Preparation For Porcelain Paving

Preparing the Ground to Lay Porcelain Paving

Before starting any porcelain paving laying project, it’s important to consider where surface water is going to drain. Many people don’t realise there are actually government legislations to take into consideration when laying porcelain paving, so preparing the ground correctly is absolutely vital. 

Check out our expert guide to preparing the ground for laying porcelain tiles to ensure adequate drainage and a prolonged lifespan for your tiles.

What to consider when preparing to lay porcelain paving

There are a few things you need to consider when preparing to lay porcelain paving.

1. You need to consider your installation materials, including porcelain base mix, primer and adhesive, ensuring proper bonding which lasts long term.
   
   
2. You’ve also got to consider your sub-base before laying porcelain paving. Will it allow for an adequate minimum fall of 100mm -150mm? Is your sub-base made from a compacted layer of aggregate or a concrete pad? If not, we’d consider calling the professionals.
   
   
3. Finally, you need to consider drainage for ground preparation for porcelain slabs.

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Ensuring proper drainage with porcelain paving

Legislation does not permit water from a hard paved area to discharge onto the public road or into a communal drainage system; as a result, you need to ensure proper drainage from your paving.

All water should be confined to the property only. Ideally, your paved area should be designed to allow surface water to run onto a lawn or the surrounding borders. Alternatively, you could create an adjacent rain garden, where the surface water will drain off. This area should typically be 10% of the total paved area, to allow for adequate drainage.

Choosing the right base for porcelain paving

Choosing a solid and strong base for porcelain paving is absolutely crucial to prevent cracking and shifting down the line. In some cases, concrete is a viable option to use as a base, because it provides strength and stability, especially in areas where there is likely to be lots of heavy movement.

However, we’d recommend checking out our rapid base mix, perfect for laying all types of coloured tiles and effect tiles alike. The benefits of using a base mix like this include that it dries much quicker than regular concrete, at no cost of strength. It also features excellent workability, meaning that the actual task of laying your porcelain slabs is as easy and convenient and possible.

Without the right base, you risk reducing the lifespan of your porcelain slabs, potentially wasting time, effort and money, reversing the hard work you’ve put into your living space.

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Preparing the ground for laying porcelain tiles

To prepare the ground for laying porcelain tiles, here are our key steps:

1. You first need to mark out the area to be paved. Once you have done this, remove all topsoil and dig down a total depth of 100-150mm, depending on the quality of the subgrade. Vehicle areas should always have a sub-base depth of 150mm minimum. Ensure you’re incorporating a minor slope for drainage too.
   
   
2. Next, you want to fill this newly-dug area with your sub-base to a depth of 50mm-100mm, before thoroughly compacting with a plate compactor.
   
   
3. On top of your compacted sub-base, you also need a bedding layer. This usually consists of 4 parts sharp sand to 1 part cement, which should then be spread over the sub-base. This is the layer the porcelain slabs will actually be laid directly onto. Normally, you’ll need to wait at least 3 days for the sub-base area to dry before laying bedding.
   
   
4. From here, you’re ready to begin laying porcelain paving, before finishing with our porcelain grout.

For more detailed instructions, check out our informative video on ground preparation for porcelain tiles: