Porcelain Patios Without Concrete: A Modern Alternative

Porcelain has become one of the most popular choices for modern patios. It's durable, low maintenance and available in a huge range of colours, textures and sizes.

But does a porcelain patio always need to be laid onto a traditional concrete or mortar base?

Not necessarily.

At Garden Ezee, our approach to patio construction has evolved considerably over the years. Having worked in landscaping for more than 25 years, we've installed patios using traditional methods – excavation, hardcore, mortar beds and pointing.

Today, we also have another option.

Using the iGarden iFrame system, we can install porcelain onto a precision-engineered galvanised steel structure, creating a dry-laid porcelain patio without the traditional concrete and mortar construction underneath.

How Is a Traditional Porcelain Patio Built?

A conventional porcelain patio normally starts with excavation.

The ground is dug out to the required depth before a compacted sub-base is installed. The porcelain is then typically laid onto a suitable mortar bed with a bonding slurry and the joints finished with an appropriate jointing product.

When properly designed and installed, this can produce an excellent patio.

But it also involves a significant amount of groundwork.

Soil needs to be removed, aggregates brought onto site, materials compacted and wet trades completed before the finished patio is ready.

For many gardens this isn't a problem.

For others, particularly gardens with difficult access, changing levels or sensitive existing landscaping, it can become a major part of the project.

Is There Another Way to Install Porcelain?

Yes.

Instead of constructing a solid base beneath the entire patio, we can create the supporting structure using the iGarden iFrame system.

iFrame is a modular galvanised steel framework designed to support outdoor surfaces including porcelain.

The frame is installed and levelled above the ground before the porcelain tiles are positioned onto specialist pads on top of the structure.

There is no conventional mortar bed beneath each tile and the joints do not require traditional pointing.

From above, you see a beautifully finished porcelain patio.

Underneath, however, the construction is completely different.

Why Remove So Much Ground Just to Put Material Back?

This is one of the questions that led us towards a different way of building patios.

Traditional patio construction often involves digging out existing ground, taking the excavated material away and then bringing new material back into the garden to create a suitable base.

There are situations where that's absolutely the right thing to do.

But it doesn't necessarily make sense for every garden.

If we can create a stable engineered structure above suitable existing ground, we can potentially reduce the amount of excavation and heavy material required.

This becomes particularly valuable on properties where access to the garden is limited.

Ideal for Difficult Garden Access

Not every property has a wide side entrance where a mini digger, dumper and tonnes of aggregate can easily reach the garden.

Some properties have narrow side passages.

Others have no side access whatsoever.

Everything may have to come through the house.

In these situations, reducing excavation and bulk materials can make an enormous difference.

The lightweight modular iFrame sections can be transported into areas that would otherwise be extremely difficult to access using traditional construction methods.

For Garden Ezee, this means we can consider porcelain patios in locations where conventional groundwork could be extremely disruptive.

A Patio That Drains Differently

Traditional porcelain patios need carefully designed falls so surface water flows towards suitable drainage.

A dry-laid porcelain patio works differently.

Small joints between the porcelain tiles allow water to drain through the finished surface rather than relying entirely on water travelling across it towards the edge.

The area beneath the patio can then be designed to manage that water appropriately.

This creates a free-draining surface while maintaining the clean appearance of large-format porcelain.

No Traditional Pointing Between the Tiles

Another visible difference is the joints.

Rather than filling the gaps with conventional pointing, the porcelain is installed with a small, consistent shadow gap between each tile.

Apart from creating a crisp contemporary appearance, these open joints allow rainwater to pass between the tiles.

There is therefore no traditional grout or jointing compound between every tile to maintain.

Individual Porcelain Tiles Can Be Lifted

One of our favourite features of the system is something you hopefully won't need very often.

The porcelain can be lifted.

Because the tiles aren't permanently bonded to a mortar bed, individual slabs can be removed using suitable lifting equipment.

This can make future maintenance considerably easier.

If a tile becomes damaged, it can potentially be replaced without breaking out the surrounding patio.

More importantly, if there are drains, inspection chambers or services underneath the patio, access can be designed into the installation.

Lift the appropriate porcelain tile, carry out the work and replace it afterwards.

Building Over Drains and Manholes

Drains and manholes can dictate the layout of a traditional patio.

Often, they have to remain visible through recessed covers or access panels incorporated into the paving.

A framed patio gives us another option.

Where suitable, the frame can be designed around existing drainage and services while maintaining access from above.

This can produce a much cleaner finished patio without permanently burying infrastructure that may need to be accessed in the future.

What About Sloping Gardens?

This is where framed porcelain construction becomes particularly interesting.

If a garden slopes away from the house, constructing a conventional level patio can require substantial excavation, retaining structures or infill.

Instead, the steel framework can be used to create the required finished level above the existing ground.

The same principle can be used for:

• Sloping gardens

• Raised patios

• Split-level gardens

• Roof terraces

• Areas around established trees

• Difficult ground conditions

• Replacement decking areas

• 
  

The patio structure effectively becomes independent of many of the problems occurring beneath it.

Perfect for Replacing Old Decking

An old timber deck often exists because there was a level difference in the first place.

Removing the decking and replacing it with a conventional porcelain patio can therefore create a new problem.

Do you fill the entire void?

Do you construct retaining walls?

Do you bring in tonnes of hardcore?

An engineered frame allows us to recreate the raised structure while changing the finished surface from decking to porcelain.

You retain the benefits of a raised structure while achieving the appearance and low maintenance of a modern porcelain patio.

Does This Mean Concrete Patios Are Outdated?

No.

Traditional construction still has its place, and Garden Ezee continues to use conventional landscaping methods where they're appropriate.

The difference is that we now have another tool available.

Our experience as landscapers allows us to look at the site and decide which construction method actually makes sense rather than applying the same solution to every garden.

Sometimes that's excavation, hardcore and traditional paving.

Sometimes it's a combination of conventional landscaping and engineered construction.

And sometimes there is very little reason to create a huge concrete or mortar structure underneath the patio at all.

Modern Gardens Need Modern Construction Methods

Garden design has changed considerably.

We're now creating larger outdoor living areas, flush thresholds, outdoor kitchens, garden rooms, raised terraces and spaces that need to work as extensions of the house.

We believe the construction underneath those gardens should evolve too.

Garden Ezee combines traditional landscaping experience with the iGarden iFrame system, allowing us to approach difficult gardens in a completely different way.

The homeowner still gets the thing that matters most – a beautiful porcelain patio.

It's simply what's underneath it that has changed.

Planning a New Porcelain Patio?

If you're thinking about a porcelain patio but have difficult access, a sloping garden, existing decking, drainage issues or significant changes in level, we'd be happy to take a look.

Send Garden Ezee a few photographs of the area along with some approximate measurements.

We can then discuss whether a traditional porcelain patio or an iFrame-supported porcelain patio would be the better solution for your garden.