Exciting Exteriors: How To Use Tile To Liven Up Outdoor Spaces
With all the advice about swimming pool tile and mosaic tiles for baths and kitchen backsplashes, it’s easy to overlook another fantastic tile use – exteriors!
AquaBlu’s porcelain and glass tiles are perfect for outdoor use. Their benefits include:
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Hard surface
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Frost proof
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Resistant to mold
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Impervious to liquids and vapors
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Resistant to fading, staining and discoloration
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Installation ready
How to use porcelain tile or glass tile for exterior use is only limited by your imagination. Here are a few ideas to consider:
Exterior Walls
Plain garden or patio outdoor walls look more finished with the application of tile. If your wall is freestanding with a top, think about tiling the center area with the same tile that you choose for the sides of the wall. AquaBlu’s mosaic tiles come attached with a mesh backing to make the job much easier. There’s also a large assortment of trim to help cap wall edges.
For grout, traditional designs use neutral colors such as gray. However, the new epoxy-based tile grout comes in a huge assortment of colors and textures – so much so that the grout itself can be considered a design element. So don’t be afraid to try something bold to really make that exterior wall pop. However, it is important to factor in how much light is available in the wall area. It’s best to go with a lighter colored outdoor tile for walls with low light, and darker tiles for walls with a lot of light.
Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor kitchens have become popular – and for good reason. They’re great to use during the hot months, they save energy and keep grease and smells outside.
Most outdoor kitchens have some type of tabletop or even a sink and backsplash similar to an indoor one. A mosaic glass tile design is fabulous for these areas. And since glass tiles come in such a large selection of colors, you can create just about any look you desire – everything from Southwestern with warm glass tile colors to colors of your favorite sports team or colors that compliment your lawn furniture.
Glass tile can also be used to create attractive borders around cabinets and countertops made from other types of materials in order to add some color and sparkle. With glass mosaic tiles there’s the additional benefit of reflected light, which can be especially striking in sunny areas as the light changes during the day. Glass tile is also very easy to clean.
Patios
Both porcelain and glass tiles have a place in patio designs. Combined with porcelain tile’s durability and ability to absorb dye so well, these beautiful weather-tolerant tiles come in styles that look like real stone – but are much less expensive.
Looking for a tile that has an amazing likeness to wood? Try the bark collection. These 3” x 6” staggered glass mosaic tiles have an uncanny ability to mimic wood grain. An excellent choice for commercial or residential patios and even balconies.
As a complimentary design element with stone-like porcelain tile patio floors, consider pebble tile for nearby exterior walls. AquaBlu’s flat stone pebble collection offers a wide range of possibilities such as:
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Kuta White
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Jepara Grey
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Maluku Black
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Yucatan Brown
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Merak (grey apricot mix)
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Desert Sunset (rusty beige)
Glass tile covered stairs leading up to a patio area are especially striking. Antislip glass mosaic tile has a practical application on stairs. Fireglass glass tiles even glow in the dark.
Planters
Garden areas are a great place to get creative with tile because of its beauty, stability, durability and resistance to frost and rain.
Adding colorful 1” x 1” tile chips to a wooden planter is a sure way to brighten up your garden. The mesh mounted backing makes it easy to apply wherever a dab of cheer is needed. Reef 1” x 1” glass tiles, for example, provide an amazing luxurious blend of coastal colors inspired by Italian glass-making techniques. As a garden accent, it’s outstanding. And, as a bonus, it’s manufactured in the U.S. from 100 percent domestic recycled glass.
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If you have questions about exterior tile use (or any other topic), talk to one of our experts. You can call us at (800) 971-1442 or fill out our contact form. You can visit our website at https://www.aquablumosaics.com/.