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The more and more use that is made of UGL (unglazed) porcelain stoneware tiles, characterized by high technical and aesthetical features and destined for commercial and domestic spaces, puts increasing emphasis on the excellence required in the installation and cleaning procedures. The latest state-of-the-art porcelain
stoneware tiles have turned to the manufacturing processes typical of stone materials (rectifying, honing and polishing processes) allowing for the so called ”minimum grout line installation”. The use of trim tiles (listels, staves, water-jet cuttings) or of the ”multisize” complicates the floor installation procedures. Therefore, REFIN considers it useful to remind you of some basic rules to be applied to UGL (unglazed) tiles, which can also be useful for the GL (glazed) ones.
REFIN’s porcelain stoneware tiles are characterized by a low water absorption level (less than 0·5%) therefore, it is necessary to use specific high-quality adhesives and it is strongly advised against the traditional installation on cement flush. The most suitable adhesives for porcelain stoneware tiles installation can be identified as follows:
The so called rectified finishing has lead to the production of tiles with extremely precise dimension equal to a ”sole work-size”, so that the end user often requires ”minimum grout line” installations. The ”minimum grout line” installation determines a 2 mm joint on rectified materials in order to offset the even minimum manufacturing tolerances. It is absolutely advised against jointless installations.
No responsibility is accepted for jointless installations. There is also the opportunity to use coloured pigments yet it is preferable, especially for rustic products with wrinkled and honed surfaces, to carry on a preliminary cleaning test. Anyhow, it is necessary to carry out a cleaning of the floor immediately after grouting. It
is not recommended to use grouting with coloured pigments in contrast with the colour of the tiles for natural stone floors (for example: white floor with brown or anthracite joints), and this procedure is also inadvisable for honed floors.In contrast with the colour of the tiles (for example: white floor with brown or antracitis ic
products with wrinkled and honed.
Before the cladding or flooring of a surface, a careful planning must be drawn by the builder, by the tiles or installation supplier or, less frequently, by the layer in charge.
For a careful planning, some basic and really important requirements must be taken into account for a “satisfactory” installation.
The laying is done to a fine art when it is:
Starting point for an effective planning, is the evaluation of a few data, such as:
Such data defines:
At this stage it is possible to proceed with the fixing, that is to say the real carrying out of the project, whose success much depends on the layer care and expertise.
Once studied the room, the tiles and project to be carried out, he must then:
The fixing work is now finished.
