Best Tile for Outdoor Patio – Buyer’s Guide

Designing and decorating an outdoor patio is an exciting task that can transform your backyard into a cozy and inviting living space. One of the most important decisions when it comes to patio design is choosing the right tile. The right tile can provide the perfect combination of beauty, functionality, and durability that can withstand the outdoor elements. However, with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the best tile for your patio.

In this blog post, we will explore some of the best tiles for outdoor patios, discussing their advantages, disadvantages, and best uses. Whether you are looking for a rustic, natural look or a sleek, modern design, we have got you covered. So, let’s dive in and discover the best tile for your outdoor patio.

1. Bare Decor Wood Interlocking Flooring Tiles – Best Tile for Outdoor Patio

To say Bare Decor is a bit unusual in terms of business structure would be selling the point a bit short as this is actually one of the more labyrinthine businesses that we reviewed. To point, Bare Decor is not actually a true company in its own right as much as it is one of a few brands owned by Key Inc. Things get a bit trickier from there as Key Inc is not some major multi-billion dollar global conglomerate but is itself a fairly small company. That said, Bare Decor does at least specialize exclusively in the manufacture and sale of wooden accessories and small furniture. While this is not limited to tile for an outdoor patio, it includes that market as well as many more providing some comfort that though Bare Decor is a young brand with less than a decade of experience they still understand how to work within their chosen medium in a general manner.

Material

One of the best things about the Bare Decor BARE-WF tiles are the different materials used for various parts. It is important to remember that tile for outdoor use will generally feature a similar structure where a top layer forms the durable portion on top of which you walk with a bottom layer that forms the connection between the different tiles. While there can be some connection options that alter the installation, it is going to be the materials that ultimately determine how the tile performs in the real world.  Thankfully, the wonderful Teak hardwood provides an incredibly durable surface that can still provide enough give due to the plastic base. 

Convenience

In order for the Bare Decor BARE-WF tile to be the best performing tile that we reviewed, it has to provide more than just some of the best material properties, it also has to be easy to use in general.

How to Install Deck Tiles

2. BlockTile B2US Deck and Patio Flooring Interlocking Tiles – Best Tile for Outdoor Porch

BlockTile is another company that we reviewed which has not been around too terribly long – under a decade – but it does still present a fairly stable business model that features many of the things you look for. For instance, as the name suggests, BlockTile specializes exclusively in not only flooring options but specifically tile flooring options. On top of that, all of the different types of tile are designed to fit easily together with an interlocking system that makes installation a breeze. Even better, BlockTile is its own company, so you do not have to worry about a larger hand pulling the strings of this brand, so there is little concern that the product will decrease in quality anytime soon in terms of the manufacturing process or the composition of the BlockTile B2US5130. That said, it is worth noting that this tile may be a bit more limited than some and does not demonstrate the non-outdoor patio versatility that some others do.

Material

Once again, when judging tiles for outdoor patio, it is vital to understand what the material is and how that affects the product. For instance, the BlockTile B2US tile does not use the same kind of approach as some others opting instead for a material which is relatively unimpressive on the surface but incredibly useful as tile for outdoor patio. Specifically, the BlockTile B2US tile is made of polypropylene which is a type of thermoplastic regularly used for outdoor products. While it may not necessarily be the most durable material used for outdoor tile, it is still plenty strong for general foot traffic and resistant to numerous threats.

Protections

Beyond the benefits of the more general characteristics, the BlockTile B2US tile has been further reinforced to provide additional protections which increase its versatility and extend its lifespan. Though polypropylene is not inherently so,  Block Tile made is a point to provide UV protection to the BlockTile B2US tile, so you do not have to worry about the sun degrading it day after day. On top of that, the BlockTile B2US tile is waterproof but features a perforated design to make water drainage and clean up no problem. 

3. Golden Moon Artificial Grass Interlocking Tile – Best Outdoor Tile for Cold Weather

As a company, Golden Moon Garden can best be seen as the pinnacle standard achievement for globalization where the combination of Americans working with what was once newly opened Chinese markets paved the way for both consumers and corporations to benefit. That said, the company is one of the few who saw the patio tiles market opening up and is actually one of the older companies on our list – though its experience still does not extend beyond a decade and a half. Regardless, the model of providing the best product at the lowest price is genuinely actualized through the Golden Moon tile making this by far our best price budget tiles for outdoor. Still, Golden Moon does not actually specialize in tile as much as they do in what sits atop the tile.

2-in-1

Golden Moon’s near-specialization in artificial grass provides those looking for a unique tile for outdoor patio a treat as  this tile is the only one that we saw which featured a top layer of artificial grass. This allows the Golden Moon GM006 tile to provide a far more comfortable feeling for bare feet than many of the other tiles that we reviewed.  On top of that, this still means that the Golden Moon GM006 tile follows the basic principle of interlocking tiles making it easy to install anywhere.

