General Installation Guide

Before Ordering & Installation

The purpose of our guidelines is to outline the basic principles of installing your tiles.

Prior to ordering & installation please ensure the tiles are suitable for the application. If not fitting yourself make sure your tiler is familiar with fixing Natural Stone, Porcelain, Quartz Stone or Mosaics and that you fully discuss your requirements and expectations.

A wastage factor should be taken into account for each project prior to ordering. This is normally a minimum of 10% which should allow for cuts and any minor tile imperfections.

Remember to read carefully the manufacturers instructions on any packaging of sealers, adhesives and grouts before fixing your tiles. All backgrounds to be tiled to should be flat, level, clean, dry and free of dust, grease and any loose material. You must ensure that the substrate is suitably prepared to support the adhesive and tiles you have selected.

No complaints regarding the appearance of the product will be accepted by The Stone and Tile Company Ltd once the tiles have been installed.

Natural Stone Floor & Wall Tiles

Please also refer to our detailed Natural Stone Tiles Fitting Guide for further information.

Minor damage such as edge chipping is often caused in transit, packing or unpacking Natural Stone tiles, and should be expected, it is deemed normal practice for these to be used as cuts during the installation process.

Natural Stone Tiles - Selecting your surface

Natural stone tiles are a stylish and desirable solution, however you should spend some time looking over the different finishes available to you so you can determine which is right for your project.

Riven

The perfect choice for high traffic areas of the home such as entrance halls, utilities, kitchens, conservatories and outdoor areas. Slate in a natural riven finish can provide excellent slip resistance, so perfect for any area of the home where additional slip resistance is required. Riven stones are very rustic in nature with contrasting depths within the surface of the tile so not recommended for barefoot traffic.

Brushed

Has a unique soft riven surface, which is achieved by gently machining the top of the tile, resulting in a sleeker, contemporary effect that is perfect for all indoor areas of the home such as entrance halls, utilities, kitchens, conservatories and open-plan living areas. You do not lose the beauty and structure of the stone, just the riven areas are more rounded so they are perfect for barefoot traffic.

Honed

If you are looking for a dramatic floor choice, honed surfaces are flat and smooth to the touch. Honing the surface will open the pattern of the stone and generally cast a distinctive beauty to the stone. Suitable for all indoor areas of the home.

If you have queries regarding the suitability of a stone, please contact one of our team who will be pleased to advise you prior to purchase.

Natural Stone Floor Tiles - Calibration

Un-calibrated tiles: Are not processed through a machine which means they have a naturally riven surface on both sides of the tile. Calibrated tiles: have the riven surface removed from one side of the tile creating a flatter surface of which to fit. Riven Stones: there may be some slight layers still to the back of the tile after calibration owing the the nature of the riven stone. You will still find small variations of thickness from tile to tile so riven stones will still require a degree of grading owing to the dimensional tolerance. Brushed & Honed stones: are processed through a calibration machine a number of times to create their beautiful, authentic finishes so have flatter machined back with smaller tolerances from tile to tile. We suggest referring to the 'specification' section of each product for thickness tolernaces prior to ordering.

Natural Stone Floor Tiles - Colour Variation

The beauty of stone is it’s naturally occurring colour tones and shading, so if you have selected a stone with a slight or moderate colour variation it is important to sort your tiles into colour batches prior to fixing. This will mean opening all crates or pallets of materials supplied and stacking them vertically against a wall in the appropriate colour groups. We then recommend that you dry lay them to blend them visually before final application to your floor or wall, this will ensure that you are happy with colour variation. Dry laying will also allow you to determine which tiles you can select for the external cuts of your project.

Natural Stone Tiles - Grade By Thickness

Another way of making your natural stone installation easier is to grade your tiles by thickness. Our tiles are calibrated, although owing to the nature of the stone you will find nominal variations. Each of our stones have different tolerances depending on their finish, so please refer to the product description on each product page. Grading can be easily done by eye and once completed you can commence tiling with the thickest first and ‘bedding up’ your adhesive as required as you work to the edges of your project. This will create a flat finish with no raised edges from tile to tile. Tiling should also start from the centre of the room and tiles should be dry laid first to avoid any unsightly cuts and to determine the optimum grout width for your product.

Natural Stone Tiles - Dimensional Tolerance

Due to the way Natural Slate is hand cut there will be slight dimensional tolerances present. This tolerance can be up to +/- 2/3mm. When you dry laying it may be required that you flex your grout widths accordingly to accommodate any slight tolerance. Please discuss the individual tolerance of your selected stone with one of our advisors prior to ordering so you are fully informed.

