How Do I Lay Outdoor Tiles?
Home renovation isn’t as daunting as it sounds. There are many outdoor tiles available for your landscape. Whether you want to give your space a retro-finish or a modern design, non slip outdoor tiles can make the best option for your renovation projects. A majority of Australian homeowners use outdoor stone tiles to design their patios. Not only are they durable, but these outdoor floor tiles are known for their visual appeal. Outdoor tile is a perfect way to dress up your driveway, pool deck, and patio. If you still have those concrete slabs on your exteriors, it is time to make some changes to your landscape and give it a perfect makeover.
Australian stone markets have different types of natural stones available in abundance. These cheap outdoor tiles vary in sizes, shapes, texture, color, and designs. The professional contractors charge a fortune when it comes to exterior paving. That’s quite fair considering the amount of time and hard work the installation process requires. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend those extra bucks on professional paving jobs. In this article, we will walk you through a few easy steps for installing outdoor tiles.
Order Outdoor Tiles
Start with measuring the total outdoor space that needs to be paved. Grab the tape and measure the length and width of the surface. You can calculate the area in square footage to get a clear picture of the total pavers needed for the area. It is best to add an extra 10% to the total calculation. There is a chance you may need to cut the outdoor floor tiles to fit them in the small spaces.
If you still have not figured out the perfect natural stone for your driveways or patios, then talk to the stone supplier. Outdoor tiles Sydney suppliers will help you identify the best material for your requirements. Note that the pavers you choose for the driveway and other high traffic areas will be different from the patio pavers. Your driveway needs thick pavers that can withstand vehicular and foot traffic seamlessly.
Excavate the Ground for the Outdoor Tiles
Measure the thickness of the pavers. It goes without saying that the thicker the paver you choose, the deeper you need to dig. Basically, the gravel base needs 4-inch, and sand bedding must be 1-inch. On average, 8-10 inches is a perfect depth for patios. If you are installing the pavers on driveways and other heavy traffic areas, then dig up to 12 inches. The durability of your pavers relies on the base. The stronger the base, the longer your pavers stay stable. You can lay the base materials, i.e. the gravel bedding in the excavated ground. Compact the area before laying the sand bedding.
Sand Bedding for Outdoor Tiles
Before you start the installation of stone pavers, lay a soft layer of sand on the compressed base. The sand bedding is the final layer where you can fit the stone pavers. It also acts as the protective layer that keeps your base from weather and moisture damages. You can use the leveling machine to install uniform bedding of sand across the base material. Keep the thickness of this layer 1-2 inches. You can contact the stone suppliers to identify the suitable sand for bedding.
Lay the Outdoor Tiles
Start laying the outdoor tiles one at a time. Make sure you lay them close to each other and fit them firmly into the sand bedding.
Sand joints will help lock the stones into place. For grouting, you need fine-grained sand as it can help fill the gaps faster. You can use the plate compactor to remove excess sand from the pavers. Sweep the sand into the joints and compact the area to settle the sand grains into place.
Install Edge Restraints for the Outdoor Tiles
Edge restraints help maintain your paved surface and hold them in place. Note that the pavers without edge restraints are highly likely to shift and crack. No matter where you install the stone pavers, effective stones for edge restraints are a must. The changing weather, high temperature, and frequent traffic will wreck your paved surface. If you want to build a solid and durable driveway that last for the years to come, then secure these pavers with edge restraints made of concrete, metal, and wood.
Maintenance for your Outdoor Tiles and Pavers
Maintenance isn’t the tricky part. As long as the pavers are installed properly, they don’t require a lot of maintenance (especially, the natural stone pavers). An important part of paver maintenance is regular sealing. Depending on the area you have installed the stone pavers, you are going to need to seal the surface every 1-2 years to maintain the color and texture of the pavers.
Do not use the power washer for the first few weeks. It can dislodge the pavers and sand joints. You can use a garden hose and the basic cleaning detergent to wash the surface. You will find a broad range of cleaning detergents available for stones on the market. Stone pavers must be washed every once or twice a week.
Looking for Outdoor Floor Tiles in Australia?
If you’re looking for best quality outdoor tiles in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and across Australia, you’ve have come to the right place. Contact Slate Discounts today and get your FREE SAMPLE of natural stone outdoor tiles delivered to your place. Call now on (03) 9706 9767
