A
Aston
Just thought any newcomers would benefit from a very basic briefing about Tile and Grout considerations/awarness.
knowing your tiles is a very important part of the job which takes time to learn..
It is important to understand the different characteristics of tiles. Knowing what tiles should be used and where is very important?
Tiles can be used for decoration, fashion and durability so understanding their properties is vital in order to avoid costly issues! The colour, the suitability, the size, the grout colour and the durability are all major considerations to take into account. For it wouldnt be wise to use a white marble floor tile in a heavy traffic floor area with white grout and you would not use a large format tile on a wall which could not hold its weight! So choosing a tile based on fashion alone won’t always be a wise choice.
Considerations:
Size – Is the size of the tile suitable for the substrate? Does it suffer from planometric tolerance (warping). If so, certain laying styles should be avoided Ie brick bond where the tolerance would be noticeable compared to laying straight set. The size of tile and the condition of the substrate will determine what notch size to use, what adhesive and weight issues. Will it be suitable for a wet room floors where there are slopes or curves.
Fashion – Certain trends provoke certain styles for example, Victorian, mosaics, and contemporary designs all have different tiling characteristics.
Durability – Will a tile be suitable for a particular purpose? High traffic areas will require suitable tiles to cope with the wear and tear so even if a tile ticks the box on appearance, it may not be suitable for its use.
Slippage – Sometiles will have none slip properties that make them ideal for wet areas whereas other tiles present a hazard due to their polished or glazed surface.
Porous / Staining – Kitchen floors get things regularly dropped on them so it would be foolish to lay a tile that is prone to chemical reactions such as marble or limestone. Also understanding the porosity of a tile is very important so you can at least take the precaution of using a sealer to give a reaction time and help prevent permanent staining.
Grouts and Colour Schemes – as with all decoration rules, dark tiles or colours make a room look smaller and light tiles make a room look larger. So a small room with a dark tiles might not be the best solution. The size of a tile also makes a difference too. Using a large format tile in a small room gives the room a spacious feel. Using a white grout on a floor would not be the best idea due to dirt and discoloration, whereas a grey grout would present a better option.
Using high – contrast coloured grouts and tiles might seem a fashionable idea but be aware of staining and ensure your tiling is of high quality or else any imperfections on the grout lines will be magnified!!
Hygiene – There will be certain exceptions where epoxy grouts will be needed. Hospitals, swimming pools, food preparation surfaces, high pressure water situations all require a totally waterproof barrier to prevent, water damage and bacteria growth. Epoxy grouts offer this protection so understanding your environment is another important tile related consideration along with the property of the tile. Ceramics in these particular instances are usually the best due to their glaze and easiness of clean.
Frost and Exterior – Ceramic is not a good choice for exterior use due to the fact that the clay is absorbent and will expand and deteriorate under frosty conditions. This is when porcelain has an advantage so understanding the elements and the tiles structure is vital.
The Quality of the Tile - Cheap tiles tend to suffer from various issues such as high planometric tolerence (bow) they are not alway square or rectified so be aware of the quality of a tile and remember to fix in the finished lighting conditions as this will reveal a multitute of sins! So be aware and inspect your tiles before you purchase.
if on doubt ask your tile supplier, or do the wise thing and ask on here..
knowing your tiles is a very important part of the job which takes time to learn..
TILING CONSIDERATIONS:
It is important to understand the different characteristics of tiles. Knowing what tiles should be used and where is very important?
Tiles can be used for decoration, fashion and durability so understanding their properties is vital in order to avoid costly issues! The colour, the suitability, the size, the grout colour and the durability are all major considerations to take into account. For it wouldnt be wise to use a white marble floor tile in a heavy traffic floor area with white grout and you would not use a large format tile on a wall which could not hold its weight! So choosing a tile based on fashion alone won’t always be a wise choice.
Considerations:
Size – Is the size of the tile suitable for the substrate? Does it suffer from planometric tolerance (warping). If so, certain laying styles should be avoided Ie brick bond where the tolerance would be noticeable compared to laying straight set. The size of tile and the condition of the substrate will determine what notch size to use, what adhesive and weight issues. Will it be suitable for a wet room floors where there are slopes or curves.
Fashion – Certain trends provoke certain styles for example, Victorian, mosaics, and contemporary designs all have different tiling characteristics.
Durability – Will a tile be suitable for a particular purpose? High traffic areas will require suitable tiles to cope with the wear and tear so even if a tile ticks the box on appearance, it may not be suitable for its use.
Slippage – Sometiles will have none slip properties that make them ideal for wet areas whereas other tiles present a hazard due to their polished or glazed surface.
Porous / Staining – Kitchen floors get things regularly dropped on them so it would be foolish to lay a tile that is prone to chemical reactions such as marble or limestone. Also understanding the porosity of a tile is very important so you can at least take the precaution of using a sealer to give a reaction time and help prevent permanent staining.
Grouts and Colour Schemes – as with all decoration rules, dark tiles or colours make a room look smaller and light tiles make a room look larger. So a small room with a dark tiles might not be the best solution. The size of a tile also makes a difference too. Using a large format tile in a small room gives the room a spacious feel. Using a white grout on a floor would not be the best idea due to dirt and discoloration, whereas a grey grout would present a better option.
Using high – contrast coloured grouts and tiles might seem a fashionable idea but be aware of staining and ensure your tiling is of high quality or else any imperfections on the grout lines will be magnified!!
Hygiene – There will be certain exceptions where epoxy grouts will be needed. Hospitals, swimming pools, food preparation surfaces, high pressure water situations all require a totally waterproof barrier to prevent, water damage and bacteria growth. Epoxy grouts offer this protection so understanding your environment is another important tile related consideration along with the property of the tile. Ceramics in these particular instances are usually the best due to their glaze and easiness of clean.
Frost and Exterior – Ceramic is not a good choice for exterior use due to the fact that the clay is absorbent and will expand and deteriorate under frosty conditions. This is when porcelain has an advantage so understanding the elements and the tiles structure is vital.
The Quality of the Tile - Cheap tiles tend to suffer from various issues such as high planometric tolerence (bow) they are not alway square or rectified so be aware of the quality of a tile and remember to fix in the finished lighting conditions as this will reveal a multitute of sins! So be aware and inspect your tiles before you purchase.
if on doubt ask your tile supplier, or do the wise thing and ask on here..
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