A 20 mm outdoor porcelain paver is a porcelain tile about twice the thickness of a normal floor tile, made for patios, paths, terraces and roof decks. The extra thickness gives it enough strength to be laid loose on gravel, sand, grass or raised pedestals, not only bonded to concrete.
Pavers are also called 2 cm tiles, outdoor slabs or porcelain pavers. They have become a common alternative to natural stone and concrete pavers.
How they differ from normal floor tiles
- They are thicker, typically 20 mm against 8 to 10 mm for a standard floor tile.
- They are much stronger, because breaking strength rises sharply with thickness.
- They are heavier, roughly 45 kg per square metre for 20 mm porcelain, depending on body density.
- They usually have a textured, slip-resistant surface made for outdoor use.
- They are made in a dense porcelain body with very low water absorption, which helps frost resistance.
Sizes and looks
Common sizes include 600x600, 600x900 and 600x1200 mm, with some plants also making 400x800, 800x800 or 1200x1200. The range depends on each plant's press and kiln. Ask what the factory makes on its own lines.
Looks follow the indoor market: stone, slate, concrete, wood and terrazzo. Digital printing gives realistic faces, and the texture is pressed in to match. Many ranges have matching indoor tiles in a thinner format, so the floor can run from inside to outside.
Why buyers choose them
Porcelain pavers resist stains, frost, moss and fading better than most concrete pavers. They do not need sealing in the way porous stone does. They are light enough per piece to lay by hand, and they can be lifted and relaid on pedestals to reach services below.
The weak points are cost of laying and edge chipping. Pavers are hard and brittle, so they need proper cutting tools. Edges can chip if they are knocked during handling.
How they are laid
The thickness opens up several methods: bonding to a concrete slab, dry-laying on compacted gravel or sand, stepping stones in grass, and raised pedestal systems on roofs and terraces. Each has its own rules, covered in laying methods for 20 mm pavers.
What to specify
- Size, thickness and whether the edges are rectified.
- Water absorption, ideally 0.5% or less (group BIa).
- Breaking strength to ISO 10545-4 for the 20 mm product.
- Frost resistance to ISO 10545-12 if your market has freezing winters.
- Slip resistance, for example R11 under DIN 51130 or the method your market uses.
- Packing: pallets or crates, corner protection and ISPM 15 treatment for any wood.
Because pavers are heavy, a container fills by weight quickly. Our article on how many outdoor pavers fit in a container shows how to plan the load. For a full specification, see writing a specification for outdoor porcelain pavers.
Next step
We find plants that press true 20 mm porcelain, check strength and frost reports, and supervise packing and loading. To discuss an outdoor range, book a free sourcing review.