The size of your outdoor tiles is a seemingly small detail that can have a big impact on the feel of your finished patio. We look at reasons to choose 600x600 patio slabs.
Designing with 600x600 porcelain slabs
Subliminal messages are created by shape, with the equilateral sides and angles of squares creating a sense of order and groundedness. How you use squares influences the feel - for example, they can create formality and slow spatial flow, or they can create a very modern vibe. Choosing ways to emphasise the shape of the 600x600 patio slabs harnesses this.
Add wide joints
Wide joints are an ideal way to highlight the shape of 600x600 patio slabs. Combining them with a stack bond paving pattern, as in the design above, creates symmetry and order - a still space that feels very rooted.
Create a stepping-stone path
A time-honoured option for crossing a lawn where you don’t want to create a solid line is the stepping-stone path. Stepping stones can be any shape, but the geometry of a square slab creates a neat path that will harmonise with the proportions of a smaller garden. In the scheme above, Light Grey 600x600 porcelain paving slabs match the choice for the patio, where the square dimensions offer a contrast with the rectangular shapes of the table, window and pergola.
Add formality
In the project above, Steel Grey 600x600 porcelain paving creates a calm contrast with the busy texture on either side. The stack bond paving pattern slows the approach and gives a still feeling to the paving in the midst of movement created by the circles in the design.
Add intimacy
It's often assumed that large paving slabs are a better choice to pave a large area and 600x600 patio slabs might not be your first thought for a large expanse like the project at the top of the page. A design with XL outdoor tiles would have been chosen by some to create a large paved area with a completely different feel. An extensive area certainly offers the chance to make the most of XL paving, which can create a smooth spatial flow because of the reduced number of joints.
However, using 600x600 outdoor tiles is a way of making a large paved area feel more intimate. In the project pictured, Creative Roots wanted light, even colour. Their choice of Sandy White 600x600 porcelain slabs adds texture to the paving, with a running bond paving pattern adding movement. A similar effect could have been achieved with similar-coloured 900x600 porcelain slabs, but the square shape is in keeping with the modern vibe.
Practical pros and cons of choosing 600x600 slabs
Porcelain outdoor tiles are first choice for many home-owners because of their low maintenance requirements, stain-resistance and wide choice of style and colour, and these are just some of the reasons why porcelain is a good choice for patios.
They are also a practical choice for laying, as the 600x600 patio slabs are smaller and easier to handle than larger sizes. Each slab weighs between 15.84kg and 16.4kg, depending on whether you choose from our Italian or Project ranges. This is noticeably lighter than 900x600 slabs which weigh in between 23.76kg and 24.6kg and you might like to factor this into your buying decision.
When laying slabs, larger sizes obviously cover more ground than smaller ones. For a patio measuring 10x10m, you’ll need 204 900x600 slabs or 306 600x600 slabs. So you’ll need more jointing compound and more time to lay the smaller slabs.
However, even though you’d have to purchase more 600x600mm porcelain slabs, price-wise you’d find yourself paying less than if you chose 900x600 slabs—the difference can as much as 10%.
600x600 porcelain slabs are available in all the colours in our Luxury, Premium and Budget Italian ranges and in the most popular colours from our budget Project range. We’re here to help. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you have about choosing and installing 600x600 patio slabs.
