Kandla Grey Porcelain: Best Finish for Your Outdoor Space

The patio is your home extension. It’s a place where you unwind, relax, and entertain with your family. If you have chosen Kandla Grey porcelain paving slabs for this space, the next big decision to make is the finish. Paving slab finish matters for style and durability. 

With its soft grey tones and natural stone character, Kandla Grey porcelain offers a beautiful backdrop for all of your garden designs, be it modern or classic. But how you finish it, the texture, edge, size, and installation determine how it looks, feels, and performs over time. 

Let’s walk you through everything you need to know so that you can choose just the right finish and create a patio that you will love for years. 

Why Choose Kandla Grey

Kandla Grey is made from a material called porcelain, but replicates the look of the Indian Sandstone Kandla Grey. 

However, Kandla Grey sandstone has subtle and unique grey and bluish grey tonal variations and veinings, while Kandla Grey porcelain has consistent colour and variation in each slab. 

Kandla Grey Porcelain Benefits

Grey porcelain paving slabs offer many benefits to UK outdoor spaces. Here are some:

• Porcelain has high density and low water absorption. That is why it’s frost-resistant and very suitable for UK weather. 
• It is R11 anti-slip rated on many products means it’s safe to walk on even when wet. 
• Unlike natural stone, you do not need to seal it regularly or worry about it getting stained or faded. 
• The soft grey tones of Kandla Grey porcelain complement all home designs. 
• It goes well with sleek steel furniture, rustic timber benches, and lush planting schemes. 

If you like the look of the stone but do not want to spend a lot of time and money on the maintenance, Kandla Grey Porcelain from Pave Direct is a smart choice and investment to make. 

Kandla Grey Porcelain Finishes

The “finish” of paving slabs means the surface texture, the edge definition, and the way the material has been processed. 

Kandla Grey Finish Considerations

These factors affect the slab’s look and how it feels underfoot, how light plays across them, and how easy they are to clean and maintain. 

Texture

Honed Kandla Grey surface is smoother to the touch. The brushed or riven texture offers more foot grip and more organic variation, like the natural kandla grey. 

Edge Treatment

There are a number of edges of Kandla Grey porcelain. Rectified edges are made through machine cutting straight edges, which gives them a crisp and modern look. The natural and sawn edges give a more natural look and a relaxed and rustic feel. 

Thickness and Size

Outdoor porcelain tiles come in 20mm and 16mm thickness for heavy-duty outdoor spaces. These are some of the most common sizes in the market:

1. Kandla Grey Porcelain 900×600mm
2. Kandla Grey Porcelain 600×600mm
3. Kandla Grey Porcelain 1200×600mm

These sizes affect your outdoor layout, the joint size, and the overall look of your paving. 

Batch and Colour Variation

Even if you have Kandla Grey porcelain, you will get a subtle tonal and pattern variation. This is an intentional variation to make it look more natural. You should always blend crates when installing Kandla Grey porcelain. 

When you select the right finish, you balance your paving style, safety, practicality, and budget. 

Best Finish for Kandla Grey Porcelain Paving UK

Here are some of the most popular finish options of Porcelain Kandla Grey paving and how they behave in UK outdoor spaces. 

1. Honed or Smooth Finish

Smooth Kandla Grey porcelain gives a velvety smooth surface. They are more reflective, and the light grey tones will appear slightly brighter and modern under the sun. They are easier to clean but might want regular sweeping during wet and leafy weather conditions. 

These outdoor porcelain paving slabs are ideal to be use for formal patios with modern furniture, minimal planting, and light outdoor fabrics. 

Kandla Grey Smooth Finish Cons

• They may show footprints and damp marks quickly when walked on. 
• If the patio is wet, it may be a little bit slippery. Look at their slip resistance rating before you buy Kandla Grey porcelain paving slabs. 

Brushed or Textured Finish

Textured Kandla Grey porcelain has a slightly more tactile surface. These textures give a slight shadow play, give more safety underfoot, and a more relaxed and rustic feel. They are also easy to clean, and the dirt and the foot and the water marks are not that visible. 

They are ideal for family gardens, homes where you have children and pets. You can use them as patio slabs for your patios that double as a play space or outdoor kitchen. 

Kandla Grey Textured Finish Cons

• They look less modern than the honed Kandla Grey porcelain. 
• The textures are more likely to collect debris in grooves, thus they need regular sweeping. 

Natural or Riven Finish

They literally mimic the natural texture of the natural stone Kandla Grey.  The fissures and variations are more rustic and organic. They are extremely durable; however may need a little bit more sweeping due to the debris, but still very low maintenance as compared to the natural stone. 

The riven Kandla Grey porcelain highly complements country gardens that have planting borders, terraces having informal furniture, and patios with firepits. 

When you see Kandla Grey porcelain slabs, look for certain specs and details, such as honed or stone-effect textured surface, natural or rectified edges, and rating non-slip R11 or below rating, etc. 

Which Finish Suits your Patio

How you use the space, your design style, and the surrounding environment should decide the finish of your patio choice. 

These are the three factors you should consider while choosing the finish of your patio tiles:

1. Usage

Brushed or Textured Finish

• For high foot traffic areas
• For patio and play area of children and pets. 
• For BBQ and dining zones.

