Helpful Suggestions

Points to take into account when applying Ceramic Tiles

•  Covering (floor tiles, wall tiles)
• Surface area
• Adhesive
• Installing (follow carefully manufacture's instructions)

Covering

Before starting the installation, make sure that all ceramic tile packs contain the same color and size (color degree number and/or lot numbers and gauging, printed on pack). If they have different numbers, you should ask to the vendor store as once the material has being installed, there is no possibility to claim. In case you will use several ceramic tile packs, all pieces contained in them should be mixed. Base of each ceramic piece must be clean and free of powder to assure best adherence. When installing very absorbing materials (little tiles, bricks) it is recommended to spray water on previously

Surface Area

Surfaces to be covered must be clean, free of powder, flaking and oiled paints, organic sediments and others. Walls and floors must be completely plane, squared and balanced. Mortar and grout should be attached very firmly.

Adhsesive

Ceramic tiles must be installed using specific adhesive mixes of best quality, suited for glazed-tiles, ceramic tiles, concrete blocks and other materials. Best products in the market are made of Portland cement, sand and additives mixed to obtain those properties required by an excellent installation procedure.

Installing

Installation must be carried out using a trowel or scoop, to be selected by the installer in accordance to the covering material . Grout should cover at least 65% of ceramic tile base. When waterproof is required, it should cover 100% of tile base. Ceramic tiles are to be applied taking into account joints between pieces as indicated by the manufacturer, and expansion joints according to IRAM Rule #12575. Pieces recently installed should be protected from rain and very hot weather and should not be walked in until 24 hr after installing. In general, it is indicated for ceramic tiles to have at least 2 mm joints between them. When installed in outdoors , it is recommended a minimum of 4 mm joint between pieces and for bordering expansion joints at least 1 cm (in contact with walls or against any other structural material as columns). Also it should be considered another non peripheral expansion joints, of 2 cm, for each 4 to 6 lineal meters or 16 to 32 square meters.

Para más información descargue los siguientes documentos en formato pdf:

Diagnosis and preparation of support >> (2.18MB) (spanish document)
Ceramic installation >> (1.51MB) (spanish document)

Copyright: Guia Weber Guide 2004 | www.weber-concremax.com

Ceramics

What are ceramics?

Ceramics are the elements that we are use to use like ending in floors and in some walls, specially in bathrooms and kitchen.
The main characteristic of a ceramic is the porosity, that is related with the quantity of air, that contains in the dough with is constituent.
To more porosity, more light is the ceramic, to less porosities more compact, heavy and close.
In the practice, the porosity is measure for the absorption of the water of each compound. This leave classified the ceramics products, from this parameters in four large groups:

Flagstones: absorption more than 10%
Semigres:absorption between 3 and 10 %
Gres:absorption between 0.5 and 3 %
Porcelain: absorption smaller than 0.5 %


The products with porosity nearly at cero (0%) leave the finished without enamel, because all of the dough is watertight, and is not necessary end the surface with a vitrea , (enamel) cape. This products are denominated porcellanatos.

The most appropriate product to cover walls is the crockery, a light and without contraction dough.
If the wall can receive water in a direct shape, like bathrooms and kitchens, or is an external wall, is convenient to use Gres.

The product to take advice for enamels floors is the Gres, because attain values of mechanics resistance for the most toughs uses.
The ceramics are manufactured with boiled clay witch is previously made paste.

Originally the clay can be red or white. The red once are the most abundant in the natural life and takes this color after the cook because are composed with iron oxide.
The white ones are in a smaller quantity and are more expensive.
Moreover have more dimensional stability because they have smaller contraction.