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 :

• 1^st 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)

• 2^nd 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.