Tiles have been used as an outdoor flooring material since ancient times . Originally blocks of natural stone were the only available materials, but these days modern manufactured materials and of course the ubiquitous concrete have become commonplace . Partly for cost considerations , clay fired bricks and pavers and ceramic tiles laid over a concrete base have tended to replace natural stone paversblocks or flagstones . And with a relatively low-cost and easy to install concrete base , it is of course possible to install a surface layer which is much thinner than   natural stone which would otherwise be needed to provide the required strength and durability.  

Although it’s possible to install an attractive natural stone surface by laying stone pavers over a a concrete base, this can involve considerable work , since not only are stone pavers relatively heavy, but installing tiles or pavers is something that requires skill and experience in order to achieve a professional result . So it is generally not a job undertaken by a homeowner unless it is a comparitively small area.

In recent years however, a cost-effective and convenient alternative has become available which enables even a homeowner without any particular do-it-yourself skills to install pavers or tiles over their exterior surfaces and virtually guarantees a professional finish without a lot of frustration or hard work .  Modular interlocking deck tiles, such as those available from HandyDeck, use conventional exterior surfacing materials, which can be slate, granite, sandstone, porcelain or even wood, but this surface layer is bonded or screwed to a specially designed polymer mesh base with connecting tabs on all four sides to lock each tile to the surrounding tiles.

This makes tile installation much easier as it not only guarantees gaps between the tiles remains constant, but there’s no need to use any adhesives or other fixing devices , as the tiles are simply placed on top of the existing hard surface such as concrete .  The weight of the tiles and friction between the plastic base and the substrate stop the tiles from moving, even if the area is sloping. Normally the tiles are laid on a concrete base but they can also be laid on a well compacted and level surface such as asphalt, gravel or even bare ground if appropriate preparation has taken place .

Interlocking deck tiles are particularly useful for apartment dwellers on both balconies and rooftops, since not only are they easy to carry up stairs or elevators, but there’s no messy installation involved apart from maybe the need to cut a few tiles to fit the area precisely. And for rooftops, in many cases, condo associations will not allow permanent materials to be used , so these decking tiles can provide a neat solution to this problem.

Another advantage of interlocking deck tiles is that the plastic base is designed to allow water to drain away freely underneath the tiles, which can therefore eliminate surface puddles of water, and reduce the potential for slipping on the surface.

So next time you are considering remodelling your patio, porch or other exterior areas , give some thought to the alternative of using interlocking deck tiles rather than convential tiling or paving materials.

Filed under: Wood Carving Tools

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