Pay Attention: our installation rules are more inportant 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 can be delivered with or without polishing. Usually the tiles are delivered whit out polishing on request the can also be delivered with polishing. If tiles are ordered without polishing they are matt and porous and they have different installation rules.
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 can not be more than 1mm in difference in height between two adjacent tiles.
LIQUID MORTEL: Use a very liquid mortal never a paste. The tiles have to be cleaned very thoroughly before polishing. This can be done with water and a little soap or detergent.
OILING TILES: To avoid the appearance of a gray surface on top of the tiles this is not visible when the tiles are wet. (not necessary when tiles are already polished)
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.
TRADITIONAL WAY OF INSTALLING
With thick cement on a stiff sub floor (concrete or stabilized sand).
The tiles need to be soaked in water 1 hour before installing them.
Do not use a hammer but instead use the palm of your hand to press on the tile until the same level is achieved.
Possibility of filming after placing (this can be removed by water and will disappear after cleaning)
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.
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.
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 cement 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 concrete or cement paste, if the paste is too liquid, it’s possible that the tile will drop slightly after you final leveling.
Place the tiles next to the guide line and very importantly place them all the same height, not more than 1mm in difference 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 cement or concrete (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 4 or 5 days after placing the tiles.
Use a common middle gray mortar for the small gaps, with a cement base with no additives.
Mortaring tiles delivered with finishing:
Just before mortaring, wet the floor and the tiles with clean water until they don’t absorb water anymore. This is necessary to fill the small gaps. Use a very fluid mortar and never a paste.
Tiles delivered with finishing, have to be cleaned with water and soap or detergent and then they can have a thin layer of wax or MAA again, or can be polished directly after cleaning.
Mortaring tiles delivered without finishing:
Oiling the tiles: to avoid the appearance of a gray surface on top of the tiles, which is not visible when the tiles are wet. Rob some transparent vegetable oil on the tiles with a cloth. This can be any vegetable oil except linseed oil or oil that oxidizes (hardens) Oil the tiles at least 4 hours before you mortar the gaps. Make the tiles and the gap wet until they don’t absorb water any more. This is necessary so as to be able to fill the small gaps. Use a very fluid mortar and never a paste. The tiles have to be cleaned very thoroughly before polishing.
Tiles delivered without finishing have to be cleaned and dried after cleaning protect the tiles with cardboard or paper (not plastic, because this will make it difficult to dry the tiles) until the moment of filling the porous surfaces.
Each spot of cement that is not removed will be visible until the next thorough cleaning. Use a (Scotch-Brite) sponge or some sanding paper (max.180) and water for tough spots of dirt. Never use chemical cleaning products that have bleach or acid as a component. They can bleach out the colors or mar the surface.
Never sand the tiles with a machine. A perfect surface is established when the tiles are completely dry before filling. If this is not the case, the wax cannot enter the tile completely.
Fill the porous surface with a white soft polishing wax (MAA) Place 2 thin layers of wax with a cloth on the surface, or use a polishing machine for large areas. Wait 24 hours before placing a second layer of wax.
If the tiles aren’t completely dry yet and the space is already in use, it is possible to use a temporary layer of wax. After a few weeks of months, clean the floor very thoroughly, and put a thin layer of wax so the new layer can soak deeper in to the tile.
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.
Stir the cement good before put it under the tiles otherwise there may be water bubbles underneath the tiles, so they can get loosen or they can crack from frost.
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 to clean 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, all 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.
