Caring for Outdoor Porcelain Tile during the winter

Outdoor Porcelain Tile

Porcelain tile is hard, resilient and scratch resistant, making it an ideal pick for outdoor walkways, patios, decks and dining areas. When cold weather comes though, there’s a good chance you won’t be enjoying many meals al fresco or relaxing on your deck, at least until the spring thaw arrives.

As durable as it is, outdoor porcelain tile still needs some basic care during the winter months. Use this guide to learn more about how to protect your porcelain and winterize your outdoor spaces in the process.

Start by Cleaning Outdoor Porcelain Tile

Though porcelain requires little winter maintenance, you’ll want to start by removing leaves, moss and other debris from your tiled outdoor spaces. Doing this, particularly if you have tile walkways, will help reduce your likelihood of slipping in the rain, snow or on icy paths.

Porcelain tile is a non-porous material, which means it absorbs practically zero moisture when used indoors or outdoors. That’s extremely helpful if you live in a climate where you get lots of rain or snow. The non-porous nature of outdoor ceramic tile also helps ensure that it won’t crack when subjected to freezing temperatures.

Early winter cleaning is also a great time to inspect your tile and take note of any damage you might need to repair. That will give you time to order materials like extra porcelain tile if needed.

winterize a tile patio

Caring for Outdoor Porcelain Tile: 5 Simple Tips

Winter maintenance isn’t difficult when you’re dealing with porcelain tile. Here are a few tips to help you keep your exterior spaces in tip-top shape through the cold months.

1. Sweep outdoor tile surfaces to keep ice from forming when it’s snowing outside. This will help prevent potential slip and fall accidents.

2. Avoid using a metal shovel when clearing walkways, patios and other outdoor spaces. If you need to use a shovel, opt for a plastic version. Porcelain is scratch resistant, but a metal shovel can still do some serious damage.

3. Use salt to de-ice your outdoor porcelain tile. Because porcelain absorbs so little water, salt is a safe option for keeping your outdoor spaces safe.

4. Check your grout when performing winter maintenance tasks. Winter is a good test to make sure the proper grout and substrate were used during your installation. If not, you’ll likely notice damage that you’ll need to repair.

5. Take time to evaluate your outdoor porcelain tile carefully when warmer weather arrives in spring. Porcelain is durable and resilient, but damage can occur, particularly when it comes grout. Inspect your tile and make repairs as soon as possible.

Porcelain tile is the perfect pick for outdoor spaces subject to harsh winter weather and freezing temperatures. Available in a variety of looks from natural stone to rustic redwood, porcelain also makes it simple to create an outdoor area where you and your family love spending time.

Got questions about outdoor porcelain tile? Reach out to tiles manufacturer today so we can help you find the right style for your building or renovation project. We can even help answer questions about proper care so you know how to maintain your gorgeous outdoor porcelain tile from day one.