Ceramic tiles for terraces and façades
Ceramic or natural stone. Which should you choose?
Ceramics
Ceramics is a material made from clay or loam. The raw material is fired at a high temperature and is extremely hard. It is a man-made material and originates from countries such as Italy and Spain. Ceramics is now used as an alternative to natural stone. Printing technology can be used to apply any desired design to ceramics. This means that any type of natural stone can be copied.
There is one “but”: nature cannot be copied when it comes to variation. Take paving tiles, for example. With natural stone, every tile is different. With ceramics, a single design consists of different prints per tile, ranging from a minimum of 6 to sometimes as many as 20 prints. However, because you can rotate the tiles during processing, this still creates a very natural look. The number of prints varies per ceramic manufacturer.
Why does ceramic usually come from abroad?
This has to do with the basic raw material clay or loam. In the United Kingdom, less suitable material is available. We are, however, big in clay and concrete pavers. Italy is a leader when it comes to design development. Lifelike copies of natural stone often originate in design studios in Italy.
Natural stone
Natural stone is a collective term for all types of stone that come from nature, such as lava stone, granite, slate, marble, quartzite or limestone. Natural stone is beautiful and “the real thing” is always the most beautiful. But it also has a number of disadvantages.
Weathering and signs of wear
Natural stone is often referred to as “hard stone”. This name is a little misleading because many types are not hard at all. Natural stone is often porous and, for example, sensitive to acids if it contains a lot of lime. The striking appearance of natural stone is partly due to the fact that it is not scratch-resistant and “comes to life”. However, this process never stops. Some people love this, while others find it annoying.
Ceramic as an alternative
Ceramic is an alternative to natural stone. It matches the look of natural stone but adds extra functionalities. Ceramic is resistant to almost all acids/chemicals and scratch-free.
Natural stone is beautiful, versatile and alive.
The advantages of ceramic
- Ceramic is extremely hard and wear-resistant.
- Ceramic is stain and acid resistant.
- Ceramic is very low maintenance.
- Ceramic is guaranteed colourfast and UV resistant.
- Ceramic is resistant to heat and frost.
- Ceramic is available in high slip resistance (and remains slip resistant).
- Ceramic with Stabikorn (GeoCeramica®) is available in thicknesses of up to 8 cm and is suitable for heavy loads.
- Also ideal for use in public spaces!
The disadvantages of natural stone
- Natural stone is vulnerable to acids and chemicals.
- Natural stone scratches more easily (depending on the type of stone).
- Natural stone requires more maintenance, such as special cleaning agents.
- Natural stone will become increasingly damaged, which affects its appearance (processing).
Did you know that nowadays, ceramic tiles are indistinguishable from natural stone in appearance?
Ceramic outdoor tiles
Natural stone is also being displaced by ceramic tiles in the garden market. In terms of price, ceramic tiles and natural stone tiles do not differ greatly. The costs of installation are also comparable.
Since 2010, MBI has represented the Italian brand Mirage for 2 cm ceramic outdoor tiles. And since 2016, GeoCeramica® has been on the market, a ceramic top layer inextricably linked to a concrete base.
Want to know more about the difference between indoor and outdoor use?
Would you like to know more about the difference between ceramic tiles for indoor and outdoor use? Read our blog about ceramic tiles.
Thickness of ceramic tiles
Once you have decided to go for the advantages of ceramic, the question remains as to which thickness to choose. The right choice depends entirely on the substrate and use. If you are laying ceramic on drainage mortar, 2 cm is sufficient. A thickness of 3 cm would then be oversized.
GeoCeramica® is a ceramic tile on a concrete base that is always suitable, regardless of the substrate or application.
Ceramics as a building material
Let's take a brief detour to discuss ceramics. It is an ideal building material, including for building façades. And, of course, it can once again serve as a substitute for natural stone. Here too, ceramic tiles offer all the advantages in terms of use, maintenance, and lifespan. View our façade range.
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MBI offers a very wide choice for the design of indoor and outdoor spaces. Leave your details and we will contact you a.s.a.p..
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