How to lay outdoor porcelain paving tiles

Our Halo Pave porcelain paving tiles are a great choice for your outdoor space.  They not only look great, but come with many advantages that make them ideal for the Irish climate.

They are a durable 2cm thickness, have stylish aesthetics and come in a wide range of sizes from 60cm x 60cm to large format 120cm x 120cm.

Products in the Halo Pave range have been manufactured to the highest quality standards and have outstanding technical performances, including high resistance to wear, to mechanical stress, to weather and are anti-slip, all without compromising on style.

One of the biggest advantages of our porcelain outdoor paving tiles is that they allow for quick and easy dry installation on grass, sand and gravel. Suitable too for terraces and rooftops, they can also be used for raised flooring installations. Tiles in the range can also be installed on a concrete slab using traditional tiling methods with a suitable adhesive. 

Read on for more about the different ways that you can lay our porcelain paving tiles.

Halo Pave porcelain paving tiles can be installed on grass, sand, gravel, cement screed and are suitable for raised installation 

Laying on grass

 

Laying your tiles on grass is ideal for creating pathways and relaxation areas that integrate perfectly with surrounding greenery.

Installation on grass can be performed in two ways:

A) Direct:

• Set the tile on grass [1] leaving 4-5 cm wide joints to allow the grass to grow. Results will be long lasting but stability will be subject to soil movements.

B) On gravel base:

• Remove the grass [1] from the area underneath your tile
• Dig 5 cm deep in warm and dry climate, or deeper in cold or wet climates.
• Compact the soil.
• Fill the excavated area with gravel (size 4-8 mm) or sand [2] and compact it.
• Dry set your porcelain paving tile

 

Laying on gravel

Laying your paving tiles on gravel is a practical and versatile solution, and creates a contemporary, modern look.

Recommended for larger areas, for installation with thin joints or joints without grass.

• Dig out the soil [1] at least 10 cm deep in warm and dry climate, or deeper in cold or wet climates.
• Compact the soil on the bottom and ensure it is sloped (≥ 2%) to avoid stagnation of water.
• Place a layer of geotextile (optional).
• Place and compact a layer of crushed stone or gravel (size 4-8 mm) [2]
• Place and compact a layer of fine gravel or sand (size 2-5 mm) [3] to ease the leveling of the surface.
• Ensure the surface is level using a level. A slight slope (≥ 1%) is recommended to ensure proper drainage of the floor.
• Dry set your porcelain paving tile leaving joints at least 2 mm wide. Tile spacers can be used to facilitate installation.
• Ensure the floor is level with a level and use a rubber hammer to correct any small differences in height.
• Fill the joints with very fine sand (size 0-3 mm) or polymeric sand

 

Laying on sand

Our porcelain paving tiles can be dry laid directly on the sand, without the use of building adhesives, thus making the flooring immediately walkable. This means that the laying design can be changed at any time, to give a new look to outdoor spaces.

Installation on sand can performed directly:

• Level and compact the sand [1]
• Dry set your porcelain paving tile

 

Installation on cement screed

The qualities of Halo Pave porcelain paving tiles, combined with a bonded installation on a screed, are ideal for creating stylish, durable and safe pathways and patios.

Installation with thin set on concrete slab is recommended for areas open to vehicular traffic or subject to very high stress: leave joints of at least 2 mm and respect expansion joints.

To install on concrete slab on ground:

• Complete the digging and compact the ground [1]
• Place a layer of crushed stone and gravel [2]
• Place the slab [3] including optional steel mesh
• Install your porcelain paving tile with exterior-rated elastic adhesive [4]

 

Raised installation

Halo Pave products can also be used to create perfectly flat raised floors for balconies or terraces. Installing the tiles with pedestals allows rainwater to flow underneath where it is captured by the waterproofing and also creates a cavity that can be used for the passage of cables and piping.

• After the slab and its sloping screed [1] are complete, install the waterproofing membrane [2].
• Position the pedestals [3] according to the chosen sizes, if necessary use the slope correctors.
• During the installation, adjust each pedestal to achieve a flat floor.

 

NB:  If you need to cut the tiles be sure to use discs designed for porcelain stoneware, available for both dry and wet cutting