As Christmas approaches, we think its time to consider how you can decorate your indoor and outdoor spaces. This blog will inspire you to invest in some festive pieces to transform your home and garden for Christmas. 

Bring Nature Indoors

For centuries it has been a Christmas tradition to bring holly, ivy and evergreen trees into our homes for Christmas. Our 10mm Forest Walnut Tiles are ideal for giving you the look of real wood flooring, why not complement it with some of nature’s wintery gifts? Display pine cones, twigs of evergreen and chestnuts amongst your candles or around the base of your Christmas tree to create a beautiful festive look. (Just be careful if you have pets or little ones around!)

View our Forest Walnut Tiles here >

Dreaming of a White Christmas?

If you prefer to keep things a little more minimalist, why not adorn your home with delicate white and gold decorations, like the snowflakes pictured here? Gold, silver and white decorations perfectly complement our Tirolo Tiles and Paving range in white or cream, that can be installed both inside and outside. 

Tirolo Tiles and Paving range >

Merry and Bright

Adding lanterns to any indoor or outdoor area creates an ethereal atmosphere that’s perfect for Christmas. Our Stoneware Tiles in Greige are the perfect neutral backdrop for lanterns, giving a soft cosy glow to any room or outdoor space. There are lots of electric and solar-powered lanterns on the market that look lovely if you are cautious about using real candles.

See our Stoneware Tiles >

These are just a few ideas to inspire you to decorate your indoor and outdoor areas ready for the festive season. Of course, all of our porcelain tiles look gorgeous regardless of how you decide to decorate this Christmas. Take a look at our full range of products, you might even find the perfect paving gift.

Slate is an undeniably beautiful natural stone, but it does have some flaws that make it a problematic choice when tiling a large area. By understanding the different qualities of natural slate and porcelain slate tiles you can make a more educated choice about which tiles are right for your floor.

How is natural slate formed?

Slate is formed underground when minerals and sediments are compressed under intense heat and pressure; these sediments and minerals can be anything from chlorite to mica meaning that natural slate can have a lot of inconsistencies in its colour, quality, and porosity. No two natural slate tiles will be the same.

How are vitrified porcelain tiles made?

Vitrified porcelain tiles are made from clay and water that (much like slate) is put under immense heat and pressure to create a durable, aesthetically pleasing tile. The difference is that the components that make up vitrified porcelain tiles are controlled to ensure that the slate effect tiles have a more uniform appearance and are more structurally consistent.

Maintenance

Maintenance is often a factor that weighs heavily on people’s minds when they’re looking to choose the right material for their floors. Natural slate is quite a crumbly stone. This means that to keep natural slate floors looking their best you’ll need to regularly sweep and seal them– this can be time-consuming and costly. The brittle nature of slate also makes it prone to cracks and chips. These tiles can be hard to replace because the appearance of them is so varied.

On the contrary, slate effect porcelain tiles require almost no maintenance, simply give them the occasional wipe over and they’ll continue to look gorgeous for years to come. Porcelain is far more durable than slate meaning it is less prone to scratching or chipping and therefore, won't need replacing as often (if at all).

Porosity

As previously mentioned, slate tiles can range from incredibly porous to not very porous at all due to the way slate is formed. This does mean that some slate tiles are very prone to staining and others are not. This can make installing slate tiles in your kitchen or living room (where coffee and food spills are likely to occur) can be a risky move, but it really does depend on the qualities of the particular slate you’re installing. PrimaPorcelain’s slate tiles are notorious for their water-resistance, meaning they are far less likely to stain.

Can slate be installed outdoors?

Slate can be installed outdoors but can become very slippery when wet, a definite issue if you install them anywhere in the United Kingdom. PrimaPorcelain offers two thicknesses of slate porcelain tiles (10mm and 20mm) both of which offer excellent slip resistance making them the perfect choice for creating a visual flow from your inside to your outside space - a clever way to enhance the dimensions of your home.

PrimaPorcelain Slate Tiles:

• Consistent in colour and structure
• Incredibly easy to maintain
• Water-resistant
• Perform well indoors and outdoors
• Available in a range of colours

Do you think PrimaPorcelain slate tiles are the right option for you? If so, take a look at our slate range by clicking the button below:

View our Porcelain Slate Range here >

We have come to expect a lot of rain and snow throughout the autumn and winter months and many porous stone tiles emerge in spring looking a little worse for wear.

PrimaPorcelain products all come with a 10-year guarantee, are frost proof and have been given a unique slip resistance Grip Factor rating so you can purchase paving stones to withstand the many winters to come with confidence.

When you see this symbol on any of our products, it indicates the product has been awarded a Grip Factor of 5. This means the paving has a high-grip surface, reducing the likelihood of you having a fall in your garden this winter due to a slippery surface underfoot.

We have selected some of our favourite tiles that have a Grip Factor of 5, however many others also have this rating so be sure to look for this symbol when browsing tiles across the site.

Stoneware Tiles & Paving

Our Stoneware Collection combines the characteristics of real stone with PrimaPorcelain’s top-grade materials to ensure that these paving stones will look good and last all winter! Available in 4 colourways to suit any garden for years to come. Click below to shop the Stoneware Collection.

