Installing Tile On Exterior Balconies & Decks | 5 Tips For Outdoor Tile Installation

2020/5/29 17:34:21

Many projects today require for setting tile and exterior conditions. These may be residential or commercial applications - using stone, wood or tile patios, decks, walkways, walls or building facades, one example is tiled balconies, which have become very popular as an extension of indoor space exposure to extreme temperatures, and moisture are just a few of the elements that we're going to consider. Here are our top five tips for exterior tile installation.

5 Tips For Outdoor Tile Installations, Balconies, Decks & Patios

In the Pacific Northwest, we have hot summers, cold winters, and a lot of snow, sleet, and rain in between. Any material you use in an outside space will be exposed to the elements and temperature changes. If your product is not suited for the weather or if it's installed improperly, your installation will fail. The 5 outdoor tile installation tips presented can help you choose the right materials and utilize the proper techniques to create a durable outdoor installation.

1. Only install tile that can hold up to the elements

Ideally, all exterior rated tiles should be appropriate for weather in winter and can survive the freeze-thaw cycles regardless of where the project is located, tiles should have a maximum porosity of 3% even less in areas where there's harsh weather, the less absorbent the material, the less likely the tile will fail. A porcelain tile will less than half a percent porosity would be ideal. Currently, there is no ANSI standard encompassing all exterior tiles. However, any tile set on an outdoor walking surface should have a dynamic coefficient of friction or D COF of at least point 4 - this meets the requirements of a CA 137 1 for slip resistance of interior ceramic tile. When it gets wet, always check with the tile manufacturer about the suitability of the material for your project and consult the absorption and D COF test results.

2. Incorporate movement joints correctly

In addition to freezing tile installed outdoors must be able to handle the fluctuations of thermal expansion and contraction, all tiles will absorb heat from the Sun, and the darker will absorb the most, temperatures can change dramatically in a cold rain shower on a hot black stone causes rapid contraction exposure to Sun and snow means that the installation must be able to accommodate significant movement without sustaining damage from the freeze.

To help with these conditions, the YouTuber CustomBuildingProd recommends the installation of movement joints every 8to 12 feet and using a flexible seal like customs commercial 100% silicone caulk. He strongly suggests adding movement joints at least every eight feet and making them as wide as possible against any building walls, make sure your joints are at least four times the amount of normal movement expected especially for an aboveground installation, that's cantilevered like a balcony, don't forget to add soft joints to all steps and risers and never tile over joints an existing concrete or make the movement joint smaller than the existing joint.

3. Tiling balconies requires extra planning

Think of balconies as shower stalls only you just can't turn off the water. So proper waterproofing is essential for floor tile work installed on raised porches decks and balconies. Any area that abuts or covers an inhabited space, the primary concern is draining water away from the structure or to a drain preventing water from entering the building. With proper care and planning, both of your goals can be accomplished.

4. Protect the installation during the tile setting

The outdoor environment can wreak havoc before you begin, keep in mind both the installation materials and the environment should be between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the work fully protect the site from Sun wind and rain. For the duration of the tile setting process and throughout all stages of the Cure, fast-setting waterproofing mortars, and grouts can help prevent an extended period of tenting. When working with a natural stone, it should be sealed to protect it from the elements and the outdoor contaminants. More porous stone can benefit from a 6-sided treatment with a sealer like aqua mix or tile lab penetrating sealers. Prior to bedding the tile, to deepen or enhance the color of a natural stone like travertine or slate, apply an enhancing sealer like enriched and seal, but do this only after the tile is installed and not after using a penetrating sealer.

5. Use quality tile installation products formulated for exterior

Use like the tile the insulation products need to stand up to harsh weather conditions, so always use a polymer-modified dry set mortar that's rated for exterior use and exposure to wet conditions. To support the weight of heavy natural stone in large format tile floor, consider mega light crack prevention mortar or pro light tile and stone mortar, both offer premium bond strength and flexibility for non-sag applications on exterior walls and floors. If you're using a cement based grout, make sure it meets or exceeds ANSI A118.7 and will not effloresce.