Frost resistant does not mean the tile survives standing ice
The Tile Council says it does not know a tile that claims to be frost proof, or the criteria such a claim would use to separate itself from frost-resistant tile. Frost-resistant tile, including tile that can cycle more than 2,000 times through freeze and thaw, is commonly damaged when water and ice sit on it and can enter grout joints or voids in the setting bed.
ASTM tests and a maker's rating
Tile meeting ASTM C1026 and ASTM C373 will generally perform outside if it is installed by accepted methods and the manufacturer rates it for exterior use. Many makers apply stricter internal tests before they give that rating. The European EN-202 frost test is not the same method as the ASTM tests, though most tiles behave similarly in both.
Drainage is part of the result
The FAQ's point is that a cycle count on a dry specimen does not describe a joint that holds water. Poor drainage can damage a tile that passed a frost test.
Source
Fetched 2026-10-11 from Tile Council frost resistance FAQ. The sentences above follow that page. They are not a contractor promise.
Related notes
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