Porcelain Paving: Pros and Cons

Porcelain paving is one of the best materials on the market, but it might not be suitable for you. We're here to guide you through the pros and cons.

At London Stone, we're experts in the world of paving, with our porcelain slabs being one of our most popular products. If you'd like to find out more at the end of this page, please get in touch with our helpful team.

The pros of porcelain tiles

Let's start with the main reasons why porcelain paving is perfect for your patio:

• Strength - Porcelain is incredibly strong, created from a mixture of dense natural clays and a selection of additives. It can carry heavy foot traffic and vehicles, suiting a range of applications (such as driveways or busy patios).
• Low-porosity - Outdoor porcelain tiles have a low porosity, which means they have extremely low water absorption and therefore do not absorb dirt easily, which makes them a great choice for a low-maintenance outdoor spaces.
• Weather-resistant qualities - Due to its non-porous nature, porcelain is highly weather-resistant. It's frost-, slip-, fire- and fade-resistant, ensuring your porcelain paving slabs will look good for years to come. 
• Longevity - When laid correctly, these patio slabs will last for decades. You also have the peace of mind afforded by our 10-year warranty.
• Easy to maintain - Cleaning outdoor porcelain tiles tends to be easier than natural stone paving. Its water-resistant qualities mean that porcelain doesn't require sealing, and it's easy enough to clean with water and a brush. Alternatively, using a jet wash on a low setting is also effective.
• Consistent colouring - Outdoor porcelain tiles have consistent colouring, which is often an important feature of a modern patio design.

As you can see, our outdoor porcelain paving slabs are a worthwhile additions to any modern home. Their manufactured characteristics can give them advantages over other types of paving, including natural stone paving products, in our modern lifestyle.

A world of choice awaits

However, the benefits of porcelain don't end there. From a design point of view, there's a wide range of colours to choose from. This means that you'll never run out of options. 

From our Luxury Italian slabs through to our Budget porcelain collection, there really is something for every budget - no matter what your design needs.

You also have a wide range of finishes and textures, which can imitate other materials, such as timber decking or natural stone paving. For a non-porous decking alternative, our Wood Effect tiles are ideal, giving you all the benefits of porcelain with the classic look of wood.

Another benefit is that our outdoor porcelain paving slabs are precision-cut, with no tolerance on most slab sizes. This means that they have crisp lines and ultra-even pointing, making for something modern and stylish.

The cons of porcelain paving

At London Stone, we believe porcelain paving is one of the best materials you can use in your outdoor space. However, there are a few factors that need to be taken into account when making your decision.

The disadvantages of porcelain paving can be:

• A higher price point - Compared to natural stone, porcelain is often more expensive. If you’re on a tight budget, the good news is that we have some more affordable paving items available within our Budget porcelain range.
• More suited to contemporary styles - Its sleek lines and uniform appearance make porcelain most suitable for modern design schemes. If you'd like a more traditional finish, you could consider our stone-effect outdoor tiles, such as Jura and Florence porcelain paving or our Basalt porcelain outdoor tiles. However, it's worth remembering that porcelain slabs lack the slight dimensional irregularity of riven stone, so edges will always be precise and exact, adding a modern feel.
• Harder to cut - Another thing to take into account is that it can be more difficult to cut porcelain than natural stone. This is because it is so dense - read expert landscapers' tips on cutting porcelain. If you’re concerned about cutting your tiles effectively, we have a bespoke cutting service, to make life easier. 
• Harder to lay - Because of porcelain slabs' very precise dimensions, laying can be more challenging as you don't have the leeway on joint width that's provided, for example, by riven paving. This can result in higher labour costs, if you are hiring a landscaper.
• Personal preference - you might just prefer to go natural. Find out why one expert landscaper chooses stone in porcelain pavers v natural stone.

A frequent concern about porcelain is safety. We can assure you that porcelain paving isn't slippery.

Porcelain paving in perspective

When weighing up porcelain paving's pros and cons, many people find its positives outweigh the negatives. Porcelain is a fantastic material. You might like to consider using indoor porcelain tiles indoors too.  

All our items can be purchased directly through our website. Once you’ve decided which porcelain paving products you’d like to buy, just add them to your shopping cart and we’ll get them delivered shortly.

Alternatively, don't forget you can see our full range of paving in our showrooms nationwide.

Post updated: October 2024