Outdoor tiling is a little different from indoor tiling. Once you are done with selecting the perfect tiles (outdoor ones, not indoor ones, a mistake that is easily made) for your outdoor, you need to consider a few more factors. The weather is one because if it’s raining or going to rain on the day that you’re planning to tile, you should give up before you even think about starting. Even if there’s the smallest chance of rain that day, don’t tile. Rain will ruin the products that you use and will make your tiling job look extremely lacklustre.
Before you begin
Tiling outdoor necessities more attention than interior tiling. Give yourself time to complete your task with the proper materials at hand and ready to go. During this project, the last thing you want to think of is running out of grout or find out one of your tiles has cracked, and you don’t have any spares.
Make sure that surface you are applying the tiles is even and crack-free. You won’t be able to use grout or filler to cover up every mistake, so it’s great to start when you have everything in place.
What to remember
Remember that the tiles you’re using could react to the climate that you’re in. Hopefully, you did your research before you purchased, but if you haven’t, then now is the time because you can still exchange the tiles in-store before you use them. Some tile materials don’t work well in direct sunlight, and others are water-resistant but not great for harsh winters.
Prepare the area that you’re tiling before you get started. Give yourself measurements and outlines to work with so that everything remains neat and uniform. The last thing you want is wonky outdoor tiling.
Screeds
Some professionals advise laying a screed before starting your tiling project. There are definitely benefits. A screed is a thin concrete layer that can provide a smooth floor to begin tiling on. It also assures you of a strong foundation to build your tiles on, offering better durability for your outdoor tiles. This is perfect for small tiling areas like patios because there isn’t too much work involved in the process.
After tiling
Your tiles will be exposed to the elements every day once they’ve been placed and sealed. They’ll get more stress than your indoor tiles. Once you’ve grouted your outdoor tiles in place, you will need to give them enough time to set appropriately without outside interference.
According to Tiling Sunshine Coast, the best way to allow your tiles time to set is to add a coat of sealant to both your tiles and the grout that you’ve used. Once you’ve sealed everything, try to protect the area from any bad weather if you can – just until the grout has completely hardened.
As much as you may be willing to use your newly tiled area within a few hours of completing your project, putting pressure on the tiles before they’ve set will cause more harm than good. Give them time, preferably at least 24 hours, if possible.
