Split Face Mosaic Fitting Guide

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

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 and externally.

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 its correctly sealed. These tiles also require a lip or ledge to be fixed to the top of the tiled wall to ensure constant contact with water is not made.

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.

Creating Corner Returns: We do not manufacture corner pieces as you cannot guarantee the colour will match the main tiles. We would recommend that at least a 15% tolerance is added to cover the additional cutting involved.

Option 1: Tile the small return walls first so that the tiles fit straight up to the front edge. Then tile over the top to create a straight edge corner. If you pre-select the tiles for the edges you can choose the ones that have a flatter back/ undulation.

Option 2: The tiles can also be mitred on a Wet Tile Saw as this will create a corner. Pre-cleaning: Brush off any loose grit or dust.

Cutting: Prepare all your cuts after dry laying. The design and quality of the cutting tool selected will always determine how successful the cut through the tile will be. We recommend a Wet Tile Saw.

Fixing: Split Face Mosaic must be solidly bedded; cement-based tile adhesives are the most appropriate for this method. Using a suitable notched trowel apply the adhesive onto the substrate, spreading only enough adhesive that remains workable. Take the flat side of the trowel and smooth over the adhesive to produce a uniform, ridge-free bed.
We also recommend ‘back buttering’ each mosaic so you achieve a strong bond with whole tile.

We recommend that light coloured stones 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.
Carefully follow the mixing recommendations supplied on the reverse of the adhesive product.

Please note that these tiles are designed to be butted up together and do not need traditional grouting, however a small bit of grout may need to be applied with the finger to any odd spaces which may naturally occur.

Sealing: Once fitted and completely dry and clean, seal the whole area with your chosen sealer. This will render the stone oil and water resistant.

Cleaning and Maintenance: Clean and maintain your tiles with neutral cleaner designed to be used with sealers.