Riven Slate

A certain amount of delamination should be expected from slate tiles during and following installation, owing to the layers nature of the stone. During installation any loose flakes should be just broken off. When delamination occurs after instillation, the affected area can be just re-sealed.

We don't recommend riven slate for barefoot areas of the home, such as bathrooms or floors with underfloor heating, owing to its very rustic surface. We have a brushed slate which still has the sructured beautry of natural slate, although owing to its brushed finish it provides a softer feel underfoot.

Modular Sets

Please also refer to our detailed Natural Stone Modular Set Fitting Guide for further information.

Natural Sheera Multicolur - Modular Sets

Sheera Modular Sets are calibrated to the back of the tile, however due to the natural properties of Sheera Slate the individual sizes will vary in thickness from tile to tile. The tolerance is 12mm +/- 4mm, however this is an average tolerance for guidance. We recommend grading your stone into thickness batches prior to fitting, grading can be easily done by eye and once completed you can commence tiling with the thickest first and ‘bedding up’ your adhesive as required as you work to the edges of your project. This will create a flat finish with no raised edges from tile to tile. Tiling should also start from the centre of the room and tiles should be dry laid first to avoid any unsightly cuts and to determine the optimum grout width for your product.

Laying out your tiles before fixing will also ensure you get a good mix of colour shades across the area. The pattern guide supplied is a suggested fitting pattern, as the tiles have dimensional tolerance it is required that you flex your grout widths accordingly to accommodate the size differences. The beauty of Natural Riven Slate in a modular pattern is its bespoke nature and rustic effect.

Natural Black & Charcoal Grey Slate - Modular Sets

Natural Black & Charcoal Grey slates are calibrated to the back of the tile, however due to the natural properties of the stone the individual sizes will vary in thickness from tile to tile. The tolerance is 12mm +/- 3mm, however this is an average tolerance for guidance. We recommend grading your stone into thickness batches prior to fitting, grading can be easily done by eye and once completed you can commence tiling with the thickest first and ‘bedding up’ your adhesive as required as you work to the edges of your project. This will create a flat finish with no raised edges from tile to tile. Tiling should also start from the centre of the room and tiles should be dry laid first to avoid any unsightly cuts and to determine the optimum grout width for your product.

Laying out your tiles before fixing will also ensure you get a good mix of shades across the area. The pattern guide supplied is a suggested fitting pattern, as the tiles have dimensional tolerance it is required that you flex your grout widths accordingly to accommodate the size differences. The beauty of Natural Riven Slate in a modular pattern is its bespoke nature and rustic effect.

Limestone & Travertine - Modular Sets

Our Limestone Modular sets have a tolerance of 14mm +/- 2mm and Travertine are 12mm +/-1mm, however these are average tolerances for guidance. We recommend grading your stone into thickness batches prior to fitting, grading can be easily done by eye and once completed you can commence tiling with the thickest first and ‘bedding up’ your adhesive as required as you work to the edges of your project. This will create a flat finish with no raised edges from tile to tile. Tiling should also start from the centre of the room and tiles should be dry laid first to avoid any unsightly cuts and to determine the optimum grout width for your product.

Laying out your tiles before fixing will also ensure you get a good mix of shades across the area. The pattern guide supplied is a suggested fitting pattern, as Limestone tiles have dimensional tolerance it is required that you flex your grout widths accordingly to accommodate the size differences

Limestone is a unique natural stone with distinctive characteristics, natural strength and durability and when treated with the correct care is virtually maintenance free. Please refer to the recomended sealers and care products to ensure you keep your stone looking its best.

Split Face Mosaic Tiles

Please also refer to our detailed Split Face Mosaic Fitting Guide for further information.

This product is not suitable for internal walls exposed to more intense and prolonged periods of water - e.g Shower enclosures. You can however use Split Face Mosaic in splash-back areas where slight splashes will occur and externally. If however you tank your shower walls (to make your walls waterproof) you can fit split face mosaic tiles in a shower cubicle.

We recommend that you treat a spare mosaic with the appropriate sealer prior to installation to ensure you achieve your desired appearance.

Read the instructions on the packaging of Adhesives, and Sealants very carefully. Keep everything meticulously clean and orderly as work progresses.

No complaints regarding the appearance of the product will be accepted by the company once the tiles have been installed.

Surface preparation: Check your substrates suitability for tiling before proceeding as Split Face Mosaic tiles are often heavier than standard wall tiles.
The surface must be properly prepared, suitably level, sound, clean, dry, and free of dust, grease or any loose material. All surfaces must be completely secure without any obvious deflection and capable of carrying the additional load.

