Baldosas atérmicas: lo último en suelos que se calientan menos con radiación solar para piscinas, terrazas y solariums

If you live in a high-temperature region and want to enjoy your patio or pool without worrying about how hot the tiles get, athermic paving stones are the best solution. This type of ceramic paving stone is designed to absorb less heat than other materials, meaning the temperatures reached when exposed to sunlight are lower. We’ll explain the characteristics, advantages and why you should choose them for your outdoor area.

Una baldosa atérmica es aquel revestimiento cerámico porcelánico cuya superficie absorbe o retiene menos cantidad de calor que otras baldosas, en condiciones de exposición directa al sol. Esta propiedad hace que las baldosas atérmicas se calienten menos que otras baldosas, y lo que es más importante, reducen el riesgo de quemaduras al pisar sin calzado sobre ellas. Por esta razón, las baldosas atérmicas son la elección perfecta en las zonas alrededor de las Pools or for outdoor areas like terraces, patios and solariums in warm places exposed to the sun.

Technical characteristics of athermic porcelain paving stones

Para entender por qué estas baldosas son más idóneas en climas cálidos, es importante conocer sus características técnicas:

1. Menor absorción de calor: utilizan materiales y tratamientos especiales que reducen la acumulación de calor en su superficie de la baldosa.
2. Light colors: they tend to come in light tones, as they reflect the sunlight better than dark tones.
3. Specific texture: they can come in non-slip finishes, especially all pieces meant to be used to tile wet areas like pools.
4. Resistance to the elements: they maintain their athermic property even under extreme climate conditions.

Installing athermic paving stones in your outdoor area offers several benefits, such as:

• More comfortable: wellbeing outside

El principal beneficio de estas baldosas es la reducción de la temperatura superficial respecto a otras baldosas, facilitando la sensación al caminar descalzo.

• Más seguridad: disminuyendo el riesgo de quemaduras en los pies

La seguridad aumenta y el riesgo de lesiones y molestias se reduce.

• More time for enjoyment: longer leisure hours

Where can athermic paving stones be used?

Athermic paving stones are ideal for flooring in outdoor areas exposed to the sun and any tiling outside in very warm climates. The most common places to install them are:

• Terrazas y patios: al calentarse menos las baldosas atérmicas se prolongan las horas de diversión y se alargan las horas de juego y ocio.
• Pools: tiling around the pool basin and edges makes for cooler stepping.
• Solariums: permiten relajarse y tomar el sol
• Jardines y senderos: además de calentarse menos, las baldosas atérmicas aportan diseño, estilo y estética en el exterior.

What is the solar reflectance index or SRI?

The solar reflectance index of a material indicates which fraction of incident solar radiation is reflected by the surface evaluated and, therefore, not absorbed. It is normally expressed as a value between 0 and 1.

• A value of 0 indicates the surface does not reflect any solar radiation; in other words, all the solar radiation is absorbed, meaning it doesn’t heat up.
• A value of 1 indicates the surface reflects all the solar radiation on it and will maintain a lower temperature.

How does the solar reflectance index influence the thermal experience?

Knowing this index can tell you what the thermal experience of a particular ceramic tile will be like: the higher the SRI, the lower the temperature of the paving stone under the sun. On the other hand, paving stones with an index of less than 0.50 absorb more heat and end up getting hot.

What SRI should a paving stone have in order to be considered athermic?

Para que una baldosa pueda considerarse como atérmica debe tener un índice de referencia mayor o igual a 0,5. El IRS se mide y se clasifica según el estándar ASTM E1980-11 (2019).

In some contexts, this figure can also be expressed as a percentage: as a value between 0% and 100%, where 0% represents no reflection and 100% represents total reflection; in other words, the paving stones do not absorb heat.

Paving stones for patios outside single-family homes in very warm regions, community pools outside residential buildings or terraces at holiday homes must be:

• Ceramic: Ceramic paste generally has a lower capacity for solar radiation absorption than other materials. However, the exact behavior of the ceramic under heat depends on the specific composition as well as the surface finish of the paving stone.
• In light tones: In general, dark paving stones tend to absorb more solar radiation than softer colors. This is due to the fact that the first have a greater capacity to absorb light while light ones tend to reflect it more.
• Atérmicas: con un IRS mayor o igual a 0,50. En zonas cálidas con gran exposición al sol se debería elegir colores claros reflejantes con un IRS > 0.65.
• Non-slip for added functionality in areas around swimming pools to prevent slipping.

In any case, you have to remember that no matter how white a ceramic paving stone is, it will heat up if exposed to a lot of solar radiation - yet to a lesser extent than darker paving stones. They may even burn if the solar radiation incidence is extremely high.

If you’re thinking about renovating your outdoor area and are looking for a solution that offers comfort, safety and design, athermic paving stones are the perfect choice. At Gres Aragón, we have extensive experience in ceramic floor tiles for warm climates and we can help you find the right choice for your open-air project. Check with our experts and take a step towards enjoying a more comfortable, safer and more elegant outdoor area this summer.