So, you’ve chosen your design from a wide range of porcelain paving options, you’ve ordered the necessary amount and you’re now well and truly excited about your impending paving.
All that’s left is the small matter of installation.
When it comes to laying porcelain paving, there are two primary routes to go down: the DIY option or the professional path.
If you’re planning on installing porcelain paving in your garden, this isn’t a decision that should be made lightly. Naturally, there are pros and cons attached to each, ultimately coming down to cost vs. quality.
To help guide you through the process to ensure you make an informed decision, here’s a quick rundown of what to expect from each.
DIY Paving Installation
If you have prior experience of manual labour, garden maintenance or tiling in general, DIY installation of garden paving can be a worthwhile endeavour.
Even if you don’t have history in any of the above, that’s not to say that the DIY route is completely out of the question – provided you don’t mind taking the risk and jumping in at the deep end.
AlfrescoPlus tiles are designed for easy installation. While traditional tiles and pavers require mortar and cement, our revolutionary pedestal support system totally by-passes this antiquated approach in favour of our simple, new-school technology.
This allows for dry installation, without the use of any kind of adhesive whatsoever. Not only does this keep the mess to a minimum, it also makes them user-friendly and far easier for a novice would-be paver to handle.
Best of all, the absence of adhesive mean there are no drying periods to wait around for once your pavers are laid. Since there’s no cement or mortar involved, you can simply lay your pavers and begin using straight away.
Tips for Laying Porcelain Paving
If you do plan on installing porcelain paving tiles yourself, there are a few things that are well worth keeping in mind.
Coverage Area
Before you start, calculate the area you will be required to cover by measuring the dimensions of the space. We recommend allowing for 10% waste as it’s inherently common for paving jobs to require slabs to be cut and trimmed along the way for the perfect fit. Meanwhile, it can also be good to have some slabs in reserve, should you run into any breakages along the way.
Paving Gaps
Our tiles and pavers are designed with a very close dimensional tolerance with very clean-cut edges. While this does allow for a tight “architectural” finish, we strongly advise against jointless installation with no gaps as the slightest alteration in settlement can affect the overall aesthetic. Instead, opt for at least a 2mm grout gap between pavers.
Colour Variation
Pavers with an intrinsic colour variation between tiles (such as the Sandstone Grey and the Travertine Grey ranges) are designed to naturally differ from one slab to the next. As such, when you are laying your tiles, it’s worth alternating which pavers you use. Choosing paving tiles from different boxes or varying sections of delivery pallet can help ensure a randomised pattern for a heightened authenticity.
Cutting Tiles
While installation is designed to be as simple as possible, it’s unlikely a paving job will fit perfectly from edge to edge. As such, you may be required to cut certain tiles to make them fit snug from left to right. Be sure to prepare for this eventuality by sourcing the relevant cutting equipment before your start the job.
Professional Paving Installation
While our indoor tiles and outdoor pavers are specifically engineered for simple self-installation, we understand that laying porcelain paving in your property can be a daunting task and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
Home improvement can be quite the investment and the prospect of that investment going to waste with a sub-par DIY job can be one that many will want to avoid. If that sounds like you, fear not – that’s where we come in.
At AlfrescoPlus, we pride ourselves on our customer service and providing complete, comprehensive assistance from start to finish is something that we thrive upon. Our expert team of professional fitters are more than happy to help you achieve the paving design you paid to see.
Available in most areas nationwide, our experienced staff are fully capable of tackling a variety of tasks and projects, from straightforward patio installation to complex designs involving additional features, like steps and levels.
From gardens patios and poolside surroundings to balconies and roof terraces, we can handle the hard work so you don’t have to. Simply make the call, sit back and enjoy the results!
For more information on our installation services, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 0800 028 8756 to speak with one of our helpful customer service staff or use the button below to send us an enquiry online.
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