Planning: As a general guide, consider the natural focal point of the area to be tiled, and plan the tile layout and the starting point with this in mind.
It is important to establish which way the tiles are to be laid before any tiling is started. ‘Shuffle’ the Split Face Mosaic by drawing tiles from all the boxes and dry lay and blend on the floor, this will ensure that you are happy with the colour variation, interlocking design and will allow you to pre-select which pieces you are going to use for cuts. Minor chips, and blemishes should be expected and are best used for cuts or well mixed on the wall.

External Application: Split Face Mosaic is suitable for use outdoors provided it is back buttered during installation and full adhered to the substrate. Split Face mosaic tiles require a lip or ledge to be fixed to the top of the tiled wall to ensure rain water is moved away from the face of the stone (as with a rendered wall) to ensure constant contact with water is not made. We recommend Mattstone and Colour Intensifier sealers for external use only. Please call to discuss the most suitable sealer for your split face when tiling externally, we are happy to help.

Fireplace Application: Split Face Mosaic is suitable for behind a log burner or fireplace, however you need to consider the heat that all be generated. You will need to use a heat resistant adhesive for the immediate area around the fire, the rest of the wall can be fitted with standard flexible tile adhesive such as Proflex SP.

Creating Corner Returns: We do not manufacture corner pieces as you cannot guarantee the colour will match the main tiles. Please refer to our Split Face Mosaic Fitting Guide for further information on how to create corners. We would recommend that at least a 15% tolerance is added to cover the additional cutting involved.

Porcelain Floor & Wall Tiles

Please also refer to our detailed Porcelain Tiles Fitting Guide for further information.

A wastage factor should be taken into account for each project prior to ordering. This is normally a minimum of 10% which should allow for cuts and any minor tile imperfections.

Read the instructions on the packaging of Adhesives, and Sealants very carefully. Keep everything meticulously clean and orderly as work progresses.

No complaints regarding the appearance of the product will be accepted by The Stone and Tile Company Ltd once the tiles have been installed.

Porcelain Tiles should be stored inside prior to installation.

Slip ratings are an indication of whether or not a tile is suitable for use in areas where slipping is a possibility. Please refer to the R rating of your selected tile to ensure the suitabilty for your project.

R9 – To be used in dry indoor areas. Bathrooms*, Kitchens*, Hallways*, Living Rooms, Bedrooms and studies. Smooth surface gloss or matt tiles that can produce a hazard when wet, as the shoe may slide over the tiles. *Suitable matting should be placed to absorb water splashes.

R10 – Used in indoor or outdoor areas where minimal wetting will occur: Bathrooms, Kitchens, Hallways, Commercial areas. The tile will be generally matt or have slight surface structure, designed to prevent shoes from sliding over their surface.

R11 – Use in areas where they will be subject to heavy wetting of the surface: Wetrooms, Exposed balconies, Patios, Commercial areas. This tile will have a heavier textured matt glaze with sometimes a surface structure, designed to prevent shoes from sliding over the surface. Designed for both indoor and outdoor areas.

R12 - Best used in areas subject to heavy wetting of the surface: Patios, Swimming pool surrounds, factory production lines. The tile tends to have deep recesses which allow liquids to drain form the surface.

R13 – To be used as steps or ramps: commercial swimming pools, Spa surrounds, Production lines. Very deep recesses will form part of the structure to allow for liquids and oils to drain.

 

Rectified Porcelain Tiles: Rectified or sharp edge tiles have been cut to near exact measurements with an almost perfect straight edge, creating a more uniformed look. Owing to the straight edge you will be able to use a smaller grout line. Please note that all sizes quoted are approximate as there are tolerances with all tiles. The tolerance to European standards for a rectified tile is +/-3mm. All batches of tiles will be produced to the same tolerance.

Surface Preparation: Just as with ceramic tile installation, it’s imperative that the surface you’re tiling on is properly prepared, suitably level, sound, clean, dry, and free of dust, grease or any loose material. All surfaces must be completely secure without any obvious deflection and capable of carrying the additional load. You must ensure that the substrate is suitably prepared to support the adhesive and tiles you have selected. Before tiling or levelling certain substrates must be primed to reduce the porosity, or to minimise the chemical reaction with cement-based adhesives so please refer to the instructions on the adhesive packaging before commencing tiling.

Planning: Some porcelain tiles have been created using 3D print technology so they will have a varied print, so we would recommend opening all crates or pallets of materials supplied and stacking them vertically against a wall and mixing tiles from each box. We then recommend that you dry lay them to blend them visually before final application to your floor or wall, this will ensure that you are happy with any tonal variation. Dry laying will also allow you to determine which tiles you can select for the external cuts of your project.

