How to Select the Most Durable Parking Tiles for Outdoor Use?

Your driveway is more than just a place to park your car. It’s the first thing visitors see and the last thing you notice before leaving your house each day. Yet, unlike your living room floor, this hardworking surface faces relentless challenges. Scorching summers, oil drips, winter freeze-thaw cycles, and tyre friction are common challenges.

Not to forget, the surface also handles the weight of your vehicle. If you choose the wrong parking tiles for such surfaces, they will crack within a year. But if you choose durable tiles, you can enjoy a beautiful, maintenance-free parking area for several years. If you’re ready, consider purchasing car parking tiles by following the tips shared below.

How to Select the Most Durable Parking Tiles for Outdoor Use?

Check the MOHS Hardness Rating

The Mohs scale measures surface hardness on a scale of 1 to 10. Since you’re exploring durable tiles for your parking and outdoor space, choose tiles rated 7 or higher on this scale. This higher rating ensures that your tiles can withstand the abrasive action of vehicle tyres, dragged items, and even foot traffic without scratches or surface degradation.

Tiles with ratings below 7 can easily develop visible wear patterns within months, especially in high-traffic areas where vehicles turn or brake. Hence, look for tiles, such as vitrified and porcelain tiles, with a Mohs hardness rating between 7 and 9. They’ll be far more durable than standard ceramic tiles, which generally have a Mohs hardness rating of 5 or 6.

Prioritise Water Absorption Rates Below 0.5%

Water absorption is the amount of moisture a tile absorbs. It is expressed as a percentage of its dry weight. If you want strong tiles for your outdoor space, look for tiles classified as ‘impervious,’ with a water absorption rate below 0.5%. Everyone should pay attention to this rate because it isn’t just about puddles; it’s about survival through seasons.

If water seeps into porous tiles and then freezes, it can expand and build internal pressure, leading to cracking. Choosing parking tiles with a low water absorption rate also means the tile’s surface can prevent staining from oil drips, antifreeze, and other automotive fluids.

You can check porcelain tiles as they typically meet the 0.5% criteria. However, you can explore more options. Just ask the seller to specifically suggest more tiles with a water absorption rate below 0.5%.

Confirm Adequate Thickness

When exploring car parking tiles, people rarely pay attention to the tile’s thickness. If you don’t want the tiles to crack within months, you must prioritise the tile’s thickness as much as you prioritise its design. The most durable parking tiles are usually 10-12mm thick, which is significantly higher than the 6-8mm thickness used indoors.

This extra thickness provides the structural integrity needed to withstand loads from sedans to delivery trucks. Thinner tiles may save money upfront, but they’ll crack under stress. If you’re heading to a tile showroom to select tiles, try to physically verify the thickness with a calliper (if possible).

Assess Freeze-Thaw and UV Resistance

Outdoor tiles face extreme temperatures, which indoor tiles don’t. Hence, you must assess outdoor or parking tiles for freeze-thaw and UV resistance. Freeze-thaw resistance ensures that the tiles can withstand repeated cycles of water freezing inside microscopic pores and thawing without cracking. The tile’s UV resistance will prevent colour fading from constant sun exposure.

These two properties work together to maintain both structural integrity and appearance year after year. If you’re looking for good options in this category, explore full-body vitrified tiles. When exploring more options, ask the retailer to show you tiles explicitly rated for ‘exterior use in freeze climates’ and request evidence of UV stability testing.

Consider Choosing Full-Body Vitrified Tiles for Long-Term Performance

Full-body vitrified tiles are an excellent choice for areas that demand long-lasting performance. These tiles have the same colour and pattern running through their entire body—not just on the surface—which means that if they chip, the mark is far less noticeable. Their uniform composition also makes them denser, stronger, and better suited for spaces where heavy loads, abrasion, or rough use are expected.

Because the colour runs through the entire thickness, full-body vitrified tiles maintain a consistent look even after years of wear. This makes them ideal for outdoor areas, commercial zones, parking spaces, workshops, and high-traffic environments.

When shopping, always ask whether a tile is full-body or surface-printed/vitrified, and choose full-body if your priority is maximum durability and long-term appearance retention.

Conclusion

Choosing the right car parking tiles may appear simple, but it requires multiple checks and assessments. Some people make the mistake of selecting tiles based solely on their appearance, not durability. It results in the tiles cracking within months.

If you don’t want this to happen, choose tiles based on the tips discussed in this blog. You can get high-quality parking tiles from Orientbell Tiles as they have a wide range of durable tile options for outdoor spaces. You can also use their virtual tile visualiser to choose the right tiles.