In these areas, the textured finishes provide extra foot grip, stain resistance, and durability. 

Honed Finish

• For premium minimalist patios.
• For a showpiece patio with sleek lounge furniture. 

Natural/Riven Finish

• For terraces and gardens surrounded by plants. 
• Garden patios have natural borders. 
• Patio and outdoor sitting areas having firepits. 

The riven finish will make them a beautifully relaxing space. 

2. Design Style 

Honed Finish

• With steel or aluminium furniture. 
• With retreated timber and monochrome cushions. 

Textured Finish

• For Timber dining sitting areas.
• With wicker loungers.
• With lighted lanterns and strings of lights.

They add a welcoming touch and character to the space.

Natural/Riven Finish

• With brick and stone walls. 
• With mixed material furniture 
• Plants spilling onto the patio.

3. Light and Weather Considerations

The UK is often surrounded by overcast skies, dappled shades, and periods of humidity, rain, and snow. 

Honed Finish

If you have a shady patio, a honed and lightly textured Kandla Grey porcelain will reflect more light and make your space brighter. 

Textured Finish

If your garden patio experiences water, fallen leaves, and moss in the corners, the texture finish will help in masking water spots.

Natural Finish

For a south-facing patio receiving an intense amount of sunlight, the subtle grey tones of Kandla grey and the natural texture will resist UV rays, stay true without fading or chipping. 

Kandla Grey Porcelain paving is amazing, no matter what the situation has to offer; however, like one installer on Reddit said:

“The only problem with porcelain paving is that it’s very fragile when cutting and laying. That is to say: proper installation and finish choice matter.”

Kandla Grey Porcelain Maintenance Tips 

How to maintain Kandla Grey porcelain paving? To ensure that your Kandla Grey patio looks great through seasons, you need to follow these outdoor porcelain paving maintenance and durability points:

1. Porcelain typically doesn’t require sealing, but use a suitable waterproof jointing and grout. Seal the joints to prevent weed growth, moss, and staining. 
2. Clean periodically and sweep regularly. For tough grime, use some warm soapy water and a soft brush. You do not need to worry about spillage, as it doesn’t absorb water the way a natural stone does. 
3. Avoid harsh acidic cleaners or high-pressure washing on the edges. It will definitely affect the surface and the grout joints. 
4. Inspect the joints regularly for moss and weed growth. Use polymeric sand or grout if cracked or loose to maintain the integrity of your porcelain slabs. 
5. If the finish is too smooth, add a subtle anti-slip agent if the surface remains wet or if you have installed it in pool surrounds. 
6. Ensure the drainage is good so that the patio surface remains free of standing water or ice sheets. The Kandla grey porcelain is frost-resistant, but the joints and base layer still need to be installed correctly. 

Questions to Ask Your Supplier/Installer Before Installing Porcelain Paving Slabs

1. What is the thickness of the slab? For example, normally, you will get kandla grey porcelain paving slabs 900x600x20mm. 
2. What is its anti-slip rating? R11 is the recommended standard for UK patios with R12 or R13 offering even higher slip resistance. Lower ratings like R9 or R10 have less grip.
3. Are the edges of the Kandla Grey porcelain rectified or natural? What is the finish? Honed, textured, or natural?
4. Has the slab batch been checked for tonal consistency? Will all of the slabs come from the same batch?
5. What is the joint width, and what type of grout will be used in the joints?
6. What maintenance is recommended by the manufacturer? 
7. Are there any warranties or performance guarantees?
8. Are silver porcelain paving slabs and silver Kandla Grey porcelain paving the same? Some suppliers label Kandla Grey as silver grey due to its cooler tone. 

Conclusion

Kandla Grey paving slabs finish chosen right does not only mean how it looks on day 1. It means how it will perform in your patio, how it will feel, and age through morning routines, summer BBQ sessions, autumn leaves, and winter showers. Whether you choose smooth, textured, or natural finishes, the key is to match your finish with your use case and style preference. 

When you have the right selection and installation, your patio becomes more than a slab of grey underfoot. It will become a well-designed outdoor room. A place that you will be proud of. 

Choosing the right finish means experiencing the best, not just the day it is installed, but every day after that! Explore more outdoor design inspirations on Sky Rye Design and choose from a vast collection of outdoor porcelain paving from Pave Direct, and let your patio become the next chapter of your home. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kandla Grey porcelain suitable for outdoors?

Yes. Kandla Grey porcelain paving UK is designed for outdoor use. They are frost-proof, weather-resistant, non-porous, and slip-rated between R10 and R11. 

Is Kandla Grey porcelain prone to staining?

Vitrified porcelain is far less prone to staining than natural stone. The tiles do not absorb spills, can be promptly wiped, regular cleaning is simple and easy to keep them anew.

What are the disadvantages of porcelain paving slabs?

Have higher upfront costs than other paving options, require professional and careful installation, and with the extremely smooth surfaces, there is a risk of slipping. Big slabs need careful handling. 

What colour grout for Kandla Grey porcelain?

Mid grey is a safe neutral for complementing Kandla Grey porcelain, Charcoal gives a strong contrast, and light grey will blend subtly. Use mid grey for a modern look. Ensure that your grout is outdoor-rated, compatible with porcelain, and weather-resistant.