How to Use DesignClad Porcelain Wall Cladding

August 22, 2023

DesignClad porcelain wall cladding - long-lasting, hard-wearing and stylish - is ideal for modern garden design. Discover the benefits of our three DesignClad ranges.

Vulcano Ceniza porcelain wall cladding from our Luxury DesignClad range tones with the brickwork and bronze-leaved planting, while contrasting with the pale paving in this project by Caro Garden Design. Photo by Paul Debois.

The benefits of DesignClad

Its material qualities

DesignClad wall cladding is made from porcelain and virtually non-porous. It's made of raw materials which all register 7-8 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness—and, as that classifies minerals from 1 to 10, it means the materials in DesignClad are all as hard or harder than quartz. This makes it extremely stain-, mould- and fungus-resistant, and easy to clean with simple soap and water. Its manufacturing process means it’s unaffected by sudden temperature changes or prolonged exposure to sunlight and it retains its colour and sharp looks wherever you place it.

Its appearance

Our Luxury, Premium and Compact ranges are available in a wide selection of fade-resistant colours. Manufactured in a way that ensures consistent colouring, all our DesignClad ranges are ideal for svelte and modern design. Surface texture is smooth, and dimensions precise, resulting in clean jointing lines. One of the aspects that interests many designers is the simple, yet powerful blocks of colour it creates, with seamless texture. With this in mind, on each DesignClad product page you'll see we’ve suggested a close-matched grout from the Larsen Colourfast range, so you can achieve a smooth continuity wherever you need it.

Where it can be used

Immediately you realise how well DesignClad will pair up with water, where do you see it? In a garden water feature, by swimming pools, or in hot, steamy locations - hot tubs, bathrooms, wet rooms and saunas? High-quality porcelain wall cladding is an excellent choice for areas that are exposed to lots of weather and this makes them ideal for Indoor Outdoor designs. Suitable for use on both indoor and outdoor walls, it's a shoo-in for creating a continuous space from house to garden. Large sheets - up to a stunning maximum of 1800 x 900mm - offer plenty of design opportunities. Add cladding to boundary walls and raised beds for a long-lasting, low-maintenance finish. Build and clad large planters and troughs to complement or contrast. Our very realistic DesignClad Corten Steel is popular for this. It looks a treat with pale paving and walls and, unlike the real thing, there's no worry about stained paving while it weathers.

Limebok Landscaping used Desert Beige Premium DesignClad to unite the design of this impressive garden scheme, created as a cool, low-maintenance garden with exciting entertainment spaces for the young family to enjoy.

The gentle colour of Golden Sand porcelain wall cladding from our Premium collection make the tree's shadows a feature in this garden from RHS Hampton Court 2021 by Amelia Bouquet, built by Urban Meadows.

The smaller sheets in our Compact DesignClad range introduce a little more texture with an increased number of jointing lines. Their narrower format offers opportunities for greater use of pattern in the way they are placed. Indoors, DesignClad is ideal cladding for bathrooms and kitchens. Shower walls benefit hugely - quick to wipe down and hygienic. Large sheets reduce the amount of grouting required, which is a definite benefit in damp surroundings where mould can occur.

Installing DesignClad wall cladding

Porcelain wall cladding can be cut on-site using specialist tools. This way, you can create tiling patterns unique to your cladding project. Alternatively, we can cut it for you at our Bespoke Stone Centre. The sheets can be installed on concrete, block, rendered and plastered surfaces. Do ask us for advice on cutting and installation, if you're unsure.

DesignClad panel sizes

Luxury DesignClad (1500x1000x5mm) and Premium DesignClad (1800x900x9mm) come in large panels that offer plenty of design freedom. Used full-size, they cover large areas quickly, offer a sleek finish that suits modern and minimalist designs, and are interrupted by fewer grouting lines. They can also be cut on-site to fit any shape or size, or could be cut into custom shapes for a truly bespoke finish. The smaller dimensions of Compact DesignClad (1200x600x900mm) make it lighter to handle and easier to manoeuvre. It also gives a different feel with the narrower panels, which can be applied vertically or horizontally. Don't forget that you can specify bespoke formats, cut from these panels, from our Bespoke Stone Centre.

Tony Woods won Gold and Best "Space to Grow" Garden at RHS Chelsea 2018 with this distinctive garden that included an industrial-looking arch faced with Steel Dark Luxury DesignClad.

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