Laying and Maintenance Instructions Cement Tiles

Cement tiles are a 100% handmade, ecological product. Therefore, cement tiles can have slight nuances in color shading and size. Although we inspect the tiles thoroughly, this can not always be avoided, it is one of the characteristics that add charm to this product. In order to get a balanced color pallet, it is recommended that you pick tiles randomly out of various boxes.

Cement tiles can sometimes have a blurred image or have some stains. This will disappear after time.

Stocking and preparing for installation

The tiles need to be stocked in a dry place, leave them in it’s original packing until they are used.

Humidity and full sunlight can damage the tiles or can cause stains that are difficult to remove afterwards. Once the tiles are laid, but there are still other building activities, cover the floor with cotton or linen cloth or material that allows humidity to evaporate. Never cover it with cardboard, plastic, or PVC materials, or any other material which does prevents the floor from to lose its humidity.

Before laying the tiles

Although our tiles are already impregnated twice during its production process, in order to protect it during its transit time and storage time, tiles still need to be impregnated after the floor is placed.

Keep the tiles dirt free, do not write on the tiles, not even with a pencil, this will lead to stains that are hard to remove afterwards.

Check the tiles before installation

• Check your tiles randomly before installation, we do not accept reclamations once the floor is placed.
• We advise you to order 10% more that the m2 in the floorplan, there is always some waste due to corners that are not perfectly straight, or cavities for electric sockets, light switches and the like.
• When tiles need to be cut we advise to use a water saw.

INSTALLATION PROCEDURE

Placing cement tiles is a pretty straightforward procedure. Still it needs to be done accurate and precise. We advise you to work with experts that have experience with this kind of floors. We have a pool of these experts (Netherlands and Belgium). It you need one of these people check our website, or send us an email. (info@groothandel.nl).

STEP 1; PREPARING THE TILES AND THE UNDERFLOOR

• Make sure that the underfloor is perfectly dry, flat, free of dust and grease.
• Do not place the tiles in a humid bed of mortar.
• Use an adhesive that is also appropriate for natural stone.
• For the best adhesive result, apply glue to both the underfloor and the tile.

STEP 2; INSTALLLATION OF THE TILES

• Start with outlining a line of tiles without gluing them, this allows you to study the laying pattern.
• Place 3 corner tiles, connect them with lines/rope to mark the area that needs to be tiled.
• Soak each tile in clean water for about 20 seconds
• Place the tiles with one square meter at the time, remove excessive adhesive and grout,

Rinse with clean water.

• Level the tiles before the adhesive is completely dry, with a rubber hammer.

STEP 3; APPLYING THE FIRST SEALER COATING

• The first layer of the sealer needs to be applied before the tiles are grouted.
• The first layer prevents staining of the tiles due to grouting or cement residues that might form later on in the process.
• However, before applying the first coating make sure that the floor is completely clean.
• If residues of adhesive, cement or grout are formed you could remove these with wet fine sanding paper. An alternative is to use a cement removal detergent.
• Use a paint roller or a soft cloth to distribute the sealer evenly over the floor.
• Wait until the sealer is completely absorbed by the floor, this can take 12 to 24 hours.
• IT IS ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITIVE TO USE AN ALCALIC DETERGENT SUCH AS CLORIDE, CLEANING VINIGER, OR ANY OTHER DETERGENT THAT CONTAINS ANY KIND OF ACID, THIS WILL DAMAGE YOUR FLOOR FOREVER, AND CAN NOT BE RESOLOVED. FOR PERFECT SEALING AND FURTHER USE THE PRODUCTS WE RECOMMAND BELOW.

STEP 4; GROUTING THE FLOOR

• The grout between the tiles should be between 1 and 3 mm.
• Work clean, make sure grout and glue residues are removed immediately.
• Use a (silver) grey grout, never use a dark grout, since this can cause stains that are difficult to remove.
• Grout one square meter, clean with water and sponge, then move on to the next square meter.
• Once the entire surface is tiled, clean again with water and sponge or mob.
• Once the floor is completely dry, you can apply the second sealing layer.
• Once this sealing layer is absorbed, you can apply a third sealing layer, although this absolutely needed, we still to do recommend it, since it will protect your floor even better.
• Remove the residue of the sealer that is no longer absorbed, this means that the tile, is ‘full’. and stains will have no chance to penetrate the tile, still stain creating substances should be wiped off immediately.
• Apply one or two new layers of sealer every two years to keep your floor in top condition.

STEP 5 MAINTENANCE OF YOUR FLOOR

• Do not clean the floor within three days after it is fully impregnated.
• Do not clean the floor later than seven days after it is fully impregnated.
• If the floor is mopped on a daily basis use a soft non acid detergent and add a cap of our maintenance product to the water.
• In case coffee, wine, or juice are spilled, it should be removed straight away.

But in case stains occur you could remove these with our ‘flexstop Nano’.

• Large surfaces can be maintained with a professional cleaning machine with soft pads.

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CEMENT TILES.

• Cement tiles can be used in the shower providing that the mounting surface is made water tight before applying the cement tiles, if is mandatory to use a water tight grout and adhesive.
• Please be careful with acid containing detergent when cleaning other parts of the shower, do not spill this on the cement tiles, since this will damage them and can not be repaired.
• Cement tiles are perfectly equipped to place over floor heating systems. Use a flexible grout and adhesive since tiles can swell when heated and shrink when the heating is off.
• Cement tiles are not frost free. In warmer climates they can be laid outside, in patios or on porches. Never lay Cement tiles in the full sun, since due to the natural pigments used the colors may fade.
• IT IS ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITIVE TO USE AN ALCALIC DETERGENT SUCH AS CLORIDE, CLEANING VINIGER, OR ANY OTHER DETERGENT THAT CONTAINS ANY KIND OF ACID, THIS WILL DAMAGE YOUR FLOOR FOREVER, AND CAN NOT BE RESOLOVED. FOR PERFECT SEALING AND FURTHER USE THE PRODUCTS WE RECOMMAND BELOW