Laying: If you are fitting tiles that are over 600mm in length it is advised that you use a wall & floor levelling system as it will eliminate any lippage. Larger tiles have a slight curvature and is more noticeable on rectified edges, especially as generally laid with narrow joints. A levelling system will adjust the height of the tiles and evenly holds their edges flat throughout the curing process.

Grouting: We recommend using a rapid setting cement-based grout. UltraTile Flexjoint Premium wall & floor tile grout is rapid-setting with strength and flexibility, and has ultimate colour consistency too. Allow your tile adhesive a full 24 hours to cure before grouting. Pre-seal any polished porcelain or full-body matt tiles prior to grouting to protect them from any staining. Apply using a rubber float or squeegee at a 45 degree angle to the wall or floor making sure to press the grout firmly into the gaps. wipe any excess grout from the face of the tile using a damp sponge, being careful not to remove the grout from the grout line. After approximately 30 minutes, buff the tiles to remove any grout haze.

Using dark grout colours - Although some polished porcelains are pre-sealed at the factory, you may find that additional sealer will be required when wishing to use a dark grout to prevent any bleed through the cut edge. When using coloured grouts, it is advised to clean the grout from the surface immediately to reduce the contact of the grout wth the surface of the tile.

We recommend incorporating movement joints at a frequency of approximately 20sqm. The type and design of the movement joint should always be fit for purpose.

Underfloor heating: Porcelain tiles are suitable for all forms of underfloor heating, so such a great way to add that extra element of luxury.

Adhesive: A cement based tile adhesive is recommended with porcelain tiles so you may need to check if your substrate requires sealing prior to fitting. We recommend ProFlex SP Wall & Floor Tile Adhesive, ProFlex S2 & ProGrip FX

Sealing: Most Porcelain Tiles do not require sealing, therefore require almost no effort in order to keep them looking sleek. However for those of you who have a polished porcelain or full-body matt porcelain then you will need to seal them, as the manufacturing process will leave microscopic holes in the surface which could over time hold dirt. So it’s important that you check which type of porcelain you have, and whether or not they require sealing. We recommend LTP Polished Porcelain Sealer.

Some polished tiles have a manufacturing sealer applied at the production stage called a Nano sealer which provides protection for tiles at installation stage. However, care does still need to be taken to ensure you don’t compromise the nano sealer when installing the tiles. It is recommended that you conduct a water test to ensure the sealer is still effective before general use.

Cleaning and Maintenance: Porcelain Tiles require little maintenance and will last a lifetime with the correct care. All you will need to do is brush them and mop them weekly with a mild detergent to keep them in perfect condition. If you have sealed your tiles we recommend neutral cleaners such as LTP Waxwash as it won’t strip your beautiful sealer and will actually enhance the longevity of your sealer too.

Quartz Stone Wall & Floor Tiles

Please also refer to our detailed Sparkle Quartz Stone Tiles Fitting Guide for further information.

A wastage factor should be taken into account for each project prior to ordering. This is normally a minimum of 10% which should allow for cuts and any minor tile imperfections.

Read the instructions on the packaging of Adhesives, and Sealants very carefully. Keep everything meticulously clean and orderly as work progresses.

No complaints regarding the appearance of the product will be accepted by The Stone and Tile Company Ltd once the tiles have been installed and sealed.

Underfloor Heating: Quartz Stone tiles with the correct ratio of quartz to resin can be used with electric underfloor heating up to 150 watts. However we would not recommend Quartz tiles to with piped underfloor heating as they can reach excessive heat levels of 60 to 70 degrees unlike electric underfloor heating.

Quartz Stone should not be in direct sunlight or close to intense heat for prolonged periods such as in a conservatory or as a splash back behind a hob as this intensity can cause colour fading in the tiles.

It is essential that the substrate to which it is intended to fix the tiles is fully cured and dry as the tiles may show varying degrees of moisture sensitivity. On new cement we recommend disconnecting sheets to prevent cracks from movement.

Planning: Due to the natural characteristics of the Quartz used to produce this product, shade and texture alterations are possible. It is important to sort your tiles into colour batches prior to fixing. This will mean opening all crates or pallets of materials supplied and stacking them vertically against a wall in the appropriate colour groups. We then recommend that you dry lay them to blend them visually before final application to your floor or wall, this will ensure that you are happy with colour variation. Dry laying will also allow you to determine which tiles you can select for the external cuts of your project.

