Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

I was wondering if anyone has had any practical experience with this.
Also, is anyone aware of a patio slab which would look similar enough
to the cream 60x60 tiles to create the effect but made of stone/
concrete that wouldn't be so slippy.

thanks

Lee.

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:15:17 -0700 (PDT), Lee Nowell wrote:

Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

I was wondering if anyone has had any practical experience with this.
Also, is anyone aware of a patio slab which would look similar enough
to the cream 60x60 tiles to create the effect but made of stone/
concrete that wouldn't be so slippy.

thanks

Lee.

You can certainly get slip resistant tiles. Normal matt ones can still be
very slippery when wet - we sometimes borrow a house in France and the
kitchen floor is lethal with any spillage.

SteveW

Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

On Jul 14, 2:32*pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. *We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. *We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

I guess the thought is that going out on the patio when it has been/
is raining would be dangerous. At least with more traditional patio
slabs, they absorb the water and water can seep between them (unless
you completely seal the gaps). With tiles, since they are not porous,
the water will sit on top and therefore make it more dangerous/ slippy
even with the run off. I guess the question is, how much worse is it?

Lee Nowell wrote:
On Jul 14, 2:32 pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi,
We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.
I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.
Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

I guess the thought is that going out on the patio when it has been/
is raining would be dangerous. At least with more traditional patio
slabs, they absorb the water and water can seep between them (unless
you completely seal the gaps). With tiles, since they are not porous,
the water will sit on top and therefore make it more dangerous/ slippy
even with the run off. I guess the question is, how much worse is it?

Use small matte tiles. A large smooth surface is more slippery than one
which is broken up by grout lines.

Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

I was wondering if anyone has had any practical experience with this.
Also, is anyone aware of a patio slab which would look similar enough
to the cream 60x60 tiles to create the effect but made of stone/
concrete that wouldn't be so slippy.

thanks

Lee.

I have seen this done very effectively with polished limestone tiles
inside leading seamlessly to unsealed and unpolished limestone slabs of
the same size outside. Interior floor was smooth and easy to clean
exterior was rough and non-slip.

You can probably substitute something similar but cheaper than limestone
if you so desire.

Andrew

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:15:17 -0700 (PDT), Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

I was wondering if anyone has had any practical experience with this.
Also, is anyone aware of a patio slab which would look similar enough
to the cream 60x60 tiles to create the effect but made of stone/
concrete that wouldn't be so slippy.

thanks

Lee.

if the tiles are meant for indoors use, it would be worth checking
if they were frostproof (and the adhesive & grout, too).
You might find that the continuous effect gets spoilt a bit if the
outside tiles become dirty, with residue from rain or lichem starts
growing on then. This is much more noticable with light coloured tiles.

By having the same ones inside (which I assume would remain clean) and
outside (exposed to the elements), you may just be contrasting the
amount of gunge that exists on all patios / tiled areas.
Someone might be spending an awful lot of time trying to keep them at
the same state of cleanliness!

In message
, Lee
Nowell writes
On Jul 14, 2:32*pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. *We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. *We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

I guess the thought is that going out on the patio when it has been/
is raining would be dangerous. At least with more traditional patio
slabs, they absorb the water and water can seep between them (unless
you completely seal the gaps). With tiles, since they are not porous,
the water will sit on top and therefore make it more dangerous/ slippy
even with the run off. I guess the question is, how much worse is it?

We laid some 30x45 porcelain floor tiles from Wickes on our kitchen
floor a couple of months ago and they are definitely non-slip, even when
a significant spillage occurs. It was a non-negotiable requirement when
the tiles were chosen - we took a sample tile home and tipped water on
it to check it. We also left blobs of cooking oil, red wine, vinegar,
and other stuff that I cannot recall on the sample for 12 hours to check
for potential staining before deciding that it was a sensible buy.

Exterior adhesive and grout is easy to come by - I use Mapei which is ok
for swimming pools so it should be fine for a patio.

I am planning on tiling our terrace area next year. The only problem
with porcelain floor tiles is that they are slow to cut using a tile
bench saw.

--
Robert

On 14 July, 20:36, robert wrote:
In message
, Lee
Nowell writes





On Jul 14, 2:32*pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. *We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. *We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

I guess the thought is that going out on the patio when it has been/
is raining would be dangerous. At least with more traditional patio
slabs, they absorb the water and water can seep between them (unless
you completely seal the gaps). *With tiles, since they are not porous,
the water will sit on top and therefore make it more dangerous/ slippy
even with the run off. *I guess the question is, how much worse is it?

