GENERAL SPECIFICATION FOR FIXING GLAZED CERAMIC TILES ONTO INTERIOR RENDERED WALLS, AND FIXING GLAZED CERAMIC FLOOR TILES ONTO INTERIOR SURFACE BEDS AND SUSPENDED SLABS (PART 2)

GENERAL SPECIFICATION FOR FIXING GLAZED CERAMIC TILES ONTO INTERIOR RENDERED WALLS (CONTINUED)

 

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• GROUTING
  • Grouting must not be carried out until sufficient bond has developed between the bedding mix and the tiles to preclude disturbance of the tiles during the grouting operation. Grouting should therefore not be carried out for 1 – 3 DAYS after completion of laying, depending on atmospheric conditions and different tiling situations.
  • ‘Dry’ Areas
    • Use Super White or coloured TAL WALL & FLOOR GROUT for filling wall tile joints up to 8mm wide.
      * NOTE: TAL Super White Grout is only suitable for wall tile joints up to 3mm wide.
  • ‘Wet’ Areas, ie Splashbacks
    • Use Super White or coloured TAL WALL & FLOOR GROUT mixed 20kg with 8 litres of TAL BOND ( Super White Grout)  (replacing the water in the mix) or 6 litres of TAL BOND (all other colours)  (replacing the water in the mix) for filling wall tile joints up to 8mm wide.
      * NOTE:  TAL Super White Grout  is only suitable for wall tile joints up to 3mm wide.
      Alternatively, TAL BOND POWDER may be added to the grout mixing water, at a ratio of 1 x 1kg sachet per 20kg TAL WALL & FLOOR GROUT.
  • General / WARNING: 
    • Particular care must be taken to clean the grout off the tile face before it hardens completely. This is especially important when an additive such as TAL BOND or TAL BOND POWDER has been used.
    • A sample of the tiles to be used should be tested beforehand to ensure that no grout is absorbed through the glaze, or into the tile body, causing permanent staining of the tiles.
    • It is important to use the stipulated amount of liquid in the TAL Grout mixture. When cleaning, a damp, not wet , sponge must be used.  Over hydration (too much water) of the mix, or in cleaning, causes colour variations in the grout joints, and also affects the integrity of the grout, resulting in a friable product.



• MOVEMENT JOINTS
  • It should be noted that the lack of movement joints in a tile panel is a major cause of tile failure. They should be specified at the design stage to avoid placing  them in heavy traffic areas and spoiling the visual effect of the tiles.
  • Movement joints should be located in both directions at maximum 5 metre centres for interior applications.
  • Movement joints should also be located in all internal corners and interfaces, against obstructions fixed to the structural background and over all discontinuities in building materials, e.g. at interfaces of concrete and brickwork. In addition, movement joints should be located around any fixtures protruding through the tiled surface.
  • The joints should be at least 5mm wide and extend through the adhesive and tile layers.  All construction / cold joints and structural joints in the background must be extended through the adhesive and tile layers to the surface in the form of tile panel movement joints.  With regards to structural joints, the full width of the structural joints must be respected and extended through the adhesive and tile layers to the surface.
  • Where practical, the bulk of the depth of the movement joint can be filled with TAL SEALMASTER CORD.
  • Seal the joint using TAL GOLDSTAR SEALMASTER 1000 Polyurethane joint sealant in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.  It is important that the joint sealant bonds only to the sides of the movement joint.
  • For the key requirements common to all tiling situations please refer to SANS 10107-2011, Code of Practice for the Design and Installation of Ceramic Tiling.

 

GENERAL SPECIFICATION FOR FIXING GLAZED CERAMIC FLOOR TILES ONTO INTERIOR SURFACE BEDS AND SUSPENDED SLABS

 

• BACKGROUND PREPARATION
  • Allow all new concrete work and screeds to cure for at least 6 weeks and 4 weeks respectively before proceeding.  All new concrete work and screeds must have a moisture content of 5% or less before tiling can be commenced. When tiling directly onto concrete, ensure that the surfaces are clean and free of all traces of curing agents, laitance and any other surface contaminants, preferably by scarifying.
  • Any screeding must be firmly attached to the underlying concrete, must be integrally sound (no crumbling, cracking, etc) and must be of a quality and consistency suitable for tiling.  All damaged, defective, deteriorated or hollow sounding areas must be removed and the floor made good before proceeding.  The surface must be clean and dry and free of all traces of dust, debris, loose particles and surface contaminants.
  • If the surface has been woodfloated (rough) it is possible to commence tiling. However, if the surface has been powerfloated or steelfloated (smooth, dense) it will be necessary to first key the surface with a slurry consisting of 1 part TAL KEYCOAT to 2 parts TAL KEYMIX powder or 2 parts TAL GOLDSTAR 6 or 12 powder (by volume), which is applied by block brush.  Allow this slurry coat to dry for 4 – 6 hours before applying the adhesive. *  

 

• ADHESIVE SYSTEM
  • Surface Beds
    • Apply TAL PROFESSIONAL to the background using a notched trowel.
  • Suspended Slabs
    • Apply TAL PROFESSIONAL mixed 20kg with 5 litres of TAL BOND (replacing the water in the mix) to the background using a notched trowel.
      Alternatively, TAL BOND POWDER may be added to the adhesive mixing water at a ratio of 1 x 1kg sachet per 20kg TAL PROFESSIONAL.
  • General
    • In this tiling situation it is imperative that there is a solid bed of adhesive at least 6mm thick beneath each tile. We would recommend the use of a notched FLOOR TROWEL.
      NOTE : Back buttering with a thin coat of adhesive may also be required when using large format tiles to ensure full contact and a solid bed of adhesive behind each tile.
    • At no time spread more adhesive than can be tiled onto in 10 – 15 minutes.  Depending on atmospheric conditions, this will normally be around 1 square metre.  This prevents the adhesive from drying or “skinning” before the tiles are applied.
    • Bed dry tiles (do not soak) firmly into the wet adhesive  with a twisting action to ensure full contact between the background, tiles and adhesive.  Tiles should be well tapped home with a rubber mallet or the wooden handle of a trowel.  It is sound practice to remove the occasional tile to ensure that good contact has been achieved.
    • When using heavily lugged tiles, or tiles with a very irregular back profile, it is good practice to butter the back of each tile, ensuring that the grooves or dovetails are completely filled with adhesive.
    • Clean off any surplus adhesive remaining on the face of tiles and between the joints with a damp sponge before the adhesive dries.
    • Never butt joint tiles.  Joints are required to allow the individual tiles to move with respect to each other and thus avoid a compressive stress build-up.  They are also required as vents for the tile adhesive to cure.  The joints between ceramic floor tiles must be a minimum of 5mm wide.
    • Pot life of the adhesive will vary with climatic conditions.  Under no circumstances should adhesive which has been left standing for too long be reconstituted by adding more liquid.
    • Do not tile over structural, expansion or cold joints in the background.  These joints must be extended through the various layers to the surface.

 

 

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