Adhesive: It is important to note that when installing quartz tiles, you must use a non-water-based adhesive. This is because quartz tiles are susceptible to moisture damage. We recommend a rapid setting, low water content cement-based adhesive to ensure the tiles are not adversely affected by moisture from the adhesive. For ultimate strength and ease of fixing we recommend Proflex S2 Tile Adhesive.

Sealing: Quartz Tiles are not porous, however as with all man-made polished tiles the process of polishing could produce microscopic pores that could hold dirt or grout. If you are planning to use them in a high traffic area or with a coloured grout we would recommend that you seal them prior to grouting with LTP MPG Sealer.

Cleaning and Maintenance: Quartz tiles require little maintenance and will last a lifetime with the correct care. All you will need to do is brush them and mop them weekly with a mild detergent to keep them in perfect condition. We recommend neutral cleaners such as LTP Waxwash as it won’t strip your beautiful sealer and will actually enhance the longevity of your sealer too.

Mosaic Tiles

Please also refer to our detailed Mosaic Tiles Fitting Guide for further information.

A wastage factor should be taken into account for each project prior to ordering. This is normally a minimum of 10% which should allow for cuts and any minor tile imperfections.

Please ensure the tiles purchased are suitable for the application and thoroughly inspected. Ensure your tiler is aware of the expected finish and there are sufficient mosaics for the area.

Read the instructions on the packaging of Adhesives, Grouts and Sealants very carefully. Keep everything meticulously clean and orderly as work progresses.

No complaints regarding the appearance of the product will be accepted by the company once the tiles have been installed.

Surface preparation: Check your substrates suitability for tiling before proceeding.
The surface must be properly prepared, suitably level, sound, clean, dry, and free of dust, grease or any loose material. All surfaces must be completely secure without any obvious deflection.

Planning: As a general guide, consider the natural focal point of the area to be tiled, and plan the tile layout and the starting point with this in mind. When you have finished marking out your surface you will often come to the end and realise that you will need to cut a sheet to fill the remaining area. In this case, depending on the size of the gap, you will either need to cut your mesh panel or revisit your marking out and shuffle it around a little so you're not left with an awkward bit of surface to tile or cut. 

Cutting: To cut the sheets to size make sure you have a wooden worktop and that it is well covered. Using a Stanley knife, turn the sheet over so it exposes the mesh and at an angle, cut straight down the mesh ensuring there is no mesh left sticking out of your cut piece.

If you have to cut the glass we recommend scoring them on a tile cutter and then use nibblers to snap after scoring. Knock the sharp edges off with a diamond stone if required.

Fixing: Mosaic Tiles must be solidly bedded with tile adhesive. Please check the suitability of your adhesive prior to fitting your mosaics. If using a cement based adhesive, please check if your wall requires priming first.

We recommend that light coloured mosaics or transparent glass are fixed with white adhesives.
Carefully follow the mixing recommendations supplied on the reverse of the adhesive product.

Grouting: As mosaics can have smaller grout spaces it is recommended that you use a fine grout. Our Premium Flex Joint grout a fine grade which is perfect for mosaics.

Sealing: If your mosaic contains Natural Stone you will need to seal the whole area with your chosen sealer. This will render the stone oil and water resistant.

Cleaning and Maintenance: Do not use harsh cleaning products containing bleach, as this could cause damage to the top layer of material.

Outdoor Porcelain Tiles

Please also refer to our detailed Outdoor Porcelain Tiles Fitting Guide for more detailed information.

A wastage factor should be taken into account for each project prior to ordering. This is normally a minimum of 15% which should allow for cuts and any minor tile imperfections.

No complaints regarding the appearance of the product will be accepted by The Stone and Tile Company Ltd once the tiles have been installed.

Just as with ceramic tile installation, it’s imperative that the surface you’re tiling on is properly prepared, suitably level, sound, clean, dry, and free of dust, grease or any loose material. All surfaces must be completely secure without any obvious deflection and capable of carrying the additional load.

Rectified Porcelain Tiles: Rectified or sharp edge tiles have been cut to near exact measurements with an almost perfect straight edge, creating a more uniformed look. Owing to the straight edge you will be able to use a smaller grout line. Please note that all sizes quoted are approximate as there are tolerances with all tiles. The tolerance to European standards for a rectified tile is +/-3mm. All batches of tiles will be produced to the same tolerance.

Surface Preparation: Ensure that your concrete base has been left to cure for at least 6 weeks before beginning to install tiles. Using a soft bristle brush, remove any dust or construction material remnants.

Adhesive: We recommend using Proflex SP Tile Adhesive. Using a notched trowel, spread the adhesive onto the concrete surface. Use the smooth side of a trowel to spread the adhesive onto the concrete surface then drag the serrated edge back through the adhesive to form ridges of equal depth.

