Outdoor living might not be at the front of your mind during the cold, winter months, but this is the perfect time to start planning for your next hardscaping project. For those who are interested in adding a touch of classic elegance with a splash of European flavor to their home’s exteriors, we strongly recommend Mirage porcelain pavers by Belgard.
Belgard, one of the leading hardscaping manufacturers in North America, recently partnered with a major Italian porcelain paving enterprise in order to create this exciting new line of porcelain tiles.
Mirage porcelain pavers offer a subtle beauty that speaks to the heart while establishing a warm and inviting outdoor living space that you’ll fall in love with time and again. It’s no wonder that NJ homeowners are growing so excited about the possibilities tied to hardscaping with Mirage porcelain pavers.
Mirage Porcelain Pavers At-A-Glance
Before we move any further into this post, it’s important that we clear the air about what porcelain pavers actually are, and why you should be interested in Mirage pavers. Porcelain pavers have a very similar look to indoor tile, but are actually thicker and much more durable.
Porcelain is known for being very resistant to breakage, even when subject to regular wear and tear. This makes for a very long-lasting and reliable paver for your frequently used patio and other outdoor entertaining areas.
Porcelain is also slip-resistant while remaining non-porous, which means that you can expect excellent traction when the pavers are exposed to water, while also not having to worry about the units becoming stained or damaged by exposure to spills and/or chemicals like swimming pool chlorine.
Of course, Mirage pavers are also known for their incomparable beauty. These versatile units are available in a wide range of styles and colors, making it simple for you to pull off the look of your dreams.
Whether you prefer soft, earthy tones that evoke a sense of being in a desert oasis, bold modern contrasts, or even pavers that look just like actual wood decking, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.
Best of all, Mirage porcelain pavers are very affordable, and because they will increase the value of your property, you’ll get an immediate return on your initial investment. What’s not to love?
5 Tips for Installing Mirage Porcelain Pavers
Once you’ve made the determination that Mirage porcelain pavers are the perfect fit for your outdoor living space, it’s time to start making plans for the installation process. Fortunately, we’re here to guide you through every step of the process.
In order to make your life simpler, we’ve assembled five expert tips for working with these gorgeous porcelain pavers. Please be sure to give us a call or visit one of our locations for further tips, tricks, advice and information on Belgard pavers.
1. Decide on a Method
Just like there’s more than one way to skin a cat, there’s more than one way to install your porcelain pavers. Your method of installation will depend on how you intend to use the pavers (i.e.: for pedestrian traffic or for light vehicular traffic), as well as the existing conditions throughout your property.
Talk to a professional about assessing your property and your project plans to determine which course of action you should take. The six most common installation options include 1) Sand set over a compacted road base, 2) Sand set over concrete overlay, 3) Cementitious adhesive overlay with a concrete base, 4) Permeable over open graded aggregate, 5) Stepping stone sand on top of a compacted road base and 6) 20mm fixed pedestal on a concrete floor.
2. Assemble Your Tools
You can’t pull off a job if you don’t have the right tools, materials and equipment on hand. One of the most important tools that you’ll need to acquire is a wet cut tile saw.
This saw should be equipped with a diamond blade that is perfectly suited for the wet cutting of porcelain. Next, you should pick up a paver clamp.
This will allow for easy handling in the installation of your pavers. We recommend that you always work with gloves in order to protect your hands during the installation process.
Lastly, any time that you’ll be performing cementitious adhesive and proud installations, you should employ appropriate notched tools and grout float tools.
3. Pick a Joint Filler
You’ve to a few options when it comes to filling your paver joints. Some homeowners are happy to work with traditional, dry sand that is swept carefully into the open joints until they are entirely filled.
Because high winds and rain can cause erosion, you may need to re-fill the joints on occasion. Cement blended sand, which is comprised of 3 parts sand and 1 part cement, is another solid option.
The cement is activated by a misting of water. All excess cement must be swept away from the porcelain pavers before wetting in order to avoid creating a sticky, unsightly mess.
A final option would be to work with polymeric sand. This sand is blended with polymers that act similarly to cement, in that they Harden when exposed with water. Again, any excess polymer must be removed from the pavers prior to curing in order to prevent blemishes.
4. Give ’em Some Space
Remember that porcelain pavers should never be installed without a minimum of 4 mm spacing between each unit. Porcelain to porcelain contact can create problems with scratching and cracking, and can diminish the overall structural integrity of your project.
5. Handle With Care
Although porcelain is extremely tough and durable, it’s still prone to some scratching, chipping, cracking, or other blemishes when they are rubbed against one another. It’s for this reason that you’ll notice that your Mirage porcelain pavers come packaged with a very strong plastic covering, with individual units being packaged within cardboard boxes for added protection.
Don’t remove packaged pavers from their boxes until they’re ready to be installed, as handling multiple loose stones together increases the chances for chipping. You should also remember that porcelain pavers should never be compacted with a plate compactor, and should only be wet cut making use of the appropriate saw.
Buying Mirage Porcelain Pavers in NJ
Braen Supply is known throughout NJ for being the largest and most reliable supplier of Belgard products, including Mirage porcelain pavers. We are authorized dealers for Belgard Pavers, ensuring that we always have access to the latest Belgard products and information regarding their installation and maintenance.
We’re more than happy to pass that knowledge along to customers like yourself in order to guarantee that you have the best possible experience with your new porcelain pavers.
We make it our mission to always offer a full inventory of Mirage pavers by Belgard, and to keep our prices as low and competitive as possible. Our Belgard porcelain pavers can be picked up at your convenience, or can be delivered to areas throughout parts of NJ, NY, PA and CT.