We laid some 30x45 porcelain floor tiles from Wickes on our kitchen
floor a couple of months ago and they are definitely non-slip, even when
a significant spillage occurs. *It was a non-negotiable requirement when
the tiles were chosen - we took a sample tile home and tipped water on
it to check it. *We also left blobs of cooking oil, red wine, vinegar,
and other stuff that I cannot recall on the sample for 12 hours to check
for potential staining before deciding that it was a sensible buy.

Exterior adhesive and grout is easy to come by - I use Mapei which is ok
for swimming pools so it should be fine for a patio.

I am planning on tiling our terrace area next year. *The only problem
with porcelain floor tiles is that they are slow to cut using a tile
bench saw.

--
Robert- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

thanks Robert - seems like some thorough testing...... Which tiles
did you get from Wickes? I'll pop down to our local store so I can
compare the "roughness" to the ones we were looking at.

thanks

Lee.

In article ,
robert wrote:
I am planning on tiling our terrace area next year. The only problem
with porcelain floor tiles is that they are slow to cut using a tile
bench saw.

You can get grooved blades which cut a deal faster - but don't give as
clean an edge. Which probably wouldn't notice outside.

--
*You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In message
, Lee
Nowell writes
On 14 July, 20:36, robert wrote:
In message
, Lee
Nowell writes





On Jul 14, 2:32*pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi,

We have a room with bifold doors opening out onto a patio area. *We
are looking at flooring materials and was thinking of using cream
60x60 porcelain tiles both inside and outside so it looks like a
continuous space when the doors are open.

I am a little worried that having the tiles outside would be a mistake
as they would be slippery when wet as they don't absorb any water.
The tile companies say it is fine provided you don't have the polished
type and some of the more textured ones are suitable for swimming
pools so must be ok. *We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

I guess the thought is that going out on the patio when it has been/
is raining would be dangerous. At least with more traditional patio
slabs, they absorb the water and water can seep between them (unless
you completely seal the gaps). *With tiles, since they are not porous,
the water will sit on top and therefore make it more dangerous/ slippy
even with the run off. *I guess the question is, how much worse is it?

We laid some 30x45 porcelain floor tiles from Wickes on our kitchen
floor a couple of months ago and they are definitely non-slip, even when
a significant spillage occurs. *It was a non-negotiable requirement when
the tiles were chosen - we took a sample tile home and tipped water on
it to check it. *We also left blobs of cooking oil, red wine, vinegar,
and other stuff that I cannot recall on the sample for 12 hours to check
for potential staining before deciding that it was a sensible buy.

Exterior adhesive and grout is easy to come by - I use Mapei which is ok
for swimming pools so it should be fine for a patio.

I am planning on tiling our terrace area next year. *The only problem
with porcelain floor tiles is that they are slow to cut using a tile
bench saw.

--
Robert- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

thanks Robert - seems like some thorough testing...... Which tiles
did you get from Wickes? I'll pop down to our local store so I can
compare the "roughness" to the ones we were looking at.

Http://www.wickes.co.uk/Capri-Porcel...le/invt/166241
You should be aware that at the time that we bought them there were two
very distinct shades of this tile with the same description/code number
- we chose the paler one.

--
Robert

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
In article ,
robert wrote:
I am planning on tiling our terrace area next year. The only problem
with porcelain floor tiles is that they are slow to cut using a tile
bench saw.

You can get grooved blades which cut a deal faster - but don't give as
clean an edge. Which probably wouldn't notice outside.

I started using a relatively cheap blade from Wickes and quickly moved
to a Marcrist Pro blade from Toolstation which was definitely worth the
30+ukp expenditure. It goes through ordinary 9mm ceramic tiles very
cleanly and very fast but it was still slow with the porcelain floor
tiles.

--
Robert

On Jul 14, 2:32*pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Lee Nowell wrote:

*We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

How do you slip on a pet cat? Surely it's a tripping hazard.

mike wrote:
On Jul 14, 2:32 pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Lee Nowell wrote:

We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.
Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

How do you slip on a pet cat? Surely it's a tripping hazard.

Depends on how heavy you are...;-)

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:57:22 -0700 (PDT), mike wrote:

On Jul 14, 2:32*pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
Lee Nowell wrote:

*We borrowed a couple of matt tiles and tried the
water test and to me, they were slippy enough for someone to fall.

Indeed. So is a plastic bath, and bathroom tiles, And I had three
cracked ribs to prove it..

So are a bag of kids marbles, a banana skin, a pet cat.. so what?

How do you slip on a pet cat? Surely it's a tripping hazard.

The blood's slippery.
--
Peter.
The head of a pin will hold more angels if
it's been flattened with an angel-grinder.