Styling tips

To obtain the best aesthetic result when laying, you should take tiles from different boxes. 

Laying must be done using special adhesives for porcelain tiles with high performance properties. 

The use of the appropriate adhesive is of paramount importance for proper installation of the material.

Base requirements:

• When tiling begins, the surface must be stable, dry, unfrozen and not too hot, and it must also be level and well cleaned. Cement-based adhesive must be applied at a room temperature usually ranging from +5° C to + 30/35° C, the installation area at one time should be no more than 1 sq.m. The tiles are laid by applying uniform pressure over its entire surface.
• During installation, do not make marks on the surface of the material being laid with a pencil (graphite) or permanent felt-tip pen (especially on polished tiles).
• We recommend using the SVP tile leveling system during the installation process; this will ensure high-quality installation and allow you to achieve better results on vertical and horizontal planes. Just two elements of the system will help to align and fix the tiles in one plane, which will significantly increase the quality and speed of installation.
  

Laying porcelain tiles on the wall:

• Use a level, a straight edge and a plumb line to mark.
• Prepare tile adhesive until creamy.
• Apply the solution with a trowel in a thin layer, pressing it firmly against the base.
• Apply the main layer of mortar and level it with a serrated edge (the size of the trowel teeth is selected depending on the size of the tile and must be at least 8 mm). Prepare a surface of 1-1.5 square meters in this way.
• Apply ceramic granite in accordance with the markings. To do this, place the porcelain stoneware edgewise against the adjacent tile, press it to the base and move it slightly to the desired location. This method prevents the mortar from being pressed into the tile joints.
• Use crosses for laying porcelain tiles to maintain grooves of the same width.
• Remove excess mortar from the grooves, which will then allow you to correctly introduce the grouting compound into these places.
• Wait for the adhesive solution to dry (depending on the brand of glue and composition, 6-8 hours at a temperature of +23ºС).
• Prepare the grouting compound. Its application must be carried out throughout the entire depth of the seam, without leaving voids or level differences, using a special spatula for this.
• Remove excess solution with a damp sponge. Remove any remaining water with a dry cloth.

Laying porcelain tiles on the floor:

• Define the layout type and make the markup.
• Using the smooth edge of the trowel, apply a contact layer of glue to the base, and then apply a “comb” layer with the serrated edge. Depending on the size of the porcelain stoneware, a trowel with square teeth measuring 8*8mm, 10*10mm or a toothed strip for the middle layers is used. We recommend laying the adhesive with a layer thickness of no more than 10 mm.
• Lay ceramic granite in accordance with the markings. To do this, place the porcelain tile edge-on to the adjacent one, press it to the base and move it slightly to the desired location. This method prevents the mortar from being pressed into the tile joints.
• Use crosses for laying porcelain tiles to maintain grooves of the same width.
• Remove excess mortar from the grooves, which will then allow you to correctly introduce the grouting compound into these places.
• Wait for the adhesive solution to dry (depending on the brand of glue and composition, 3-24 hours at a temperature of +23ºС).
• Prepare the grout composition. The grout must be applied throughout the entire depth of the seam, without leaving voids or level differences, using a special spatula for this.
• Remove excess solution with a damp sponge. Remove any remaining water with a dry cloth.

Tile seams:

• The width of the joint may vary depending on the size of the tiles and the use of the floor. 
• Seamless installation is not recommended, it is necessary to leave a seam of at least 1.5-2 mm for rectified tiles, and 3-4 mm for non-rectified tiles.
• Pay great attention to the execution of expansion joints, especially in rooms with a large area, since it is necessary to compensate for the thermal and hygroscopic expansion of the base and the stresses resulting from structural movements of the building; in interior areas the area is divided into squares of 5x5 m, and in outdoor areas - 4x4 m.

Using tips:

• If you want to extend the life of your flooring, you need to know a few simple rules for its use.
• If any acidic composition gets in, try to remove it from the seams as quickly as possible, since in such cases they are the first to suffer. Do not over-water or soak them.
• Alkaline compounds can be used to remove stubborn stains. They also work great on grease and wine stains. Sticky and hard substances such as wax or resin can be removed with gasoline or acetone.
  
• When cleaning such a floor, you can use acid-based products, but not often. Because of them, again, the seams can change color and collapse. Don't overdo it with hard brushes either. It is better to use mops with soft bristles.