Laying: Lay your outdoor slab tile on top of the adhesive, firmly pressing down and giving it a slight twist so that it effectively beds into the adhesive. Proceed to lay the rest of your slab tiles ensuring that you evenly space them, you can use large spacers to achieve an even grout space.

Cutting: Any cuts for the edging tiles you will need to cut with a wet wheel tile cutter with a diamond encrusted blade. an angle grinder can also be used for external procelain 20mm tiles.

Grout: We recommend using Flexjoint Premium Grout due to its anti-mould properties. This grout can be used to fill joints from 2mm-20mm. Mix the grout in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and then place a liberal amount onto your grout float. Use the float to apply the grout to the joints between the slab tiles.

Cleaning and Maintenance: External porcelain tiles require little maintenance. An annual clean with a jet-wash should be sufficient to keep them looking like new.

 

Cutting Natural Stone, Porcelain & Quartz Stone Tiles

The best way to cut the tile is with the combination of a Wet Tile Saw and a diamond encrusted blade. The Wet Tile Saw is important for the lubrication of the water that the diamond blade needs in order to cut through the tile. If you don’t already have one you don’t need to spend a fortune, we recommend the 450W Wet Tile Saw from B&Q.

Cut Slowly: One of the important aspects to remember when cutting is to push the tile through the saw very slowly. Moving the tile through the saw too fast is going to cause the blade to bind up and either crack the tile, break the blade, or cause the saw to overheat.

Drilling Holes

When installing the natural stone, porcelain or Quartz tiles in a bathroom, or in the kitchen, you may need to work around pipes and other elements. This can be easily done through the use of a diamond drill bit and diamond hole saw. Make sure that when you do the drilling you will want to use plenty of water to keep the drill from getting too hot.

Interior Substrates – Floors

Existing Tiles: You will have to make sure that the existing floor has any loose tiles removed and the floor is degreased and thoroughly cleaned prior to fixing. Apply a bonding agent prior to fixing, we recommend PRIME IT N Polymer Primer. We also advise selecting a flexible adhesive & grout to account for any future movement which may occur, our range of PROFLEX SP Tile Adhesive’s are formulated for areas where slight movement may occur.

Concrete: When applying stone to a new concrete base you must allow 1 week drying time for every 1 inch of concrete. A stabilizing primer should be applied to porous subfloors, we recommend PRIME IT AR Acrylic Primer as it will promote the adhesion of our of PROFLEX SP Tile Adhesive.

Sand & Cement Screed: A dry level screed is an ideal fixing substrate. New screeds usually need to ‘cure’ or dry out at a minimum of 1 week for every 20-30mm of screed depth. A fresh screed can shrink during drying which can create cracks, this can cause tiles to split if the screed has not been given enough drying time prior to stone or porcelain flooring installation. Uneven floors can be overcome to a certain extent with Floor Leveling Compound, or alternatively Large Format Flexible Floor Adhesive can be used to fix tiles up to a maximum bed thickness of 25mm. A stabilizing primer should be applied to new sand & cement screeds, we recommend PRIME IT AR Acrylic Primer as it will promote the adhesion of the adhesive.

Timber: Wood or its man-made derivatives (chipboard/plywood/T&G/floating timber floors) will be subject to movement under load, temperature and humidity. Rigid tiles cannot absorb deflection or compression and will break or de-bond away from their substrate, so measures should be taken to ensure that the receiving substrate is suitably resistant to moisture and movement in order to prevent deformation and subsequent de-bonding and cracking of your tiles. To prevent movement it is recommended to install an overlay of 18mm exterior grade WBP plywood, suitably sealed on the back, face and edges with neat Priming Agent. Placing at 200 – 300mm intervals It is also advisable to leave a small gap between each sheet used to allow for expansion & also to leave a small gap around the perimeter.

 For areas that are prone to damp & moisture such as bathrooms & shower areas (especially shower wall enclosures), it is advised to use a tile backer board such as “No More Ply”, this is dimensionally stable & water resistant & will not shrink or crack.
 You must use a Flexible Adhesive & Grout when laying on to a wooden surface. Our range of PROFLEX SP Tile Adhesive’s are formulated for areas where slight movement may occur.

Unleveled Floors: Most old floors will have small bumps & dips, this can be overcome by applying more adhesive to the back of the tile at the time of your flooring installation, for more extreme & very uneven floors you should use a self leveling compound, this will bring these areas when installing your tiles, back up to a workable level & stop tiles from sagging or dipping. This can occur if too much adhesive is applied to the back of the tile when trying to bring it up to the correct level.

