Advice on laying,
cleaning and maintaining the tiles
BEFORE LAYING
Firstly, before installing the product, it is important
to check that it conforms with what has been
ordered in terms of its appearance, format and
quality. This should be done by randomly checking
the content of some of the boxes, verifying that it
corresponds with the delivery note for the goods.
At the same time it should also be verified that
the material is in perfect condition. The pieces
should be handled with care to avoid any problems
of deterioration (chips, cracks, scratches, etc.).
Having carried out this inspection, the surface
needs to be prepared where the product is going
to be laid, applying a screed to the wall or floor to
create a totally smooth surface using selflevelling
materials. The necessary gradients must be
respected when laying outdoor flooring. In the
case of flooring, before laying the ceramic tiles,
place some of the pieces on the levelled surface
to see the effect they have.
A product suitable for modular installation.
For a modular installation, shade and caliber
compatibility must be specifically requested when
placing order. In modular installation, 2 mm grout
joint.
DURING LAYING
The appropriate system used for laying tiles
depends on the nature of the ceramic product.
Porcelain products should always be laid with a
fine layer of suitable adhesive, as per standard
UNE EN 12004. Special S1 or S2 type adhesives
should be used on facades and depending on the
format of the tile to be laid, as per standard EN
12OO2, using the appropriate mechanical means
to ensure the tiles adhere correctly.
When laying the tiles it is very important to use
the appropriate tools (toothed tiling trowel, rubber
mallet, rubber float for pointing, etc.).
The tiles should be seated with a rubber mallet,
making sure they are flush and achieving the
greatest possible coverage of adhesive on the
back of the tiles. To lay outdoor tiles, the “double
gluing” technique should be used, consisting
of applying adhesive on the support as well as
buttering the back of the tile to ensure total
coverage.
The sides of the already laid tiles should be
completely clean before laying the next tile.
Both for floors and walls, the pieces must be
positioned with perfect alignment both vertically
and horizontally in terms of their joints.
When laying tiles in an offset pattern, the pieces
must not be further apart than 20% of their total
length.
Polished and/or rectified ceramic tiles are slightly
bevelled to avoid any chipping and to make them
easier to lay. The rectified wall tiles must be
placed with a gap of at least 1,5mm while rectified
floor tiles will be placed with 2mm gap for indoors.
In the case of either not rectified floors or walls
the minimum gap required will be 2,5 mm. In
outdoors the width... Outdoors, the width of the
joint will vary according to the format of the
ceramic tile (the greater the surface area, the
wider the join).
Specific materials should be used to seal
the joints (they must not contain lampblack),
depending on the width of the joint and suited
to the environment they will have to withstand
(outdoors, damp environments, etc.).
Joints should always be sealed with a rubber float
once the tiling adhesive has completely set. The
material’s application times must be respected
and any leftovers removed using a sponge soaked
in water.
Structural / partition and perimeter joints must
be respected.
In areas greater than 7 m
2
, a minimum joint of
5 mm must be left around the whole perimeter
in order to absorb any possible movement in the
tiles.
Partition joints should be made on surfaces
greater than 50 m
2
indoors and 25 m
2
outdoors,
with a division every 5x5 metre block indoors and
every 4x4 metre block outdoors.
When laying skirting and fillets, their size should
never exceed the nominal size of the base.
AFTER LAYING
Particularly with flooring, once the repointing
process has been completed, any excess material
must be removed before it hardens and then the
tiles cleaned with non-abrasive products (avoiding
hydrofluoric acid, such as hydrochloric acid and
other similar products).The tiles can be cleaned
adequately with hot water and a neutral detergent.
Fillets with metallic applications should not be
cleaned with products containing acids neither
with scouring pads or other elements that could
damage the surface of the tiles, making the
decoration disappear.A damp sponge should be
used to clean them instead.
It is important to protect the clean, tiled surface
with cardboard or other protection so that the rest
of the workers on the site do not damage it.
MAINTENANCE
Before trying to remove a stain with aggressive
cleaning agents, it is advisable to test the effect
of these products on the surface of the floor/wall
tiles and the grouting material in a tiled area that
is not visible, thereby avoiding any damage or
significant changes to the tile’s surface.
In any case, it is advisable to provide the client with
information on recommended cleaning agents for
removing stains and the recommended adhesive
materials for tiling.
Special attention should be paid to the initial
cleaning as well as to the subsequent maintenance
of the polished floors and walls.
During polishing, the micropores in the surface of
polished porcelain flooring open up, which means
they are more susceptible to staining by certain
liquids.
With these polished porcelain floors, it is very
important that any liquid that might affect them
(oil, fizzy drinks, alcoholic drinks and acids) are
cleaned up with water as quickly as possible to
avoid exposing the tiles to the liquid and staining
them. The flooring may be affected if the stain is
left on the tules for a long time.
special pieces
In complementary special pieces where metals
have been used (gold, silver, copper,...),lustres,
mashing, resins, glass, etc., may present certain
characteristics (slight variations in shade,
oxidation on contact with air and moisture, aged
appearance with the passage of time,...)
Rectified and/or meshed materials require
handling with care to prevent chipping on their
edges and surface scratches.
For fixing glass listellos, use silicon or non acetic
adhesives of class C2 and D2.
Complementary pieces are not suitable for
outdoor installation, except those obtained from
its base and this would be recommended for
outdoor installation.
CLEANING OF WORK: Avoid the hardening of
the adhesive material on the piece (clean before
24 hours). Remove the remnants of adhesive
(cements, String, etc.) with a sponge and plentiful
water. Not use any abrasive product or application
with acidic or alkaline
base, to avoid any loss of appearance or surface
attack.
Do not use products with hydrochloric acid nor
cleaning pads.
MAINTENANCE: in the cleaning of tiles, not use
powder detergents, neither acidic nor alkaline
solutions, neither cleaning pads nor abrasive
elements. It is enough to use a neutral liquid soap
and a wet cloth.
No claims will be accepted for material installed,
rising from a failure to comply with the suggestions
for installation, and if the above instructions have
not been followed.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN LAYING A
STEP TREAD TILE
A step tread tile is made up of a floor tile joined to
a curved vertical moulding or stair nosing. This is
made in extruded stoneware with white porcelain
paste, is highly resistant and has an ergonomic
profile in the shape of a step. The step tread tile
provides an effective, safe solution for all kinds of
stairs, changes in level, ledges and edging.
To post these tiles correctly, they need to be placed
on a prepared surface, preferably using a good
quality adhesive mortar or cement adhesive in a
fine coat spread over the support with a toothed
tro el and with double bonding, so that when it is
packed, a continuous, regular layer of adhesive
remains between the tile and the support, without
any gaps.
The tiles should then be adjusted to the support
edge to stop them from jutting out or lacking any
real support (see figure 1). If the piece is deeper
than required, it must be cut to size so that the
tread is totally supported by the base of the
support and so that the moulding adheres to the
rise of the step after the tile is put into place (see
figure 2).
AFTER-SALES SERVICE
The site foreman or, if applicable, the buyer is
directly responsible for upervising and checking
the material supplied (quality thereof, state
of packing, that the documentation provided
corresponds to the installed product, in accordance
with current legislation.
Any anomaly in product quality must be notified
to the Commercial Department of Metropol. In
order to make a complaint about any product it is
necessary to state the model, format, tone, calibre
and physical tests carried out on the product,
as well as the flap on the product identifying it
and the invoice for the purchase, and any other
evidence that may be of interest in order to reach
a decision concerning this complaint.
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