Laying floor tiles

Before installing. Facing the floor tiles, though considered expensive type of finish, but the beauty and practicality is more than offset the costs. The magnificence and diversity of tiles pushed to the solution on their own oblitsevat toilet, bathroom and kitchen. This desire is understandable and economically feasible. The main thing for the beginner - to adhere strictly to a number of requirements for most tile and the base on which it will be pasted. Prior to installation. Facing the floor tiles, though considered expensive type of finish, but the beauty and practicality is more than offset the costs. The magnificence and diversity of tiles pushed to the solution on their own oblitsevat toilet, bathroom and kitchen. This desire is understandable and economically feasible. The main thing for the beginner - to adhere strictly to a number of requirements for most tile and the base on which it will be pasted. The first step is to carefully check and prepare the ground. Most problems can be avoided if the ground will be clean, dry, smooth, with sufficient bearing capacity. When choosing tile, except for a beautiful appearance, it is necessary to pay attention to its properties. First of all, you need to check whether it has the same coloring and pattern. Also important is "Geometry" tiles, the deviation of its size from the manufacturer, the squareness, the correct form. Ceramic floor tiles it is important that criterion, as abrasion resistance, and when laying the tiles outside the building - frost. Defining what we want to use tiles, it is necessary to calculate their required amount. The starting point is to determine the surface area, which will oblitsevat. Must also take into account the following factors: • technology and image placement: a seamless or with seams, the width and form seams; • losses that may occur when drilling or cutting tiles; • the fact that a number of tiles, even the first grade may have defects that may be standard; • it is desirable to leave some tiles in store (they can prigodits for any repairs). Experience tells us that must be ordered by an average of 10-15% of tiles more than it follows from the size of the area for the lining. Materials for tile laying. Today, ceramic tiling Russian builders can count on a whole range of materials to carry out high-quality and reliable lining even in particularly difficult areas, and on complex surfaces: these adhesives mixtures (solutions), emulsions, insulating materials and compositions for grouting and polishing, tile and etc. Ceramic tiles can be laid on cement mortar or adhesive. The traditional way to cement mortar lining is more complicated, and he is currently discarded. The most popular are mixes for ceramic tiling. They are created on a cement or an organic basis, and ennobled by various chemical additives: plasticizing, resilient, synthetic resin. Dry adhesive mixes are for interior and exterior cladding with ceramic tiles and mosaics all floors, walls, balconies, facades, terraces, swimming pools, etc. Adhesive mixture suitable for use in old buildings for renovation and restoration, and for facing the "young" concrete. Tiling. You must select a tile laying technique: with seams or seamless, with a straight or zigzag stitch, parallel or diagonal. It should be emphasized that the type and direction of the seams are of great importance to the aesthetic, technical and economic points of view. For example, laying close (no seams) stresses the continuity of the surface, it is economical and faster work. However, it has drawbacks: the difficulty of achieving a straight suture, and its termination; stiffness tiled surface, as in this case, the surface behaves as a monolithic construction and at the slightest strain, there is flaking, cracking and swelling of the tile (European and American standards prohibit laying tile without seams). The size of the joints between the tiles is determined by their quality (roughness or evenness edges), and aesthetic needs. Typically, the seams have a width of 1.5 - 3 mm, and ceramic tiles in larger sizes - 5 mm. Another important step - defining the size and position of expansion joints, that is, what area should be restricted to expansion joints. It depends on the hardness of welded aggregates, operating conditions, the room air and temperature, the distance between expansion joints can be from 2 to 10 mm. Base (facing surface) for the installation of the tiles may be all common in the construction of surfaces: concrete, reinforced concrete, cement screeds, brick walls, plywood, wood, glass, metal, old surface, etc. Base under the tiles must be sound and therefore smooth and free from dirt, dust, lime, grease, residual paint coatings, rust. All items slaboprilegayuschie plaster must be removed. The base should not be subjected to shrinkage or deformation (exception - special materials). It is also necessary to align pre-floor level. If the base is strongly absorbing or dusty (old lime plaster, gypsum), the surface is recommended to cover specific priming emulsion. Priming strengthens and stabilizes the foundation, and also increases the adhesion (bond) of a solution with base. All bearing surfaces must be clean, dust free, smooth, dry and have sufficient bearing capacity. Irregularities are sealed leveling mortar or putty mixtures and covered again priming emulsion. Before you begin laying the tiles, you need to accurately plan the location of the tiles on the surface. If the value of the surface is not a multiple of the largest tile with the width of the seam, the tiles need to be trimmed. Visually better looking surface with a symmetrical arrangement of tiles (tiles circumcision is performed in both corners). Laying floor tiles must begin from the most prominent corner in the room. If the first tile should be cut off, then starts laying of the first whole tile in the appropriate place for it. Adhesive solution is prepared by a rash of dry mix into the water and stir by hand or mechanically. It must be clearly marked to comply with the instructions of proportion. After the solution was allowed to stir for 5 - 15 minutes to dissolve the chemical components of the solution and to obtain better uniformity, and then again stirred. Adhesive mixture is applied to the surface no more than 1 m2, since the solution preserves its gluing properties for 10-30 minutes. This time depends on the type of substrate and temperature, and humidity. Solution, which has withered on the wall and lost their ability to adhesives, you should remove and apply a new layer of mortar. Select a room trowel depends on the size of tiles, more tiles, the more teeth the size of a spatula. That the seams were the same, special remote crosses (layout) thickness. After laying on the wall tile is pressed by hand, and at large sizes - inciting a special rubber mallet. Transitions in other rooms and other types of coating width of expansion joint must be maintained. For cutting round holes in tile use special pliers, vykusyvaya hole millimeter by millimeter, or a drill with a special nozzle-cutter. In the case of laying floor tiles on the heating system with underfloor heating should be applied reinforced adhesive. They are characterized by increased adhesion to the base and flexibility, and - very important - line the base voltage caused by temperature differences. It is impossible to lay the tiles when the heating with underfloor heating, and can include heating to a complete grasp of the adhesive solution. By grouting can begin only when the tile is firmly connected to the surface, usually within 24 hours. For these purposes, special mortars (mortar), the right color. Dry mix for grout is poured into a clean container with water, mixed, advocated, once again thoroughly mixed. Resulting solution filled in the seams, introducing the solution into the deep seam with a rubber spatula or trowel with glued rubber. After the appearance on the tile matte excess putty removed hard sponge or similar, covered with an abrasive sponge slightly moistened with water. Usually faced with a floor can be used within 24 hours, but it reaches full strength only after 3 days. It should be remembered that the solidification of the adhesive is evenly if the surface is not experiencing the frequent loads (for example, if the floor immediately begin walking or install heavy furniture). Otherwise there is danger of settling plates. To fill the expansion joints and places where the tiles come in contact with the armature lavatories, as well as external corners, joints of walls with the floor or door, window box, using a variety of polyurethane and silicone sealants. Silicone or polyurethane mass together with the adjacent surfaces of the tiles should be moistened with water with soap with a hand sprayer. Moistening with water to prevent adhesion of sealant to the tile surface. Also, to avoid contamination of the tiles, they stick with a special tape and then fill the joints. Tape to pull up a complete hardening of the masses. Remains of the sealant can be removed with a special tool, which also gives the seam desired shape. The last stage of laying ceramic tiles are the work of care. Severe pollution, air raids, cement and adhesive residue can be removed with special fluids. If the seam fillers must be protected from contamination or chemical exposure, you can cover them with special structures or emulsions. To protect the surface of the unglazed tiles from zanryazneny, water spots, grease, etc. also offer special formulations.