Cladding Porcelain Tile
Today, Porcelain tile is one of the most widespread and popular cladding materials for interior and exterior decoration. Porcelain stoneware has a number of advantages over other materials in terms of reliability, durability, maintenance, etc. Stone Look Porcelain tiles are used for wall cladding inside rooms, building facades, laying floors in high traffic areas, etc. The main distinguishing characteristic of porcelain stoneware tiles is their high resistance to abrasion (with a correct installation of porcelain stoneware, the useful life reaches 50 years or more), humidity, extreme temperatures.
FLOOR PORCELAIN TILE INSTALLATION TECHNOLOGY
The technology for laying porcelain stoneware on the floor is not much different from traditional ceramic tile laying methods. The main difference is the adhesive mix. It is impossible to lay porcelain stoneware on a cement mortar: it has a very low porosity, does not absorb water, and therefore does not adhere to a mixture of cement and sand. To install porcelain stoneware tiles, it is necessary to purchase multi-component adhesives with high adhesive properties based on latex or acrylic. They have high elasticity, frost resistance and increase the impact resistance of the coated surface.
SURFACE PREPARATION FOR INSTALLATION
The installation of porcelain stoneware begins with the preparation of the base. The surface must be flat and dry, free of dirt and dust. Small irregularities on the surface can be smoothed out with glue. If the prepared base for the coating has significant level differences, you can not do without a self-leveling mixture. It should be remembered that the complete drying of the screed is at least 25-28 days. Before laying the porcelain stoneware, the surface is primed (using the most suitable primer emulsions for its base) with an even coat with a paint roller or a wide wallpaper brush. It is recommended to apply the primer several times.
INSTALLATION OF PORCELAIN TILES
It is impossible to describe all the tricks and tricks of experienced master tilers. But there are certain aspects to take into account when laying porcelain stoneware. First, the central center line is indicated. It is necessary to place the porcelain stoneware to the left and right of the axial one so that it has half a tile or the joints of two tiles. The uniformity of the spaces between the tiles is regulated by special “crosses”. There should be no glue in the joints between the porcelain stoneware tiles, the solution that protrudes in the grooves is removed with a damp sponge. Porcelain stoneware tiles must be laid evenly not only in relation to the surface, but also to each other.
Perfect installation of porcelain stoneware
Laying porcelain stoneware without seams requires compliance with a series of specific rules. The main focus is on the surface to be coated. The base on which the porcelain stoneware will be placed must be perfectly calibrated, otherwise it could explode under strong pressure on the tile. The optimal size for laying ceramic granite with seamless technology is the 600×600 format, the number of joints will be minimal and larger sizes are still quite expensive. In standard placement, the joints between the slabs act as a so-called damping fuse, which smooths the reciprocating movements of the elements when heated or cooled, as well as during wetting and drying.
When laying seamless porcelain stoneware tiles, this buffer is absent, and in the event of non-compliance with technology, the tiles can swell or burst due to significant stress. Therefore, only professionals should rely on such coating work, use special adhesive mixtures in strict compliance with the instructions.
Laying porcelain Tile stoneware on a wooden floor
Modern technologies allow porcelain stoneware to be laid even on a wooden floor. There are many ways of laying ceramic granite on a wooden surface. But the fastest and most reliable is laying with a special substrate. It usually has a porous ribbed structure, is very light and plastic. The subfloor layers compensate for the seasonal movements of the wooden floors, preventing them from altering the porcelain stoneware coating. Another popular method is the use of gypsum fiber sheets (GVL), which are pre-bolted to the wood with self-tapping screws. You can read more about this technology in the article “Tiling a wooden floor”.
The cost of laying porcelain stoneware.
First of all, you need to understand that porcelain tile is not made for one or two years, but for a very long period of time, and its quality largely depends on how the outdoor porcelain tile is laid, if all the rules and regulations. So if you don’t have the right skills, hire highly qualified master tilers. The cost of laying porcelain stoneware may depend on factors such as: the installation option, the presence of additional decorative elements, the complexity of the surface to be covered (presence of corners, projections, unevenness), etc. And although some want to save money, this should not be done. Violation of porcelain tile laying technology can result in much higher costs.