The top 3 recommendations and buying guides

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No screws or glue, just click: these garden and terrace tiles can be laid in no time at all without tools. They are made of WPC, an environmentally friendly, robust and durable composite that consists of 60 percent wood fibers and 30 percent plastic. The surface of the click tiles, which can be laid inside and outside, is roughened and can be easily removed with the Clean the water hose - perfect, for example, to use it on the terrace or the seat in the garden equip. However, you need a solid base so that the panels interlock firmly and do not give way. A solid base made of concrete or at least gravel or Gravel is therefore useful.

These natural stone slabs - which, by the way, are available in different patterns - can be made without tools or other equipment. You simply plug the individual panels together at the connections provided. If necessary, they can also be cut up, for example if you only need “half” a tile for the end. However, you also need a hard and flat surface here, for example made of concrete or stone, wood or fine gravel. As various satisfied Amazon customers report, the transitions between the individual stones can be grouted or glue so that no dirt or liquids get underneath.

These floor tiles for the garden are made of robust, hard-wearing plastic, which is insensitive to frost and other weather conditions as well as to UV light. The surface is slip-resistant, so that the tiles are very suitable as a base not only for the balcony or the terrace, but also for garden paths, for the composter, for large planters and flower pots Etc. suitable. In contrast to others Garden slabs they can also be laid on uneven surfaces so that objects placed on them have a more secure hold. Driving on with a heavily loaded wheelbarrow is also possible. The assembly is very uncomplicated without tools using a plug-in system.

Purchase criteria

material

Natural stone: Natural stones such as granite are very well suited for the various areas of application for garden slabs. You can use this material for high-quality terrace floors as well as for a pavement - As a rule, natural stone slabs are very robust and load-bearing, the latter being essentially from the substructure depends. In addition, this material does not lose its color and is easy to clean with a cleaner suitable for natural stones. The disadvantage is a comparatively high purchase price.

Artificial stone: Artificial stone or concrete stone is much cheaper as a material, but it often doesn't seem natural either. Nevertheless, there are also high-quality garden slabs here that can hardly be distinguished from natural stone tiles. In addition, the range of colors and patterns is very large. As a material for garden slabs, concrete is very robust, hard-wearing, durable and versatile.

wood: Wood is a very beautiful, living material that is also used in high-quality garden slabs. Such slabs and tiles can be used for terrace and balcony floors as well as for sidewalks. Before buying, however, make sure that the wooden tiles are explicitly suitable for outdoor use: untreated wood suffers from weather influences such as rain, snow, frost and sun, so that after a while a weathering process begins. For this reason, only robust hardwoods such as "acacia" (actually robinia), oak, beech or Douglas fir should be used outdoors.

plastic: Plastic garden slabs are robust, hard-wearing, resilient and long-lasting - although they are usually not particularly attractive in terms of appearance. Therefore, they are less used as a terrace floor, but rather used for garden paths, as a substructure of composters and for garbage cans, as a non-slip storage option for large, heavy planters Etc. Here, too, make sure to buy hard-wearing and weather-resistant material, as some plastics, for example, become soft and brittle under the influence of UV light.

Substructure / substructure

Also note that garden slabs - especially the heavy stone variants - cannot simply be laid out on the ground or the lawn. You need a suitable substructure, which, depending on the load and weight, should be firm and as flat as possible. Concrete or paved or areas laid out with bricks, gravel and gravel areas as well as screed.

Laying / laying system

Garden slabs that have a plug-in or click system are particularly easy to lay. You do not need any tools for assembly here, you simply join the panels using the connecting pieces provided for this purpose. As a rule, this connection is stable, but if necessary (e.g. B. for replacing a defective plate). However, there are still joints between the individual panels that you are using Joint sand or other suitable material.

Workmanship and durability

The disadvantage of plug-in or click systems, however, is their substructure, which is often made of plastic and can break under heavy loads. Therefore, if you are heavily used or use garden slabs without such a system - these are simply more robust and therefore more durable. Plug-in systems, on the other hand, are well suited for terrace or balcony floors. In addition, the plates should have a thickness of at least two centimeters so that they do not break so quickly.

frequently asked Questions

Which garden slabs are particularly easy to care for?

Garden slabs made of plastic are particularly easy to care for, but stone slabs (regardless of whether they are made of artificial or natural stone) are easy to clean. On the other hand, things get more complicated with wood, which you have to pay attention to and which can also quickly discolour.

Which material does not get hot in strong solar radiation?

Black plastic, in particular, can get uncomfortably hot when exposed to the sun, making it impossible to walk comfortably barefoot in summer. Instead, rely on stone slabs, especially made of natural stone. These stay pleasantly cool. Ceramic is also a good choice in very sunny locations, but is not suitable for heavily used areas.

What do garden slabs cost?

How much you have to spend on your garden slabs mainly depends on the material used. While plastic and artificial stone are quite cheap and many wooden panels don't tear too much of a hole in the till, panels made of natural stone are all the more costly. Here you have to calculate at least 70 instead of around 15 to 30 euros per square meter as with the first-mentioned materials.

What should you watch out for when building the subsurface?

Make absolutely sure that the slab substrate always has a slight, two to three percent incline so that rainwater can drain off. If the panels are to be laid near the house, the slope should point away from the house - otherwise the water will collect on the foundation walls and cause considerable damage there.

How thick does the layer of gravel have to be under the garden slabs?

How strong the substructure under the garden slabs needs to be depends on the material and the intended use of the same. For a terrace, you should plan an approximately 20 centimeter thick, highly compacted gravel bed on which you spread another five to ten centimeters of gravel or gravel. The subsurface must not be too soft or flexible, otherwise the panels will sink in over time.

equipment

Joint sand

Even if you use garden slabs with a plug-in or click system, grouting - i.e. closing the gaps between the individual slabs - makes sense. With you ensure that no dirt or liquids get under the plates. Weed-inhibiting material also ensures that it does not grow out of the joints so quickly.