Tiles for balconies and loggias: floor, walls, ceiling, porcelain stoneware, PVC, etc.

What is important in the design of a balcony and loggia? Even though all balconies have their own characteristics, many will agree that finishing materials should be chosen so that they are not afraid of water and frost. If the balcony is used as a storage room, where skis, bicycles, sacks of potatoes, and old furniture are stored, the texture of the floor and walls should be as far from delicacy and fragility as possible. And finally, the balcony should be pleasant to go out to admire the sunset or drink a cup of coffee, which means that the tactile appeal of the surfaces and the ability to retain heat should be at their best. Porcelain tiles and ceramic tiles meet all these requirements.

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Porcelain tiles are an excellent option even for an open balcony. It has very low water absorption (0.05%), so it absorbs almost no water and will not crack from the cold. The tiles are more suitable for closed, warm loggias.

Porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles are also suitable for use with underfloor heating systems: on balconies this is often the only possible type of heating. The material has high thermal conductivity and heat transfer, which means it heats up easily and transfers heat well: the air in the room will be heated, and not just the surfaces. Works with electric, infrared and water floors.

Porcelain tiles do not crack even with temperature changes, which, for example, parquet cannot boast of.

Porcelain tiles do not emit harmful substances when heated, which cannot be said about some types of carpet or linoleum.

The pigments in the material do not fade in the sun, unlike wallpaper and textiles.

Terraces, patios, verandas and other open areas can also be decorated with porcelain stoneware. Collection Baden

There are several important points to consider when choosing porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles for balconies and loggias.

Advantages and disadvantages of tiled covering on the balcony

Some properties give it advantages over other facing materials.

Balcony tiles

For balconies and loggias it matters:

No harmful impurities in the material. This point is fundamentally important in places exposed to heat. In the summer heat, hazardous materials on the balcony release toxic fumes that are harmful to humans, plants, and animals. The tile prevents this from happening.
Durability. The material is dense and wear-resistant. The tiles on the balcony last for many years, do not wear off, and do not become unusable.
Easy to clean, easy to remove dirt. It is enough to use a special cleaning agent. Bacteria do not multiply on the surface, and fungus does not take root.
The variety of choices allows you to choose the best option for any area, for any interior. Texture, colors and installation methods make the room unique and individual.

But there are disadvantages that may be a reason for refusing tiled cladding of the loggia:

The heat does not stay in it. It warms up quickly and cools down quickly. This means that in winter, without additional heating, the finishing will be cold, which does not add comfort to the room.
The price is high if the coating is of high quality.
The material is brittle and chips easily. Therefore, when transporting aphids, they often suffer from the inept hands of workers.
Installation requires special care and experience.
Slips. Some varieties have a special non-slip coating, but a wet surface is still dangerous.

Choosing the ideal product that will fit into the interior and have the necessary properties occurs in several stages.

Pros and cons of artificial stone

Now let's try to figure out what the advantages of using such finishing material as decorative or artificial stone on the balcony are.

Decorating the balcony with decorative stone – advantages:

wide choice of shades, textures;
environmental friendliness of the material;
its high strength and durability;
resistance to corrosion, pests, fungus;
ease of installation work;
non-flammability;
excellent thermal insulation properties;
in some cases - water resistance and immunity to temperature changes.

The biggest advantage of artificial stone is its low cost compared to its natural counterpart. In addition, the weight of such finishing material is much less, which means it can be safely used on the balcony without additional reinforcement of the floors.

Important clarification! If your apartment has not a balcony, but a loggia, then you can safely use not decorative, but natural stone. In this case, the load will go to the wall of the building, which can withstand much more weight than the balcony slab.

If we compare natural and decorative stone, the latter has several disadvantages:

shorter service life;
some species have less strength.

At the same time, if you treat it with care when using such a coating and periodically clean it, then it will last for decades, remaining visually attractive.

In addition, conscientious manufacturers produce high-quality artificial stone with various improved characteristics. If you decide to make such repairs on the balcony, which will last a long time, pay attention to famous companies.

