3 cm ceramic for outdoors; what thickness is necessary?
Ceramic, the new garden product
Ceramic is on the rise because of its low-maintenance properties. Besides its qualitative properties, the appearance of ceramics can be compared to natural stone, which is one of the reasons why it is very popular as a paving material. Ceramic is offered in various thicknesses and we are often asked what the ideal thickness is.
The importance of thickness
- Required substrate
- Risk of breakage under load
- Stability of the deck
- Ease of use
Choice of outdoor ceramic tile thickness
The thickness of an outdoor ceramic tile is an important aspect for the construction and durability (lifespan) of your terrace. You have the choice between ceramic tiles 2 cm thick, 3 cm thick or the best choice: the combination tile of 1 cm thick ceramic inseparable from the stable 3 cm Stabikorn® underlay. We have listed the various pros and cons for you.
The substrate for ceramics in the garden
Laying ceramic outdoors
When you choose ceramic paving, you have the following options in terms of laying in the garden:
Fully stabilised and hard foundation
Suitable for handling 2 cm thick ceramics. The ceramic is bonded to the base to form a single unit. Because the ceramic is bonded to the substrate, it is stable and the tile is loaded evenly, making breakage virtually impossible. The installation costs of 2 cm ceramics are relatively high and should be done by experienced installers. There is no limit to the size to be chosen. If the foundation is laid properly, the risk of breakage is minimal, even for large formats like 90x90cm and 60x120cm. There are even 120x120cm tiles already available! MBI has an extensive range of 2cm thick ceramic garden tiles.
Fully stabilised and hard foundation
Suitable for handling 2 cm thick ceramics. The ceramic is bonded to the base to form a single unit. Because the ceramic is bonded to the substrate, it is stable and the tile is loaded evenly, making breakage virtually impossible. The installation costs of 2 cm ceramics are relatively high and should be done by experienced installers. There is no limit to the size to be chosen. If the foundation is laid properly, the risk of breakage is minimal, even for large formats like 90x90cm and 60x120cm. There are even 120x120cm tiles already available! MBI has an extensive range of 2cm thick ceramic garden tiles.
Stabilised substrate of sand/cement or sand bed
Suitable for the installation of loose-laid tiles GeoCeramica® with a minimum thickness of 4 cm. The top layer of 1 cm ceramic is inseparably bonded to the draining and supporting layer of Stabikorn® concrete. This load-bearing layer absorbs differences in tension, 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 grout.
GeoCeramica® is available with a Stabikorn® underlay of 3, 5 and even 7 cm thick. This gives you ceramic tiles of 4 cm, 6 cm and 8 cm thick. So for terrace and driveway, there is always a suitable variant available.
Photo: a stable tile for terrace and driveway. With a thickness of 6 cm, an indestructible choice!
The advantages and disadvantages per tile thickness
Advantages/disadvantages 1 cm ceramic GeoCeramica® with 3 cm Stabikorn®
- Suitable for any type of soil and requires no special foundation.
- Suitable for any type of grout.
- Choice of many formats and many designs.
- Lay inside out. In addition to the 4 cm or 6 cm terrace tile, it is also available as a 1 cm tile for indoor installation.
- Specifically designed for the Dutch climate; alternating humidity and dryness as well as rapidly succeeding temperature fluctuations.
- High-quality Italian ceramics (A-quality).
- No product risk: Dutch product and guarantee from MBI De Steenmeesters
- Low CO2 footprint: short production time of the ceramics (curing process in industrial ovens), minimal use of non-renewable raw materials, maximum number of square metres per transport movement Italy-the Netherlands, sustainable under-concrete with recycled and secondary materials
Advantages/disadvantages 2 cm ceramics
- Special foundation suitable for ceramics required and not suitable for settlement-prone areas.
- Makes higher demands on drainage and joint types.
- If processed properly, a very tight terrace for years to come.
- Choice of many formats and designs.
- Experience required for expert processing.
- Note: Many different qualities available in the market.
- Average CO2 footprint: long production time of the ceramics (curing process in industrial ovens), average consumption of non-renewable raw materials, average number of square metres per transport movement (also consider country of production).
Advantages/disadvantages 3 cm ceramic
- Can ideally be laid directly on a sand bed. In most cases, however, a stabilised sand/cement foundation is recommended.
- High load-bearing capacity so a safe choice for laying on tile supports on a heavily loaded roof terrace.
- Limited choice of formats and designs.
- Extra care required when cutting to size for installation.
- A specific grout is required.
- High CO2 footprint: long production time of the ceramics (curing process in industrial ovens), consumption of large quantities of non-renewable raw materials, few square metres per transport movement (also consider country of production).
More quality aspects of ceramic paving
Other quality aspects of ceramics you can 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, giving a less tightly laid terrace.
Gres Porcellenato: ‘Gres Porcellenato’, are tiles that are hard through and through and have an underlay of the same colour composition as the design, so no thin top layer but ‘full body ceramic’. In the extreme case that a splinter jumps off a tile, or the edge is ‘chipped’, the Gres Porcellenato tile still offers the same colour appearance.
Collection of ornamental paving and accessories
Take a look at our garden brochure 2021. Here you will find the entire GeoCeramica®, Mirage (2cm ceramic) and Triagres (3cm ceramic) collection. Almost 400 pages of garden inspiration!
MBI Outdoor Collection
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