PREPARATION OF THE SUPPORTING SURFACE

Tiles must no be placed in position until the mortar of supporting surface or bed has finished setting in order to ensure that they will be placed in a stable arrangement.It is important to arrange for surfaces to be sloping so as to avoid the accumulation of water. In addition, in areas that are susceptible to damp, it is recommended that a layer of waterproofing is installed under the supporting structure.Before starting to place the tiles in position, the base must be fully levelled out and free of dust and dirt.

LAYING

Thanks to the dovetail joints on the rear side of the tiles wich aid attachment; our material can be  placed in position by the use of mortar without lime with approximate proportions of 1:5

Foor tiles can be laid lengthwise strips approximately 60 cm wide, in accordance with the following procedure:  -Mark out a new strip between the wall or previous strip and a spirit-level in order to obtain the required level, once the tiles have been tentatively placed in position.

-Fill the strip with mortar of a degree of fluidity appropriate for the work to be carried out, levelling out in accordance with the spirit-level previously put in place.
-Place the tiles  starting from the outer edge of the spirit-level, so that correct positioning on the mortar is achieved. Always maintain the same orientation in relation to the grooves on the tiles. The positions of the tiles can be marked out on the spirit-level in accordance with the width of join chosen. In this way a correct alignment can be maintained.
Using this system it is possible to place the tiles in position rapidly and with an adequate guarantee of quality. If greater perfection is required, tiles will be placed by applying the mortar, levelling out, placing them in position and aligning them using reference threads, from tile to tile. Another possible system would be to place in position beforehand various "master" rows of tiles, crossing one another so as to make it easier to align them.
In order to`produce an effect of homogeneos difference of tone the tiles must be thoroughly mixed up. If several different pallets are being used, boxes should be taken from each one and the tiles contained should be mised up before being placed in position. In the case of a single pallet, different boxes should be taken from different layers.

ELASTIC AND EXPANSION JOINTS

The use of flexible joints recommended by the management of work should be respected for all types of structure, flooring, wall cladding, etc., with a view to absorbing contractions, expansions, uneven positioning, torsion, temperature changes, etc.
As a general rule floor spaces with an area larger than 25-30 metres squared should not be laid out without expansion joints. In the case of perimeters with an interior floor space of larger dimensions, it is advisable to leave a perimeter flexible joint in addition to any lengthwise or transversal joints that may be required in order not to produce uninterrupted areas of floor space larger than mentioned above. When this perimeter is edged with a bullnose, the perimeter joint may be positioned between the floor and the walls and be covered by the bullnose.
      It is understood that the flexible joints should also be positioned across the supporting floor.
      These joints must be sealed with the appropriate elastic material, according to the requirements of physical and chemical resistance to which the flooring  or wall cladding is to subjected. (interior or exterior, degree of dampness, chemical resistance, passage of vehicles, etc.) 

JOINTS BETWEEN TILES AND THEIR SEALING

Tiles must be placed in possition with a joint width of between 5 to 12 mm., depending on the size of the tile. It is essential to have a wide joint to compensate for the tolerances of size and flatness which are inevitable with this type of material.

 Joints must be sealed using one of the special products available on the market. We recommend dark grey colour for the joints as it has less maintenance problems. We can supply you with a suitable product together with the tiles.
The sealing mortar is prepared with with a degree of fluidity suffucient for it to be able to enter into the joints. The mortar should be spread over the floor area with a spatula or a rubber trowel, filling the joints diagonally. In order to ensure total filling of the joints, we recommended retouching the filling process before the mortar begins to set.

CLEANING

Before the remains of the mortar dry completely on the tiles, the latter should be cleaned with a large sponge dipped in water, taking care not to wash away those joints which are still soft. The sponge should be rinsed frequently, and the rinsing water should also be changed regularly. After 2 or 3 hours when the joints have hardened more, a second, more thorough cleaning should take place using only water. In this way the floor will be 90% clean, and it is not necessary to do anything else until the material is totally finished. 
For the final cleaning, a descaling product diluted in water can be used. We can supply or recommend the most suitable descaling solution. Previously, the flooring should be dampened only with water with the aim of protecting the joints, which will thus be satured and so will not absorb the descaling solution. Allow the descaling solution approximately 15 minutes to take effect, and rub vigorously using a hard-bristled brush. Mechanical means may be used, such as machines equipped with rotary brushes and a dosing tank containig the cleaning mixture. Rinse with plentiful amounts of water. If any paint stains are left, use a suitable solvent according to the type of paint employed. For daily cleaning, any commercial floor cleaning product may be used. Given that our tiles have parctically zero surface porousness, any stain can be easily removed, if the appropriate cleaning product or solvent is used. Cleaning products that leave  a superficial layer of wax or grease should not be used, since this makes it easier for dirt to adhere to the surfaces and can have a negative effect on the non-slip properties of the product.

ENAMELLED CERAMIC TILES

The same instructions are applicable, making the cleaning even easier. Basic maintenance can be ensured while applicating with the use of descalling solution. Maintenance is in fact much easier, given that dirt adheres much less to enamelled surfaces.

In kitchens, the following guidelines should be borne in mind: -Hotplates : These must always be sealed with epoxy resin-based mortar made up two components. This is essential, since products that may be spilled on a hotplate include cooking-oil, milk, lemon, tomato, vinegar, etc., which would attack, stain and ultimately destroy a joint sealed with a conventional cement-based product.
After being sealed, the joint must levelled out and the remains of mortar must be cleaned from the tiles using an absorbent cloth dipped in water that is as hot as possible. Rinse and change the water frequently with the aim of leaving the tiles as clean as possible, completely removing the remains of mortar.


After approximately 24 hours, in-depth cleaning should be carried out, with a mixture of 1 part universal solvent and 4 parts of very hot water.

-Flooring and wall-cladding. It is also recommended that the joints are filled with epoxy resin due to the waterproof nature and ease of cleaning of the joints referred to. On the market, there are products for joints with a wide range of colours that can be properly combined with our glazed stoneware.