Yes. Many outdoor tile ranges can be supplied with matching step treads, risers, bullnose edges and pool or wall copings. Not every Morbi factory makes them, and those that do may not offer every piece in every design and size.
Special pieces turn a tile range into a complete outdoor system. They also add the most risk for shade matching and breakage. So agree them in writing early, not as an afterthought.
The common pieces
- Step treads, often with a rounded or squared nosing and grooves near the front edge for grip.
- Risers, the vertical piece between treads, usually cut from field tiles.
- Bullnose pieces, with one rounded edge, for terrace edges and wall tops.
- Copings, for pool edges and the tops of garden walls, sometimes with a drip groove underneath.
- L-shaped corner pieces, where two cut pieces are joined at a mitre to look like a solid block.
- Skirting, to finish the junction between the floor and a wall.
How they are made
Some pieces are pressed in their own moulds. Others are made after firing by cutting, grinding and profiling field tiles. A rounded nosing, for example, is often ground into the edge of a standard tile. L-shaped pieces are cut and bonded.
Ask how each piece is made and where. Some factories make them in-house. Others send tiles to a separate processing unit. Either can work, but if the work is done elsewhere, you need to know who is responsible for quality and breakage.
Profiled edges on glazed tiles can show the body colour along the cut. On full-body porcelain, the colour runs through, so the cut edge matches. For visible step nosings, full-body or double-charge tiles often look better.
Shade, batch and size
The biggest risk is a mismatch between steps and the floor. Pieces made from a different batch can differ in shade, and the difference is obvious on a staircase.
- Have special pieces cut from the same batch and shade as the field tiles they go with.
- Confirm the exact sizes of treads and copings, including the nosing depth and any drip groove.
- Check that the slip surface on treads matches the floor, or exceeds it at the nosing.
- Order a few spare pieces of each type, because they are hard to match later.
Our article on the difference between shade and batch numbers explains how to read the box markings.
Minimums and lead time
Special pieces are made in small runs. Factories often set a minimum per piece type and add time to the lead time, because processing comes after firing. If you need them with the first order, say so at the quote stage.
Packing matters too. Treads and copings are heavy, long and easy to chip at the profiled edge. Ask for crates or reinforced cartons with edge protection. Our guide on how outdoor pavers are packed covers the options.
Next step
We confirm which special pieces a factory can supply, how they are made, and that they match the field tiles at loading. To plan a full outdoor system, book a free sourcing review.