Are Porcelain Paving Slabs Stain Resistant?

Posted on 29th April 2022

Porcelain paving slabs are still relatively new to the paving market, therefore many questions and misconceptions remain about the revolutionary flooring solution and why it is becoming such a popular choice for property development up and down the UK.

As word of their reliability and quality spreads, porcelain paving slabs are fast becoming the most desirable option for transforming gardens and indoor spaces.

This means that as the demand for porcelain paving increases, so does the number of potential customers wanting more information on what makes porcelain products stand out from the existing competition.

People want to know what sets porcelain paving tiles aside from natural stone paving and why we are moving past more traditional options when it comes to choosing patio slabs.

One of the major drawbacks of natural stone paving is that it quickly succumbs to bad staining and can age rapidly. There are a number of paving sealants available to help combat this issue, as well as stone cleaning services, but if you could purchase a product that achieves the look of natural stone paving without all the hassle, why wouldn’t you?

Porcelain paving slabs are renowned for being low maintenance and have the ability to look effortlessly beautiful for many years. Generally speaking, you should only need to clean your tiles once or twice a year to keep them looking brand new.

Therefore, if porcelain paving is low maintenance, does this make them stain resistant too?

The vitrification process porcelain undergoes considerably reduces porosity levels to less than 0.05%. Porosity levels can vary depending on the type of stone but you will struggle to find a flooring solution with lower porosity than porcelain paving.

When stone paving absorbs moisture, it can be very difficult to get it back out again. On the other hand, because porcelain has such low porosity levels, this makes it almost impossible for it to absorb any moisture at all. As a result, this makes porcelain resistant to stains.

However, we would always recommend cleaning up stains as soon as they happen, particularly if they are caused by stubborn substances such as red wine. If left for a long period of time, persistent stains like this could cause marks that will need to be removed.

Low porosity also makes for other advantages, including making porcelain tiles easy to clean. If you do happen to spill something on your porcelain patio slabs, warm soapy water and a cloth is sufficient to clean up the mess.

Some other benefits of porcelain paving include:

• Hard-wearing - The vitrification process our porcelain products go through makes each porcelain slab solid and long-lasting. Drastic changes in the weather won’t affect the quality or look of your porcelain paving.
• Slip-resistant - With a minimum R11 slip rating, porcelain paving tiles are designed to have a slightly textured surface to combat slips and falls.
• Scratch, mould, and frost-resistant - Besides being resistant to weather changes, porcelain paving is also durable in many other ways.
• Range of colours and effects available - Porcelain inkjet printing technology has widened the possibilities for porcelain paving. Almost any result or colour is achievable.
• Acid and alkali resistant - Porcelain paving can withstand fertiliser and lawn treatments.
• Colour maintaining - The manufacturing and processing of porcelain mean that even the darkest colours will not lose their intensity over time.
• Algae and moss resistant - This is particularly important for patios in the shade or north facing.

If we haven’t yet convinced you that porcelain paving is the right investment for you and your home improvement project, get in touch with us and we will be happy to help with any queries you may have.

With valuable experience, we are able to help you achieve the perfect patio, garden, or home interior with our products.