3 cm ceramic for outdoor use; what thickness is necessary?

Choice of thickness for outdoor ceramic tiles

The thickness of an outdoor ceramic tile is an important factor in the construction and durability (lifespan) of your patio. You can choose from ceramic tiles that are 2 cm thick, 3 cm thick, or the best choice: a combination tile consisting of 1 cm thick ceramic permanently bonded to a stable 3 cm Stabikorn® base layer. We have listed the various advantages and disadvantages for you.

The substrate for ceramics in the garden

Fully stabilised and hard foundation

Suitable for installing 2 cm thick ceramic tiles. The ceramic tiles are bonded to the substrate to form a single unit. Because the ceramic tiles are bonded to the substrate, they are stable and the load is distributed evenly across the tiles, making breakage virtually impossible. The installation costs for 2 cm ceramic tiles are relatively high and must be carried out by experienced installers. There is no restriction on the size that can be chosen. If the foundation is laid correctly, the risk of breakage is minimal, even for large sizes such as 90x90 cm and 60x120 cm. Tiles measuring 120x120 cm are even available! MBI has an extensive range of 2 cm thick ceramic garden tiles.

Stabilised sand/cement or sand bed substrate

Suitable for laying GeoCeramica® tiles with a minimum thickness of 4 cm. The 1 cm ceramic top layer is inseparably bonded to the draining and load-bearing layer of Stabikorn® concrete. This load-bearing layer absorbs stress differences, preventing the ceramic tile from breaking, even in the event of unwanted subsidence of the terrace. The weight is perfect for sufficient stability. Can be used on all types of substrates and with all types of grouts.

GeoCeramica® is available with a Stabikorn® underlayer of 3, 5 and even 7 cm thick. This gives you ceramic tiles of 4 cm, 6 cm and 8 cm thick. So for terraces and driveways, there is always a suitable variant available.

Photo: a stable tile for terraces and driveways. With a thickness of 6 cm, it is an indestructible choice!

Advantages/disadvantages of 3 cm ceramic tiles

• Ideally, it should be laid directly on a sand bed. In most cases, however, a stabilised sand/cement foundation is recommended.
• High load-bearing capacity, making it a safe choice for laying on tile supports on a heavily used roof terrace.
• Limited choice of sizes and designs.
• Extra care is required when cutting to size for processing.
• A specific grout is required.
• High CO2 footprint: long production time for the ceramic (curing process in industrial kilns), consumption of large quantities of non-renewable raw materials, few square metres per transport movement (also take into account the country of production).

More quality aspects of ceramic paving

Other quality aspects of ceramics to look out for

• Rectified: The term “rectified” refers to the dimensional stability of the tile. A rectified tile is always perfectly straight in size. Non-rectified tiles may vary in size, resulting in a less uniform terrace.
• Gres Porcellenato: “Gres Porcellenato” tiles are hard throughout and have a base layer of the same colour composition as the design, i.e. no thin top layer but “full body ceramic”. In the extreme case that a splinter breaks off a tile or the edge is “chipped”, the Gres Porcellenato tile still offers the same colour appearance.