Tips For Paving Your Patio

Posted on 23rd November 2021

For any home, a patio area can make a beautiful feature when devised and installed properly. Now is the perfect time to be thinking about preparing a stunning patio for the summer months.

Whether you wish to create an entirely new patio or refresh your existing one, here are some tips on how to do so.

Get planning

As with any other DIY project, to achieve the perfect patio it’s important to start planning it from scratch to avoid the risk of any unplanned surprises during the process. Your plan should be structured and detailed enough for you to fully envision the end result you are striving for.

As part of your plan, you should include your budget, desired effect or colour of porcelain paving, and sizes required; as well as who will be installing the patio

Purchase the materials

Once you have a plan in place, you should know all of the materials you require for the job. This could include adhesive, primer, base mix grout, and cleaner. The next step is to purchase them in enough quantity to make a start on your project.

When it comes to choosing porcelain paving, you can rest assured that each tile will look exactly the same in terms of markings and colour. You needn’t worry about the variation that would feature on natural stone because porcelain tiles are manufactured with inkjet printing technology.

Mark your area

Using wooden pegs, you then need to mark out the planned area of your patio on the ground. This will provide a guide for laying the porcelain slabs and allow you to see how much space will be taken up, meaning you can prepare for any problems before the paving has been laid.

Ensure a solid base and lay the first tiles

The layer of hardcore must be completely flat and compact to ensure that it is solid and the bedding mortar can lay on top effectively.

To start with, the very first porcelain slabs you lay must be fitted precisely if you want the rest of them to follow. After all, one wrong move could affect the appearance of your dream patio.

Grout your paving and allow it to dry

Once your paving is down, now it is time to grout the gaps. We have a stock of grout in a wide range of colours over on our accessories page. If you need any tips on grouting, please watch our video here.

Please note that you must allow your patio area to dry fully before stepping on it. If the installation isn’t sufficiently dry, this could result in wonky tiles. In the winter months, protect your paving area with sheeting to ensure that rain and frost doesn’t prevent it from drying.

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.