How to choose stoneware tiles for outdoors

by Sara Costi

The need for greater comfort, well-being and practical solutions has shown us the importance not only of an inviting home, but also of a place to spend some time in the fresh air, be it on a patio, veranda, terrace or in a garden.

Ancient disciplines stretching back at least 4000 years, such as Feng Shui or Vastu, also pay very close attention to the outdoor areas of the home. The age-old Vedic tradition recommends planning a garden on the north-east side, with a fountain or a pond, and a decorative path with sand, coloured pebbles and stones, while on the north-west side, it is advisable to plant some fragrant flowers and herbs.

In the oriental practice of Feng Shui, the open areas of the home with plants and flowers are a symbol of renewal, strength and vitality, and offer relaxing, re-invigorating beneficial effects. The element of water also has a very important role to play, because it has enlivening qualities that nourish and revive the flow of the Ch’i: a decorative fish pond with some healthy aquatic plants, or a sprouting fountain in the garden can reawaken a slow or blocked flow of Ch’i.

The choice of the flooring is of prime importance, because it provides the style inspiration on which to base the whole design concept of the living space. The paving used for terraces, balconies, loggias or walkways in the garden must be in harmony with the style of the whole home, avoiding materials and finishes that differ too much from one another, especially for pool edges and walking paths.

Porcelain stoneware tiles for outdoors must also comply with a number of fundamental requisites, and must be resistant to frost, chemicals, stains, wear and abrasion. They must also guarantee colour fastness and excellent mechanical and load resistance as well as being non-absorbent and resistant to fire and all kinds of external stress. They must be unaffected by all kinds of weather conditions, resistant to humidity and saltiness, mould and moss, as well as easy to clean, install, lay and remove for inspection, even after the flooring is finished.

For outdoor areas, Casalgrande Padana offers Extragres 2.0, a wide range of colours with stone, wood and concrete effects from the Amazzonia, Country Wood, Manhattan, Pietra Baugè, Pietre di Sardegna and Kerblock collections, now joined by the new additions Metropolis, Nature and Petra.

And now, the range has further expanded with Le Ville terrazzo tiles (60x60 cm in the Pisani and Valmanara colours) and the new English Wood and Era collections. In addition, the Pietre di Sardegna now has a new format (120x120 cm) and new colours (Caprera, Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo, Punta Molara, and Tavolara) available.

Perfectly squared and rectified, with a thickness of 20 mm and an anti-slip finish, these Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware tiles are versatile, resistant and functional, making them ideal to meet all kinds of project requirements in outdoor areas, both residential and public: from terraces to grass or gravel walkways, as well as beaches.

The natural surface for interiors and the anti-slip finish for outdoors also allows for visual continuity, creating interesting, appealing total-look effects. The wide range of surfaces with stone, concrete and wood effects opens the door to all sorts of combinations, ideal for any kind of furnishing style, from classic to a more contemporary, modern, minimal style, as well as for metropolitan, country, shabby chic, vintage, Provençal or retro looks.

The Extragres 2.0 tiles can be glued to screed, guaranteeing excellent load resistance, or dry-laid directly on sand, gravel or grass, thus obtaining flooring that can be walked on immediately, without screed and without the use of mortar or glue.

Thanks to the 20 mm thickness, raised floors can also be created using polypropylene supports, available with fixed or adjustable heights. Raised flooring for outdoors can be easily removed to inspect the electrical and plumbing systems installed in the gap below.

The fixed supports are available in heights of 14 mm, 25 mm or 35 mm, and are the ideal choice for all situations requiring flooring that can be easily removed for inspection.

The adjustable supports come in a variety of heights, ranging from 35 up to 100 mm, and are perfect in cases where it is necessary to level out uneven surfaces with different heights.

In addition, Bios Antibacterial® technology is able to eliminate the four main bacterial strains and combat the growth of mould and yeast in any type of environment, both indoor and outdoor. The protection remains constantly active, day and night, even without the presence of UV rays.

This antibacterial technology, on the market for over 12 years, has been optimised by exploiting the characteristics of an innovative silver-based treatment, which, when irreversibly added to the ceramic tile body, is also able to eliminate germs and unpleasant odours, guaranteeing greater efficacy and boosting antibacterial performance. In addition, in the presence of dampness, a traditionally fertile environment for the development of bacterial flora, these beneficial effects are boosted even further.

Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware tiles infuse energy into any setting. They stand out for their excellent qualities and technological innovation. In addition, they are made solely of natural raw materials and are fully recyclable and environmentally sustainable.