESTAL SYSTEMS

A popular choice for porcelain paver installations on a patio has been the use of a pedestal system. Pedestals are a strong, lightweight and serviceable alternative to using an aggregate base to raise a floor to a desired height, especially on a rooftop area. These elevated systems create usable environments that can hide drains, substrates and ventilation yet still provide easy access underneath.

There are a number of different pedestal system designs. Some include the use of stackable components, while others use adjustable pieces with optional extension components to reach a desired height. Then there are those that combine pedestals with aluminum rails or plastic modules (trays) to create platforms for the tiles to be laid. With any pedestal system, spacers are used to create even, open joints between the tiles to allow water to freely drain from the tile surface onto the substrate below.

It’s important to keep in mind that pedestal systems are designed to be used for pedestrian traffic only and installed over a stable and solid structure (wood, concrete or metal). Also, pedestals should not be installed on soil or granular material because of possible settlement over time. This settlement could possibly cause shifting or tilting of the pedestals, compromising their stability and the pavers sitting on top.

When using pedestal systems, tile manufacturers will often specify safe maximum height, maximum slope percentage and number of pedestal points or positions per tile to ensure the greatest support and stability of the installation. In some cases, the manufacturer may also recommend the use of a particular type of pedestal system based on tile dimension and/or the final height of the installation.

With the complexities and design layouts of today’s projects, some pedestal manufacturers have created tools like estimators and calculators to help installers determine the type and number of components that may be required for a project. Some manufacturers also provide engineering services to assist with calculating/estimating the components needed.

THE PERFECT PAVER

Tile manufacturers pay close attention to design trends and make adjustments to their collections to ensure they’re modern-looking. Today’s pavers are produced in a wide range of colours, textures and styles, including natural stone looks like quartz and marble, wood-look from barnboard to deck board, finished concrete, exposed aggregate-look, painted and aged metal looks. Often, each style is available in a range of sizes, though 24-inch by 24-inch is the most common. Whether rectangular planks or large squares, there is a paver with the size and shape to fit any scale project, large or small.

Sean Smith is the exterior tile sales representative with Centura Tile in Toronto, one of the largest distributors of floor and wall coverings with several locations across Canada. Sean has more than 20 years of experience in the landscape construction industry working as an installer and project manager on both residential and commercial projects.