Album
Laying advice for smooth terracotta and treatment

Tips for laying & treatment Smooth floor tiles

 

Laying the Tiles (we advise using adhesive)


• Only lay the tiles when the floor surface is completely dry. Mix tiles from the different pallets you have received taking care to associate similar tones. Lay the tiles with a maximum 5mm gap.

Laying with adhesive: We recommend you use FLEX BLANCHE adhesive made by « P.R.B. » or equivalent and follow strictly the maker’s instructions. Never soak the tiles in water.

Thick bed laying  Soak the tiles in clear water for one hour, then let them drain for a few minutes standing on their sides then lay them. You need a bed  4 or 5 cms thick ; composition 3 wheelbarrows of river sand or washed sand for one bag of lime.

Grouting ( 1 to 24 hours after the preparation)


We strongly advise you to use light coloured grouting.

Use a waterproof grouting with beading effect ref: P.R.B colour Tibet or similar

Caution 
: when grouting it is very important to clean the tiles as you progress using clean water and a damp sponge.

Drying


Do not start cleaning until the tiles are completely dry.

Drying time for tiles laid  with adhesive : 3 to 4 days.

Drying time for tiles laid on thick bed: 2 to 3 months   
Caution : if you need to do other jobs in the room during the drying period (plastering, painting, wall-papering) cover the floor with cardboard to protect it. Never use plastic covering.

Cleaning (When the tiles are dry, see stage 3)


Prepare the cleaning agent: mix 30% cleaning agent DTC with 70% clean water.

Pour this mixture directly over the wet floor and clean using a long-handled scrubbing brush or a monobrush 150 revs/min (disk ref 3M black and a water sucker. Advance slowly 10 sq ms at a time.

Rinse several times with clean water. Be warned that a badly rinsed floor leaves a white halo over the tiles which can be more or less invasive.

This advice is given merely as an indication and does not engage our responsibility in any way.
All the colour tones, different sizes, irregular surfaces are a part and parcel of this type of manufacturing. They are to be seen in the originals that we have faithfully reproduced by our exclusive methods.

Sealing  (5 to 10 days after the cleaning)


2 possibilities :

1st method : The old way. This slightly darkens the colour of the tiles
Using a wide brush paint on a 50/50 mixture of linseed oil/turpentine. 2 coats ( 24 hours between each coating)

2nd method : this does not alter the colour
Using a pulveriser spray a BTC sealant in 2 coats (12 hours between each coating)

Finishing(1 or 2 days after the sealing)


Use a CTC transparent wax .Put a little wax directly on a dry mop and spread on the floor.
Continue to cover the whole surface. Wait for 1 or 2 hours then polish.


Never protect terracotta with plastic.

This advice is given merely as an indication and does not engage our responsibility in any way.

 

keyboard_arrow_up