View Stoneware Collection >

Bolzano Tiles and Paving

These beautiful Bolzano tiles have a concrete effect that is perfect for indoor and outdoor flooring. They too are made of high-grade PrimaPorcelain that protects from frost and water damage. Click below to shop our Bolzano Tiles and Paving.

View Bolzano Collection >

If you have any questions regarding our tiles and paving, please do not hesitate to contact us by calling 02920 803 756 or send us an email at info@primaporcelain.co.uk. Remember, for a closer look at any of our tiles you can order 3 FREE SAMPLES today.

How to create an elegant look in your garden

No matter what size your outdoor space is, you can turn it into a little paradise if you know how to remodel it. You can transform your garden with the addition of some carefully positioned decking and tiles/paving slabs.

Two great products that combine wonderfully well to create a stunning garden

To achieve a light, chic garden design, it is a good idea to use natural, clean and gentle looking colours and all natural materials. Two products that are fantastic in this regard are TimberTech Silver Maple decking and our PrimaPorcelain Tirolo White tiles. The two-tone effect of the Silver Maple is undeniably chic and it will create the perfect space for entertaining outside. This two tone effect is achieved by putting each individual piece of wood through the manufacturing process not once but twice. PrimaPorcelain's Tirolo White tiles are ideal for creating a gleaming garden path or perhaps a small patio area for displaying potted plants, aromatic herbs and shrubs. 

Before

After

Durability and reliability

The two products mentioned above do not sacrifice robustness for aesthetic appeal. Both are weatherproof, and are easy to wipe clean. The TimberTech decking is coated in individual thin plastic sleeves which does not diminish the effect of the two-tone grain of the wood but which does mean that if food or drink is spilled on the decking it can be wiped up easily without leaving any stains. PrimaPorcelain's tiles/paving slabs are also very easy to install in your garden, as no additional sealants are needed to make them weatherproof.

Get creative and discover new combinations

These two garden products really are the perfect match for each other. The ideas above were just designed to get you started off with your new garden design. Now it's time for you to take over. Let your imagination flow as you plan how to integrate TimberTech's Silver Maple decking and PrimaPorcelain's Tirolo White slabs into your outdoor living space.

Porcelain tiles offer a resilient, hard-wearing finish for your floors. They are made with different materials to standard ceramic tiles. Sand and feldspar are added to create a denser tile, which is stronger and absorbs less moisture. This makes the tile more stain resistant and easier to maintain.

When it comes to flooring materials, porcelain tiles are one of the easiest to maintain. Vitrified porcelain tiles and smooth glazed-surface tiles are the easiest to clean, but with proper care, unglazed and textured porcelain tiles can be maintained without any difficulty.

Pictured: Quartz Twilight Porcelain Tiles

Here are 5 things you should know about cleaning porcelain tiles:

1 - Sweep or vacuum dust and dirt away

Your first cleaning action should be to get rid of any dust and dirt that has gathered. This can be done daily by using a vacuum cleaner, or it can be swept away. A dry mop is recommended for sweeping, rather than a broom, as this will give better day-to-day protection for the tile surface.

2 - Avoid chemical cleaners containing ammonia, bleach or acids for regular cleaning

Porcelain tiles are heated to fuse the mixture together, giving it similar water-resistant qualities to glass. Regular use of corrosive chemicals can erode the surface of the tile, and increase its water absorption rate. Corrosive chemicals will also erode the grout, which will loosen the tiles and allow water to get beneath the tiles creating dampness. For everyday cleaning of indoor and outdoor porcelain tiles, just use warm water and a mop. Every couple of weeks clean with a mild detergent mixed in warm water. Only consider chemicals to remove any stubborn stains.

3 - Completely wash away detergents

When using a detergent, ensure it is of a low concentration. Textured tiles may need a slightly higher concentration than other tiles. Cover an area of the floor with the cleaning solution and let it stand for about 5 minutes. Then use a mop to clean the area. Do not let the cleaning solution dry. Next, mop the area again with clean, warm water. This will get rid of any detergent residue and prevent water spots or powdery marks.

4 - Stain removal 

Not all stains are created equal. We tend to utilise the same cleaning method for all stains, but this is not the correct way to go about things. Stains should be treated in the most effective way to reduce any long-term damage to the tiles or grout. When dealing with stains only clean the affected area; do not use on the whole floor.

5 - Get rid of stubborn stains with gentle chemical use

Following the above guidelines will give your porcelain tiled floor the best protection it can get, and keep it looking its best. Unfortunately, accidents do happen, and major stains to tiles may need to be treated with a more aggressive approach requiring chemicals. Be aware that these chemicals can lead to a change in colour of the grout. First of all, follow the instructions above and find the best method to clean the particular stain. Make sure you are wearing suitable gloves, a mask, and eye protection, and ventilate the area by opening windows and doors that lead outside. Only clean the affected area.

By following these tips you will keep your porcelain floor in tip-top condition, and increase its longevity.

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Bonus Tip: Place a doormat near the entrance to the room to catch most of the dirt being carried in, reduce the amount of cleaning needed and prevent damage to tiles.

Did you know, you can now order full-size samples of our patio tiles? Once you've chosen the best porcelain paving for your project, you can order directly through our website. Don't miss out, shop now.