Interior Substrates – Walls

Stone & Porcelain tiles can be fixed to most walls. All surfaces must be completely secure without any obvious deflection and capable of carrying the additional load, as stone tiles are generally heavier than standard ceramic wall tile.

Wall Substrate

Maximum Tile Weight
(plus adhesive & grout)

Gypsum Plaster 20kg/sqm
Plasterboard (unskimmed) 32kg/sqm
Plywood (WBP)  30kg/sqm
Gypsum Fibre Boards 40kg/sqm
Tile Back Boards 40kg/sqm
Glass Reinforced Cement Sheets  50kg/sqm
Block Work Walls 40kg-50kg/sqm

 

Sand & Cement Render: This the ideal vertical base for fixing stone tiles in dry or wet areas. Up to a thickness of 15mm (up to 38kg/m² approx) and with a maximum fixing height of 3.6 metres New renders will require a minimum of two weeks to dry out. Porous renders must be primed prior tiling, we recommend PRIME IT FP Flexible Additive and Primer as it will promote the adhesion of the adhesive.

Plasterboard / Plaster: Plasterboard that has not been skim coated with a finish coat of plaster will take most 10 and 12mm tiles (up to 32kg/m² approx). In these cases the paper face of the board should be sealed with a coat of PRIME IT FP Flexible Additive and Primer mixed 1:4 parts water and allowed to dry, the tiles can then be fixed with a PROFLEX SP Tile Adhesive.

Shower Walls: If tiling a wall area that will be subject to water penetration we do not recommend backgrounds such as plasterboard and plaster are tiled as they are not water resistant and should be made so with a waterproof backerboard prior to fixing your tiles.

Waterproof Backerboard: There are various construction boards/tile backer boards available, generally they are cementitious, glass-fibre reinforced or extruded polystyrene, and are either water resistant or waterproof. They are available in various thicknesses, which will all have a varying weight bearing capabilities. When suitably screw fixed to walls they should provide an approximate load bearing facility of 40 - 50kgs/m², which is generally adequate load bearing substrate for tiles up to 15mm in thickness. Individual manufacturers should always be contacted for the relevant information on load-bearing capabilities.

Plywood: 18mm exterior grade WBP plywood and other timber such as MDF, chipboard etc, may be used but only in dry areas. Seal all sides/faces and edges with Priming Agent before being suitably batten fixed with vertical and horizontal wooden supports at 300mm centres and screwed firmly at 150mm centres at all joints and edges, this is generally capable taking up to 30kg/m². Please note: Chipboard is the only timber that must not be sealed: please refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines and suitability for tiling.

Existing Tiles/Gypsum Plaster Skim

These are not deemed suitable substrates, as they do not have the weight bearing capacity required for stone or porcelain tiles. If the underlying substrate is capable of supporting the installed load then a proprietary tile backer board, plasterboard or plywood should be suitably primed, where necessary, then screw fixed firmly through to the substrate in order to fix the stone tiles.

Adhesive

Please check your substrates suitability for tiling before selecting your adhesive.

All tiles must be solidly bedded; cement-based tile adhesives are the most appropriate for this method. We recommend PROFLEX SP Tile Adhesive for Porcelain, Mosaics and Natural Stone & PROFLEX S2 Tle Adhesive for Quartz and Natural Stone where a advanced fibre content adhesive is required.

We recommend that light coloured stones such as some Limestone’s, Travertine’s and Quartzite’s are fixed with white adhesives to prevent possible discolouration should the alkaline mortar bleed into, or react with the minerals within the body of the stone itself.

Flexible adhesives are required when the substrate is plywood, existing glazed tiles (floor application only), under floor and/or under tile heating is present or there is any degree of movement or instability in the substrate. Our PROFLEX SP Tile Adhesive is suitable for fixing all substrates.

Grouting Your Tiles

Grout joints are to personal taste, we recommend between 3mm-5mm for our Granite & Porcelain tiles and between 5mm-8mm for our Riven Slates.

Please note that joints should be a minimum of 3mm to allow for any movement of the tiles, it is not possible to ‘butt-joint’ stone tiles.

We recommend Flexjoint Wall & Floor Tile grout as this grout has a fine texture and superior colour consistency.

Grouting Process: We advise grouting a small area at a time, especially with riven slate as dried grout can be difficult to remove. When removing the grout residue, keep your water clean to avoid further distribution of the grout residue. If you continue to have a cloudy apperance on your tiles we recommend using Grout Stain Remover to finally clean your tiles prior to sealing. Do not use on Limestone, marble and other acid sensitive surfaces.

