First of all we want to make sure that we pick a tile that is a porcelain. These tiles have a near zero absorption rate. This is important as moisture can seep into a ceramic tile, and then if we get weather below freezing the expansion of the water can pop the glaze off the tile, or if the moisture is under the tile it can compromise the bond to the substrate. Next we want to make sure that the tile has a slip resistant finish on it. We get pine pollen that falls a couple times a year and leaves a light dusting of very fine powder on everything. This can make a smooth surface very slippery. We also want to consider color. A dark tile will absorb heat all day long and then radiate it onto the house and the occupants of the deck making a once cool evening feel to hot to be outside.
Second we want to consider the surface, or substrate that we will be adhering the tile too. Some people think that the hardest thing a tile guy does are tile showers. And we do see a lot of failures due to improper install techniques in tile showers. But I think that I have seen more deck failures relative in numbers then shower failures. Most of the failures we see have to do with water seeping in and getting the deck material wood wet, which then makes the wood expand letting in even more water, and then the tile bond starts to loosen as a result. We see better results on concrete areas, but we have seen a good deal of failures there as well. Did the concrete have enough time to cure, was it sound to start with, was it level, etc? One of the products that we just love here is called Ti ProBoard. We have been using it here as a replacement for the traditional treated plywood with cement board on top and then either a waterproof roll-on membrane or a sheet good membrane. We actually are so happy with the product that we wont tile an exterior deck without it.
Third we want to consider how the color and style of the tile match or compliment the exterior design of the home. We come out to the clients home and spend some time talking about the different ways the light will reflect off the tile, the tone of the color, the slip resistance, the way that it will be edged, how it ties into the other adjoining surfaces, etc...
And finally we want to make sure that we pick the right grout for the area. Color, durability and density are all factors that we consider for use in an area that gets beat on by the sun, rained on, snow sits on it at times for weeks, pine pollen falls on it, mold wants to grow on it, etc.. Grout gets treated fairly harshly in an outdoor environment and bad grout can ruin the prettiest of tile jobs.
If you would like a free in home consultation to pick our brains on what you could do in an outside area, please call our office to set up an appointment. (910) 673-3884
Information on Ti-ProBoard can be found here
http://www.finpan.com/products/ti-proboard/ti-proboard/