Artificial Grass

One of the things that the Golden Moon GM006 tile get right is their material choice which is polypropylene. It is important to note that the fact this tile features a top layer of artificial grass, the fact that the individual blades are made of soft and flexible polypropylene ensures that not only does the Golden Moon GM006 tile provide more give when walking but it also feels soft to the touch. To make things even better, the artificial grass of the Golden Moon GM006 tile features a generous pile of 1 ½”.

4. Thirteen Chefs Villa Acacia Wood Interlocking Deck Tiles – Best Tile for Outdoors

Thirteen Chefs is definitely not the company that you expect to see on this list and to be fair, there is not any reason for its reputation that would lead you to believe otherwise. This is not to suggest that Thirteen Chefs produces poor quality products as much as there is no real specialization of tile or even outdoor accessories to speak. Instead, as the name may suggest, Thirteen Chefs is a brand that focuses more on accessories for the kitchen with a special focus on the implements used to prepare or consume meals. As such, it is all the more surprising that Thirteen Chefs was able to put forth what we see as the best all-around value for outdoor patio with a combination of excellent materials and design that allows this to serve admirably – with some notable concerns.

Value

When you are breaking a product down in terms of value, the ideal balance will feature industry standards in every meaningful category with at least one or two that are better than anticipated.  For the Thirteen Chefs Villa Acacia tile, this begins primarily with the construction which features the use of Acacia wood for a wonderful �ppearance that also provides a bit of give and comfort.  On top of that, the wood is pre-treated, though it might not be a bad idea to put another sealant on the tile instead as it is noted for warping in especially wet areas.

Convenient

Still, the Thirteen Chefs Villa Acacia tile is an incredibly easy tile to use as it too features the interlocking design that allows them to fit into virtually any space or setting. On top of that, the base was made to be as thin and unobtrusive as possible without sacrificing structural integrity greatly increasing the drainage abilities of the Thirteen Chefs Villa Acacia tile when compared to many of its competitors. This tile comes with 10 pieces per purchase further increasing the value while the 1” thickness is solid and meets expectations.

5. Dri-Dek Interlocking Tiles – Best Tiles for Outdoor Balcony

Out of all the companies that we reviewed, none of them have been around longer or developed as good of a reputation as Dri-Dek. Of course, that should be a fairly easy task considering the Dri-Dek does not merely specialize in tile or even tile for outdoor patio – instead, Dri-Dek actually manufactures a single product: this tile. While the tile may come in a variety of styles and sizes, the underlying product itself does not change in any way giving Dri-Dek plenty of opportunity to fine tune their one and only product. That said, this tile is not going to be for every person or every situation though it does present with a number of worthy advantages. Still, likely the one thing that sets this tile apart from the competitors is that it is the easiest install tile for outdoor patio that we saw.

Material

Considering that this is the company’s only product, you better believe that the material is unique enough to justify supporting a singular product in a fair saturated market.  Of course, the Dri-Dek tile meets those expectations by using a proprietary type of vinyl called Oxy-B1 vinyl. This type of vinyl is noted for being far more durable and impact resistant than most vinyl while still retaining the great protections that are naturally built into the product.  The interlocking system, as well as the perforated design, simply increase the convenience of the Dri-Dek tile.

Protections

By far one of the best protections that Dri-Dek’s proprietary vinyl offers is protection from pretty much every kind of microorganism be it mold, mildew, bacteria, or anything else. In fact, while a number of other tiles out there offer protections from one group of microorganism or another, the Dri-Dek tile is the only product that we reviewed which features protection from a complete swath of microorganisms. On top of that,  this formula of vinyl is also reinforced to prevent the UV damage vinyl would otherwise suffer. 

6. Garden Winds DT04 Natural Stone Deck Tiles – Best Stone Tile for Outdoor Patio

Garden Winds joins a long list of companies that have not been around too terribly long, though this brand has actually been around longer than most with a little under a decade and a half experience. That said, this company in way shape or form specializes in tile for outdoor patio specifically or even til or flooring products more generally. Instead, Garden Winds is far more focused on outdoor coverage and seating – though there is a fairly large “miscellaneous” grouping into which the tile for outdoor patio falls. Still, Garden Winds is at least its own company and in this instance, made it a point to provide a higher-end product as well.

Material

To be sure, the Garden Winds DT04 tile is not for everyone, but its material makes it ideal for a particular niche of consumers. Specifically, this is the only tile on our list to be made of natural stone, and the Garden Winds DT04 tile goes the extra distance by using beautiful and durable travertine no less. That said, you will definitely need to make sure that the setting is appropriate as each individual tile is fairly heavy and will not be suitable for settings where the foundation is soft. Still, if you are looking for the best stone tile for outdoor patio, there are few better.