Key points when choosing

When choosing a suitable option, it is necessary to take into account the architectural features of the room, interior design, and the wishes of future owners:

It is recommended to cover narrow and long spaces with products of medium or small size. A large one will look rough.
If the balcony is located on the shady side of the house, it is better to choose a light color for the coating. This will add warmth to the interior and brighten the room.
On small balconies, light weight products are used for safety reasons. On loggias, the issue of weight is not so acute, since the floor on them is one slab with the floor of the adjacent room. The balcony is an attached element that is designed for a weight of 200 kg per square meter. It is necessary to take into account the total weight of all finishing (including glazing) and furniture.
The design of the material for the loggia, which is one space with an adjacent room, should be combined with it and match the interior items.
On small balconies, small tiles look better; soft colors will visually increase the space.
Wear resistance should be greater than 3. Please note that the floor needs a surface with an anti-slip coating.
Medium-sized material can be placed on the wall; it must be moisture resistant and well tolerate changes in temperature.

The choice is based on the type of tile, which determines the characteristics of the coating as a whole.

Separate or attached balcony?

Access to a space can influence how actively it is used. If the balcony, for example, functions as an office or dining room, the load on the floor will be higher, and it is important to choose abrasion-resistant porcelain tiles.

It is also important to take into account the ability to bear the loads of the balcony as a whole: a fragile wooden structure in a country house may be purely decorative and will not withstand the installation of a cabinet or bathroom. Please note that porcelain stoneware itself is a heavy material, and on a balcony the load on the slab is permissible within the range of 200 to 400 kg/m2.

Porcelain tiles from the Medici collection are perfect for decorating high-traffic areas - suburban areas, patios, open terraces

If you can’t legally attach a balcony to a room, you can add spaciousness to the interior by unifying the rooms visually: use the same tiles or porcelain tiles that match the flooring material in the living room.

The same material in the room and on the balcony will visually unite the spaces. Photo

And if wooden parquet is laid in the living room, it is reasonable to support it with imitation wood in porcelain tiles on the balcony. Photo

What types are mainly used for balconies?

To decorate the walls, floors of loggias and balconies, it is recommended to use the following types of tiles:

Ceramic. Ideal environmentally friendly clay composition, frost-resistant. Available in various colors.

Porcelain tiles. It became popular relatively recently, has the advantage of hardness, rarely breaks, and is coated with a special wear-resistant layer.

Plaster. Containing gypsum and cement, there are no harmful substances at all.
Clinker room. Produced in various shapes and resistant to moisture. The properties are no worse than porcelain stoneware, hard, heat-resistant.

Wooden. It features a beautiful design in natural shades, looks harmonious in the interior, and easily combines with any type of furniture.
Quartz vinyl. Covered with a special polyurethane film that protects the coating from mechanical damage. Consists of quartz vinyl sand and PVC components.

Ceramic tiles are most often chosen for balconies due to the variety of textures and colors. And it is also light in weight, which is a particular advantage for balcony cladding.

It covers the floor, walls, ceilings. You can combine different material options for finishing the threshold and window sill. Door slopes are decorated with mosaics. A fashion trend lately is stone finishing. Design solutions allow you to create this effect using ceramic tiles.

Laying tiles

The first row needs to be covered with floor cladding. Seams are definitely needed, as they provide stability to the materials and help in case of changes in temperature and moisture. The rows are adjusted using crosses, the wall will be more even and beautiful.

After a few days, you need to pull out the crosses and rub the seams using spatulas.

Before working with seams, you need to do a wet cleaning and walk directly over the walls and floor.

There are two main ways of laying tiles (in rows and diagonally), the technologies are slightly different. For square tiles, the diagonal method works well; for rectangular tiles, the straight method works well.

It is difficult to lay out mosaics; you need an experienced master.

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Selecting color and layout method

Properly selected shades can create the effect of increasing space. This is especially true for small balconies.

White – creates a feeling of lightness and grace. Pastel colors give the room a cozy feel, while brown and its shades give a natural look.

White tiles

Green and blue will add freshness and create a calming feeling. Bright colors are used to highlight a certain area as an accent. And also in addition to the interior. Flowers are gradually becoming a thing of the past; geometric patterns and antique finishes are in trend. Small drawings laid out in a figurative manner harmoniously combine with the furniture.

The layout also affects how the space feels. The diagonal is used in rooms with a small area, it visually increases the size. Brickwork is used in any direction. A chess layout is done when there are tiles on the balcony in contrasting colors. A kaleidoscope allows you to combine different textures and patterns, which generally make up one composition.

You can lay out your balcony according to your own taste. The work is not easy, it takes a lot of time, but there is confidence in the result, because finding a worthy master is not so easy.

The use of decorative stone in the interior of a balcony

If you have no idea how to beautifully and ergonomically use decorative stone on a balcony, try one of the options described below. The ease of installation allows you to combine different options for the arrangement of the material and even refresh the renovation with new cladding options.

