|
Can I use wall tiles on floors?
Wall tiles are not usually suitable for use on the floor as they are not normally thick enough and the glaze is different. Although some wall tile ranges have a co-ordinating floor tile to combat this problem.
Can I use floor tiles on walls?
Floor tiles tend to be thicker and can easily be used on walls, although we would recommend the use of powdered adhesive or Biscem Super-Grip due to the additional weight.
Can I tile over tiles?
Yes, however you must check the existing tiling is firmly bonded to the background, plus clean and degrease the tiles. For the best possible results, roughen the surface of the tile perhaps by using sandpaper, dust off the tile and cover with PVA to create an extra bond. When tiling over tiles, we recommend using Biscem Super-Grip adhesive for the wall and ProRapid RS rapid set adhesive for the floor.
Does white grout discolour on floors?
White grout on the floor can look great, but we would not advise it anywhere that has a lot of traffic or if it leads directly from the garden. In these instances, it will be difficult to keep the grout clean, even if using a grout protector. For all other areas when using a light colour grout on the floor, we would always recommend sealing the grout with HG Super Protector.
What are ceramic tiles?
Depending on the manufacturer, ceramic tiles can be made with either a red or white body, and are glazed before firing at normal temperatures.
What are porcelain tiles?
Porcelain tiles are fired at a very high temperature which result in a dense, strong tile with a superior performance compared to normal ceramics, including durability, abrasion, frost and chemical resistance and virtually impervious to water. Consequently, special adhesives may be required as well as special drill bits. Their durable qualities make them ideal for areas exposed to heavy wear and tear.
Do polished porcelain tiles need sealing?
Yes, unfortunately, the process of polishing porcelain tiles opens microscopic holes in the tile surface, which can become dull when dirt and grime fill them. Avoid this, by using HG Impregnator once the tiles have been fixed to protect them and keep the shine. Matt porcelain tiles need sealing too.
What are natural stone tiles?
Natural tiles are cut from the natural stone and can be finished in a variety of ways, the most popular being polished, honed or tumbled.
Unlike ceramic or porcelain tiles, natural stone tiles do not have a fired surface, so that sealing your stone is a necessity. A different sealant may be required depending upon the tile chosen. We would advise using HG Stain Protector before tiling and either HG Impregnator or HG Marble Impregnator once the tiles have been fixed on either the wall or floor to give added protection. Please see tile cleaning products or marble cleaning products for more details. All sealers are best applied sparingly with a sponge; making sure any excess is removed within ten minutes.
How do I cut natural products?
Natural products need to be cut with a suitable wet wheel cutter. Please click on Tiling Cutting in the Tile Accessories group on our website to view the available products.
Which tiles can I lay outside?
Ceramic tiles can only be used indoors as they are not designed to be frost proof. However, porcelain tiles can withstand the frost and are much more durable. When laying outside, you will need to apply an acrylic primer to the floor. After this has dried (a minimum of 12 hours), we recommend you use Ultra ProFlex SP a single part rapid set flexible tile adhesive.
Can I tile onto a wooden floor?
It is no problem tiling onto a wooden floor, but the floor MUST be overlaid either with tile backer board, plywood or an alternative product, and flexible adhesive and grout MUST be used.
The wooden floor must be sound with no flexing. We recommend overlaying the floor with 9mm plywood (minimum), screwed at 200mm centres. If required, apply one coat of primer to the wood and allow to dry, as determined by the adhesive used. Once dry, solid bed fix the tiles using Ultra ProFlex 2part, a cement based flexible adhesive and Ultra Flex Joint, a cement based wide joint grout with added flexibility.
How can I prepare an uneven floor?
The surface upon which tiles are to be laid can affect the flatness of the floor. Variations in the floor should be corrected before any fixing takes place, otherwise any imperfections will follow through into the tiling itself and potentially cause mismatched tile edges.
To check the floors suitability, lay a 2 metre straight edge and rotate it gradually through 360 degrees. Constantly check at floor level to see if any gaps appear beneath the bottom edge of the level exceeding 3mm.
Any gaps greater than 3mm should be corrected using Ultra Level IT One, a single part concrete levelling compound.
|