Pay Attention: our installation rules are more important than installation notes in general or for different tiles. We don’t accept complaints after installation. Installation means you accept the tiles as they are. There for it is important to read and respect this installation guide.
Cement tiles are matt and porous. Dirt can enter the tiles easily. Therefore the tiles we delivered are with polishing. If tiles are ordered without polishing they are matt and porous and they have different installation rules.
IRREQULARITIES
The production method of cement tiles means that there are color nuances in any assortment.We recommend therefore selecting tiles from different boxes when you installing them, to avoid the appearance of discrete color zones.
There will always be little faults in the tiles that can look very ugly when seen apart. However, these will lead to an interesting and artisanal character for the whole floor. Because of the method of production, you should expect 5% or more faults in the tiles edge faults or cracks of 0.5 cm2. These tiles should perhaps not be used as a whole tile, but can be used as pieces for cutting parts for borders or half tiles. Thus the loss will be little. It would be counterproductive to want a set of artisanal tiles that are perfect uniform.
NECESSARY INSTALATION RULES
GAP: Install the tiles almost against each other. Place the tiles close together with a gap of ±1 mm. All our tiles have to be installed side by side.
DIFFERENCE IN HEIGHT: There cannot be more than 1mm in difference in height between two adjacent tiles.
TRADITIONAL WAY OF INSTALLING
With thick cement on a stiff sub floor (concrete or stabilized sand) this method has several disadvantages.
•The tiles need to be soaked in water half an hour before installing them.
• High risk of breakage when a hammer is used. Do not use a hammer but instead use the palm of your hand to press on the tile until the same level is achieved.
•The lack of flexibility of the concrete can sometimes lead to hairline cracks, if the sub floor shifts.
•Installation needs to be done by a professional.
GLUED INSTALLATION:
This has to be done on a very flat base, using flexible white glue, with double gluing. We recommend asking a professional tile installer in your country which glue is recommended.
For small walls, it’s possible to use a glue paste. This glue hardens very slowly; you have to wait for 2 weeks before you can mortar the tiles. This glue cannot be used on the floor!
On a construction site, there is always a big risk that some tiles can be depressed by walking on them when the concrete or glue hasn’t hardened yet.
For installing the tiles in a shower, bath, washtub, kitchen ect. For all the places where the surface is in direct contact with water, it is necessary to make the sub floor waterproof.
This is especially the case when a sub floor is sensitive to water, such as wood. You can use a thick layer of waterproof paste.
INSTALLATION:
•Place a guiding line to help install the tiles uniformly straight.
•For the installation of motif tiles, start at the axes of the room to center the motif.
•Double gluing: the amount of glue on the sub floor and on the back of the tile has to be enough to place the tiles evenly on the surface.
•Use a sturdy glue paste if the paste is too liquid, it’s possible that the tile will drop slightly after you final leveling.
•Use a glue comb of 8 to 10 mm between the teeth.
•Place the tiles next to the guide line and very importantly place them all the same height, not more than 1mm in differene than any neighbors. We think that significant difference in height when installing the tiles is a big mistake.
Note, however there can be a difference of 1.5 till 2 mm in thickness between tiles.
• Take care that the whole surface of the tile is in contact with the glue (otherwise there is the possibility of breaking at the corners)
Very important: install the tiles with a gap of 1mm, the smaller the gap the more attractive the final result.
•Place the tiles on the right spot and press them with the palm of your hand to the right level. NEVER hit with a HAMMER. This can crack or even break the tile.
MORTARING
Mortaring can take place 2 or 3 days after placing the tiles.
Use a common middle gray mortar for the small gaps, with a cement base with no additives.
We recommend a mortar for small gaps which is water resistant which can be applied when quite fluid, and which doesn’t stick to the surface of the cement tiles. Just before mortaring, wet the floor and the tiles with clean water. This is necessary to fill the small gaps. Use a very fluid mortar and never a paste.
NORMAL CARE
Use the simplest unscented soap you can find, or soap sold specifically for cleaning natural stone or terracotta floors. Regularly clean the tiles to brighten the colors and protect the floor. Polish the tiles for a shiny surface. For a satin look clean the tiles with water after polishing.
AGING THE TILES
The more often you clean your tiles with soap and polish them the more your floor will have a satiny finish, with a softness and warmth. Just like wood, parquet, natural stone or marble. Cement tiles will acquire their full beauty over the years.
INSTALLING A “BASEBOARD”:
“A line of tiles along walls where they meet the floor”.
The gaps don’t have to be in the same line with those on the floor. Mortar the gaps the same way as the floor tiles. The top of the “baseboard” should be angled into the wall and should be painted the same color as the wall.
Corners: place the tiles for a corner and cut them with a diamond saw with water set at 45º degrees. Sand the sharp edges with sanding paper of grade 100.
PLACING THE TILES OUTSIDE:
Cement tiles can be used outdoors if there is enough protection, like in a city garden with walls or terrace or in a semi- Mediterranean climate. Even then it’s possible that the tiles will develop hairline cracks in the porous surface, the same as with a lot of natural stones.
Because this is due to frost and to avoid this as much as possible follow these instructions for placing the tiles outside.
•Place the tiles on a perfect waterproof sub floor.
•Double glue the tiles otherwise there may be water bubbles underneath the tiles, so they can get loosen or they can crack from frost.
•The glue has to be specifically for outside use.
•The gaps have to be well maintained in perfect condition to avoid letting water trough.
•Very slightly angle the tiles so that water drains from the surface of the floor; it is not good to have water standing on the tiles.
•We recommend cleaning the tiles regularly with soap and water, so that rain will quickly run off from the surface.
•Take notice! Tiles placed outside can change color due to acid rain in combination with sunshine.
•In such cases, these minor disadvantages will be appreciated or not as a function of the tolerance and taste of the people who make a choice for the “old” or “living” character of cement tiles.
