Tile Laying ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ FLOOR TILING Preparation Cement Floors New Cement Floors should cure for at least FOUR WEEKS before laying tiles. If the Concrete surface is very smooth it should be mechanically roughened before starting. Timber Floors It is generally recommended that TILE AND SLATE UNDERLAY be installed over timber floors before tiling. Tile and Slate Underlay will provide a rigid foundation ensuring that there will be no floor movement which can potentially crack the tiles. After fixing the underlay should be primed with Primer & Grout Additive. Wet Areas Consult with your local council or a professional tiler before tiling wet areas to establish the requirements for waterproofing before laying tiles. A wet area is usually defined to be a shower or bath but not the whole bathroom unless there is an open shower. It is recommended that waterproofing and tiling with falls to a drain is best left to a professional tiler. Setting Out The layout of the tiles should start at the centre of the floor working out to the walls. Mark the floor between the centre points of opposite walls and lay the first tile in one of the right angles formed at the centre. Continue the tiling outwards using the lines as guides to keep the tiling square to the walls. Before commencing on the actual laying, place a row of loose tiles along each line from the centre to the nearest full tile to each wall. Tiles will have to be cut to fit the spaces left. If it is seen that a narrow cut is required, it is advisable to adjust each row to make cut tiles as close as possible to a half tile. This will require new guide lines being drawn relative to the revised positioning of the central tile. Doing this will facilitate the cutting of the tiles. Application For Cement floors Kemgrip or Monoflex Adhesive can be used: for other applications Monoflex should be used. In either case spread the adhesive with a 10mm notched trowel over 1 square metre at a time. Do not spot fix or soak the tiles. Do not fix tiles with tight joints - the recommended gap is 3mm for internal tiles and 5mm for external tiles. The correct spacing can be created using Tile Spacers available from Bright Tiles. Press the tiles firmly into the adhesive bed. Do not leave any voids under the tiles. The tiles may be adjusted to maintain true, even joint lines. Complete each section up to the nearest full tile to the walls. Cutting the Tiles Leave all the cutting to nearly the end of the project. For a professional cutting job, mark the cuts with a felt pen on the FACE (not the back) of all tiles to be cut and bring them to Bright Tiles. Bright Tiles can cut all shapes including straight cuts, curved cuts, angle cuts, and holes. Grouting Grouting the joints can be commenced as soon as the tiles are rigid and cannot be disturbed. Generally it is recommended to wait 24 hours however note that glue drying time can be longer in cold weather. When grouting in a wet area or a bathroom it is recommended to use Primer & Grout Additive instead of water to mix the grout. Work the grout into the joints using a squeegee or sponge. Remove the surplus grout from the tiles using a Sponge before it dries. Finally, polish with a soft cloth. WALL TILING Preparation of Walls Wall surfaces must be vertically level, firm and rigid. Make sure the surface to be tiled is clean, free from dust, oil, or grease. Plasterboard and cement sheets should be primed with Primer & Grout Additive before tiling. Setting Out It is most important to select a level base for tiling. DO NOT ASSUME THE FLOOR OR ANY SURFACE IS LEVEL. Nail a horizontal batten with its straight edge uppermost one tile width above the lowest point of the wall. Use a spirit level to ensure that the batten is level. At the centre of the wall to be tiled establish a true vertical line with the aid of a plumb line or spirit level and mark it on the wall. DO NOT ASSUME THAT ANY WALL IS VERTICAL. Place a row of tiles against the horizontal batten and then make necessary adjustments so that equal cuts in the tiling are made in the corners. The plumb line is then repositioned at the centre. Tile from the centre line outwards ensuring that the tiles are positioned correctly. Application Using the straight edge of a trowel, spread approximately one square metre of adhesive on the wall. Generally a thickness of 2mm of adhesive will be correct. In a horizontal direction notch the adhesive with a 6mm notched trowel. Press the dry tiles into the ribs of adhesive ensuring that the whole of the back of the tile is in good contact with the adhesive. Do not spot fix or soak tiles. It is recommended that the spacing of the tiles be 1.5mm which can be set using Tile Spacers available from Bright Tiles. Cutting Leave cutting to near the end of the project. For a professional cut, mark the tile on the FACE (not the back) with a felt pen where it is to be cut and bring it to Bright Tiles. Bright Tiles can cut any shape including straight cuts, angle cuts, curves, and holes. Grouting It is recommended to wait 24 hours before grouting however note that in cold weather it may be necessary to wait longer. Mix the grout to a thick paste and let stand for 10 minutes. In bathrooms and wet areas use Primer & Grout Additive instead of water to mix the Grout. After 10 minutes remix but do not add more water. Work the grout thoroughly into all joints with a rubber squeegee in diagonal motions rather than horizontal or vertical. Wash off excess grout with a minimum amoount of water and a soft sponge. The small amount of grout left on the tiles should be left until the grout in the joint dries and then wiped off with a dry rag. This last process will also polish the tiles to give a gleaming finish to the job.