Once upon a time surfaces deemed suitable for external use were largely restricted to terracotta or quarry tiles. Today, tile manufacturers make both ceramic and porcelain tiles in compatible colours and modular formats. These can be used internally or externally, simply by choosing an appropriate surface finish, which provides adequate slip resistance.
This creates endless possibilities for seamless tiling that flows from the interior to the exterior. It effortlessly forms a connection between the two.
Creating indoor outdoor flow
Extending the internal living areas of a home to the exterior makes a lot of sense in modern Australian homes. This “flow-through” effect suits open plan architecture and the Australian lifestyle of enjoying the great outdoors. The trend with many tile ranges is to create “one look” with different surface finishes creating durable, anti-slip external products.
The opportunity to extend the internal floor finish through to the exterior of the home is due to technical improvement in the characteristics of tiles. Advances in porcelain technologies allow for the production of products in three or four different surface finishes such as polished, honed, natural and textured. Porcelain tiles have applications for the front path, portico and car standing areas. These enables porcelain tiles to flow into the entry foyer and extending throughout the home.
The availability of hard-wearing, good quality porcelain tiles, durable natural stones – like travertine, bluestone, granite and quartz has encouraged home-owners to be more adventurous in their choice of materials.
The suitability of a tile for both indoor and outdoor use is an advantage that very few other materials can match. For example, low-maintenance durable timber look porcelain tiles will outlast any natural timber and will eliminate the hassle of regular annual maintenance and re-oiling.
Indoor/outdoor products are available today within the budgets of most home builders or renovators. A tiled outdoor area will definitely enhance a home. It improves its value and will look good for years to come with little maintenance.
Browse our full indoor/outdoor range today to find a complete tiling solution.
Unique and contemporary tile solutions
Contact us for advice on beautifying your interior spaces today with our unique tile solutions. Call 07 3356 9766 or inquire online.