Also read on our website: Balcony finishing with clapboard, options: wood or plastic

Wall decoration

Completely finishing the wall with decorative stone is a good idea for any type of balconies. The only difference will be that an open balcony usually has a wall adjacent to the room, while a closed one has three closed walls and the space under the window.

It is worth noting that in the case of a balcony or loggia, you should be more careful in choosing the color palette of the finish. Small rooms decorated in dark colors (for example, red brick panels) will look even smaller and more uncomfortable.

But beige, white, and gray shades will do an excellent job of visually expanding the space.

Selecting slopes and corners

Covering slopes with stone-like tiles is a great way to add the finishing touch to the interior of a room. This technique can be combined with a wall completely trimmed with decorative stone opposite the window.

The corners of the balcony lined with such material perform the same function. Moreover, it does not matter whether they are external or internal - in combination with other finishing elements they will look harmonious.

Arch cladding

If your balcony is connected to an adjacent room, and there is an arch in place of the balcony block, finishing the balcony with decorative stone is an ideal option.

Firstly , the arch can be covered with the same tiles as the walls of the balcony. This will create a successful transition from one zone to another; interior designs will not conflict. Especially if you add masonry elements to the slopes and corners of the room.

Secondly , most often such arches are asymmetrical, which means that in order to harmonize the room, in no case should you add more clear and straight lines. In this case, untreated artificial stone will visually smooth out the feeling of irregularity in shape.

Wall decoration

A partially finished wall with several chaotically arranged bricks, highlighted corners and slopes, and asymmetrical lines can give the balcony interior a relaxed and cozy feel.

Since stone is a natural material, and in nature there is little that is strictly symmetrical and even, such decoration of the balcony with artificial stone will give a huge plus to the perception of the room as a whole. And the cost of such decor will be much less if you combine artificial stone with paint or other wall covering.

Combination with other materials

A balcony completely trimmed with stone will look strange. As a rule, such materials are usually combined with others, giving the room a particular mood.

An analogue of natural stone can be used in the interior along with:

painting the walls - to match the finishing material or, conversely, in a contrasting color;
decorative plaster - a little more expensive and more difficult to use than paint, but it looks better;
wooden lining - a combination of two eco-friendly materials is perfect for modern interiors;
cork panels - another option for completely environmentally friendly finishing;
ceramic tiles - they look especially good with brick panels;
laminate – we must not forget about the combination of floors and walls; the best solution would be stone-look walls and wood-look floors.

A combination of stone, plaster and laminate.

You can combine not only the materials themselves, but also their colors and textures. For example, a smooth wooden board will look great with an untreated large stone.

Or rough sandstone will fit well into walls finished with textured plaster.

Preparing the balcony for installation

If you carry out all the steps step by step, the procedure for tiling a balcony will be done efficiently, the result will please you and will serve for many years:

Correct calculation. The installation scheme must be selected in advance. This will solve not only design issues, but will also allow you to buy as much material as needed. You won't have to overpay for extra boxes.
Purchase of materials. Before picking up the tiles from the store, check for chips and cracks on the plates. The color and quality of the coating must match. Thickness is of fundamental importance, all blocks must be the same, otherwise there will be no result. Check the labeling on the packaging and the heat resistance of the product.
The surface is being prepared. You will probably have to change the screed or strengthen the walls with additional masonry. Finally, prime with primer.
Purchase of installation tools. List: grinder with diamond wheel, electric drill-mixer, construction level, spatulas (rubber and with comb). Consumables: adhesive, primer, grout, guides (plastic), screws.
Mixing the adhesive. It should be chosen according to the recommendations of specialists; formulations from German manufacturers are in demand. Prepare the composition according to the instructions on the package. After cooking, it needs to sit for some time.

Afterwards you can start installation.

Balcony finishing with plastic panels

Plastic panels are an excellent option for those who do not want to spend a lot of effort on creating real brickwork. Modern developments in technology make it possible to create plastic panels that maximally imitate the structure of real brick or stone. This type of building material allows you to make a wall with minimal effort and time.

There are several ways to attach plastic panels. The first method is to attach them to an adhesive base. The adhesive method is convenient for balconies with a small area, since it allows you to save an already small space.

The essence of this finishing method is that the plastic is glued to a wall with a perfectly flat surface. The disadvantage is the lack of thermal insulation, which is a significant drawback in winter. This also includes the fact that home owners will not have the opportunity to replace individual plastic panels if necessary.