Base

By far the next best quality of the Garden Winds DT04 tile is its base which is made of copolymer polypropylene. This is actually a slightly modified version of the material that is commonly used for the bases of tile for outdoor patio. This is because the weight of the Garden Winds DT04 tile requires a stronger base to support it.  As such, the base of this tile is far stronger than most of the other that we reviewed but also features the UV protection you would like to see to ensure longevity. 

7. Rubber Cal Eco-Sport Floor Tile – Best Rubber Tile for Outdoor Patio

Rubber Cal is interesting primarily because it does not position itself specifically as a tile manufacturer for outdoor patios – though it is one of the many suggested uses – but instead focuses on a material as their specialization. As you can tell from the name, Rubber Cal specializes in making and selling products made of rubber which can extend far further than merely the tile or even flooring markets. That said, you can at least trust that the rubber used for the Rubber Cal Eco-Sport tile is some of the highest quality available and manufactured to withstand far harsher conditions than a lower grade rubber might. Regardless, the material is definitely what steals the show and makes his our best rubber tile for outdoor patio.

Material

Once again the material of the product takes center stage, but this time it is definitely a bit different as rubber presents some interesting overlap. For instance, while it may not seem so from outward appearances, rubber is actually an organic material which is in part explained by its incredible combination of durability as well as its give.  As such, this means that the Rubber Cal Eco-Sport tile provides an excellent option whether you are looking for something that offers the durability and protections from a synthetic material with the comfort of a natural material. 

Versatility

Another great quality that the material confers to the Rubber Cal Eco-Sport tile is a versatility that many other tiles do not truly demonstrate – even the synthetic-based tiles. For instance, this tile is incredibly impact resistant but can handle the static pressure of an automobile as well. While it is not truly waterproof, seeing as it is technically porous, it is still fairly water resistant and provides a relatively easy cleanup – though it is worth noting that these tiles do not drain and should not be cleaned as you would the other tiles that we saw.

Buyer’s Guide

Materials

The material choice of outdoor tile is likely one of, if not, the most important that a manufacturer can make because it will determine how the tile behaves in use. Generally, this decision is based on an opposition between durability and comfort where the more durable the material the less comfortable it is and vice versa – though there are some notable exceptions to this rule. Still, the materials used will have a far greater impact on the performance of the outdoor tile than any other single aspect outside of some unique instances.

Hardwood

This is likely the best all-around material to use for outdoor tile primarily because it sits in the middle of all the relevant qualities. For instance, hardwood is easily one of the more durable materials with only stone being stronger – and that will often depend on the type of stone. It is also a relatively light material with only different plastics offering a lighter competition. The only potential issue with hardwood is that if it is not pretreated and sealed, then it is susceptible to warping and bloating in wetter settings.

Stone

Stone is a fairly popular choice due to its beauty and durability, but outside of durability and the subjective preferences, stone is not an ideal material to use for outdoor tile. This is mostly due to the fact that stone is easily the heaviest material used for outdoor tile and can sink into softer foundations – which is likely why it is used for walkways more often than superficial, interlocking tiles. On top of that, stone is definitely one of the materials that suffer from being uncomfortable in order to provide top-tier durability.

Plastic

This is a fairly common material used for the manufacturing of outdoor tiles, but it is commonly expected to be used in specific situations. For instance, while it can technically be used as its own foundation, plastic outdoor tiles generally function better with a firm foundation underneath – like concrete or wood. Instead, plastic outdoor tile works better as a protective layer over top another floor or ground. Still, plastics are naturally waterproof, many can be protected from UV radiation, and making them antimicrobial is fairly easy.

Rubber

Rubber is definitely a bit of a niche material due to the fact that it does not really offer the best of any quality while coming with some legitimate drawbacks. By far the biggest issue is that rubber is not waterproof but is porous making it a prime target for microorganisms. On top of that, rubber will degrade over time as it is technically a natural substance and is incredibly heavy too. Still, it is exceptionally durable from exterior damage while also being the most comfortable material to walk on.

Conclusion

As we can see, there are virtually as many different types of tile for outdoor patio as there are people with no chance of a single product being the best for all situations. Instead, it is good to identify where you expect this product to be used – or more specifically where your outdoor patio is located as some tile is more versatile than others.

That said, if you are looking for a good all-around product that offers a bevy of benefits without too many meaningful drawbacks, then we recommend the Bare Decor BARE-WF tile. This is primarily due to the use of teak hardwood as the primary material which offers a great blend of durability as well as comfort for walking around barefoot.

Of course, not everyone will be comfortable spending more than most, in which case we recommend our best price budget winner, the Golden Moon GM006 tile which still offers an excellent value despite not being as well suited for heavy traffic over an extended period of time. Still, the top layer of artificial grass provides by far the most comfortable experience while still being capable under moderate use.