Sealing Natural Stone

It is worth noting that stone has been used as a wall and floor covering for centuries and were never sealed and yet still look beautiful today. Although for modern-living and in order to improve stain resistance we would strongly recommend that your natural stone is sealed.

Natural stone is unique, each has distinctive characteristics, natural strength and durability and when treated with the correct care is virtually maintenance free.

Sealants provide resistance to wear and tear and also highly dirt and dust repellent. If your stone has been selected for a bathroom environment or for external areas where water repellency is required you can selected a sealer to provide this additional protection.

Some protective treatments will also bring out the natural beauty your stone by enhancing the natural colours, veins and patterns, we recommend you select your most preferred finish and protective requirement before purchasing your sealant. We recommend the most effective sealer for all of our stones, just refer to each product page.

Before sealing commences, we recommend that the stone is cleaned with warm soapy water or Grout Stain Remover as this will remove general dirt and dust from the riven areas and pores. It is important to ensure that all areas are clean and dry otherwise dirt and damp will be sealed in.

The recommended sealant should also be applied 24 hours after grouting. Firstly cleaning all grout residue from the surface of the stone, otherwise the grout will be sealed in.

Application

  • Using a small sponge roller or lint free cloth, apply thinly and uniformly allowing to penetrate for approximately 15-30 mins before wiping over with a clean dry lint free cloth to remove any excess which may remain on the surface.
  • The surface must retain a natural finish after treatment. Any excess left on the surface could oxidize to form an unsightly gloss varnish.
  • We advise to just apply to an area of 1 sqm at a time.
  • Allow 30-60 minutes before applying a further coat.
  • The sealer will be dry after about 2 hours, but will take a further three days to become fully resistant.
  • The above is a general guide. Please always refer to sealant manufacturers instructions before applying sealant to your stone.

Sealants provide resistance to wear and tear and also highly dirt and dust repellent. If your stone has been selected for a bathroom environments where water repellency is required you can selected a sealer to provide this additional protection.

Some protective treatments will also bring out the natural beauty your slate by enhancing the natural colours, veins and patterns and providing a gloss surface treatment, we recommend you select your most preferred finish and protective requirement before purchasing your sealant.

Care & Maintenance of Stone & Porcelain Tiles

Like any surface such as wood and laminate, stone and porcelain will still require a degree of maintenance. High traffic areas such as entrances, dining areas, kitchens and even outdoor patios will require more maintenance than bathrooms. Regular sweeping and vacuum-cleaning together with mopping is advised. Any abrasive or acidic household detergents should be avoided as they can remove any surface sealant or in extreme cases damage the finish of the tiles. Please refer to the sealant manufacturers advice for care cleaner for your stone or porcelain.

All sealers on the market will usually protect your stone flooring for 4-8 hours before stain damage occurs so it is vital that acidic liquids and food stuffs are wiped up straight away, i.e. Red Wine, Orange Juice, lemon Juice, Vinegar, Oils, Coffee, Tea, otherwise they may stain your stone.

Care should be taken to avoid scratching your tiles, all stone and porcelain tiles will scratch if subject to abrasive elements such as chair legs, table legs & stones on shoes. It is recommended that you place door mats at entrances and not to wear outdoor shoes inernally. It is also recommended not to drag furniture accross your tiles, be careful with chair legs and place felt pads underneath to reduce possible scratching.

Additional Considerations

Movement Joints in Floors

Structural movement joints in the flooring and bed must be sited directly over and be continuous with any structural joints in the base structure.

Perimeter movement joints are necessary where the flooring abuts restraining surfaces, such as perimeter walls, columns, kerbs, steps etc. These joints should be installed unless the distance between restraining surfaces is less than 2 metres.

Intermediate movement joint requirements depend on the dimensions of the floor. In floors with less than 10 metres between perimeter joints, generally no intermediate movement joints are necessary, however they are required to divide larger areas, and these are normally placed at not more than 10 metres apart. Ideally, the distance between all joints (intermediate and perimeter) should be equal, unless other features of the installation dictate otherwise.

Over potentially flexible type substrates and underfloor heating, areas without movement joints should not exceed 40m². Additionally movement joints should be placed directly over supporting walls or beams.

Movement Joints in Walls

All existing movement joints in the substrate must be carried through to the finished surface with a surface movement joint positioned directly over background or plane changes within the substrate.

Intermediate movement joints should be placed vertically at 4 metre centre and at internal corners and columns, etc. Horizontal movement joints should be positioned at floor and ceiling positions.