The second method of fastening plastic panels is called fastening to a wooden sheathing. It is most preferable for all types of premises, however, it is also more labor-intensive to implement.

The first stage of attaching the panels to a wooden sheathing includes marking and correct installation of the guides. This is followed by the process of treating the wooden blocks with special anti-rotting solutions. Finally, the wooden blocks are screwed to the surfaces. The slats are screwed onto wooden blocks in increments of about fifty centimeters. Then they are covered with a special insulation and fixed with long strips.

At the last stage, the first plastic guide is fastened with a stapler. Subsequent plastic panels are secured using special locks. This completes the panel installation process.

Balcony floor tiles: how to lay them out correctly?

Pre-mark. Start work from the corner opposite the exit from the balcony.

The sequence of actions must be followed:

An adhesive composition is applied to a small area. Its thickness should not exceed 3 mm, otherwise a lot of material will have to be wiped off and thrown away. It is enough to spread 1 square meter of floor.
Level the surface with a comb spatula, removing excess adhesive.
The material is prepared, if necessary, you need to cut off the excess. The cut remains will be used for laying the corners.
An adhesive solution is applied to the back of the tile. The layer is slightly thicker than on the floor, approximately 5 mm. Level it with a comb spatula.
Place it on the desired area and press firmly evenly. You can check whether adjacent plates lie level using a building level.
Next it is placed in the same way. For even seams, use plastic guides (crosses). Porcelain tiles are laid out without seams and look like a single piece.
Gradually approach the exit. Once laid, the tiles must not be stepped on. Wait at least 24 hours to dry.

Ceramic tiles are laid differently on the balcony wall.

Tips for installing artificial stone

In addition to the various listed properties, decorative stone tiles have one more advantage over other materials - they can be laid on any surface (plasterboard, wood, foam block, brick or concrete, metal walls).

The installation process of this material consists of several stages:

Preparing the walls. Includes eliminating cracks, potholes, plastering and leveling the surface. A mandatory item is a primer in two or three layers;
Finishing the wall with additional material, if it is intended in the design project (paint or plaster, wood);
Laying decorative tiles under stone. It can be done in two different ways - seamless and with jointing. The first option is more difficult to implement, so further we will talk about it;
A zero level is set along the perimeter of the balcony, a support (metal profile) is placed;
The adhesive mixture (it is best to use one based on white cement) is applied in a thin layer onto the tile to be glued using a spatula, then onto the wall with a comb;
The glued tile is pressed against the desired area on the wall; it should be held for a few more seconds. Then excess glue is removed from the edges;
The following fragments of the cladding are laid according to the same principle, seam to seam. Experts recommend laying no more than 1.5 meters of tiles per day.

The main thing in this matter is not to let the adhesive mixture get on the tile itself and spread over the surface. You need to get used to putting in enough cement to firmly fix the stone to the wall, without spoiling any of the stages of the work.

Before starting work, you can lay out all the existing fragments of masonry on the floor and try to combine them in the most successful order. For example, you can play with shades, irregularities, and shape. To avoid confusion during installation, each panel can be numbered.

Depending on what glue you used, the final fixation of the stone decorative panels will occur in 12-48 hours. Until this time, you should not check the surface for strength, or try to move individual bricks - the glue may fall off, leaving unevenness on the wall.

Nuances in wall layout

The steps for laying out the wall are the same as for the floor. But there are some significant differences:

Start installation from the wall opposite to the balcony door.
To shrink the tiles, press them down and tap them with a rubber hammer. This knocks out excess air from the adhesive composition.
Place no more than three rows of tiles at a time, starting from the bottom. Otherwise, there is a risk that the entire composition will slip.

The final touch will be grouting the joints.

What will be better

When choosing between ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware, quite often these two materials are considered almost the same. However, it is not. Tile will be the least suitable of these two options. When the temperature drops, it can crack from external influences or stress, unlike porcelain stoneware. In addition, not every tile is suitable - you only need a matte and unglazed version, otherwise your balcony can turn into a very slippery skating rink.

Porcelain stoneware slabs are better suited, since they do not slip in most cases, withstand much more severe loads and are less susceptible to abrasion. In addition, the usual dimensions of such slabs are larger than those of tiles and the installation process is much faster. Considering all these features, ceramic tiles will not be the best idea for covering loggias or balconies.