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A TILED
SURFACE IS A "BUILDING SYSTEM" THAT REQUIRES CAREFUL PLANNING
BEFORE THE TILES ARE INSTALLED. THIS REQUIRES THE SERVICES OF A SPECIALIZED
TECHNICIAN.
The designer must know and assess:
- The surface to which the tiles will be
installed, which will form the "base" or "background"
of the tiled surface,
- The environment in which the tiles will
be installed,
- Which tiles have been chosen and their
technical characteristics.
Using this information, the designer must
establish and specify:
- The tiling technique: the type, composition,
thickness and application procedure of the bedding layer. This bedding
layer may consist of cement/sand mortar (traditional method) or a different
type of adhesive,
- Any special treatments or auxiliary layers
that are to be applied to the surface that is to be tiled,
- The width of the joints between the tiles.
The designer must establish
and specify together with the user or the person choosing the tiles if
the tiles should be installed without or with joints, with continuous
or not continuous joints, in arrangement. The designer must also select
and specify the grout that should be used for the joints.
It should be pointed out
that the type and route of the grouting has important effects on the aesthetic,
technical and economical level.
For example, laying the tiles
with closed joints creates a continuous surface it is quicker and cheaper
but it does have drawbacks. Rigid tiling may, in particular environment
and structural conditions, cause the tiles to swell up and become detached;
it is more difficult to achieve and acceptable regularity as well as a
good reliable grouting. For these reasons, leaving joints from 1.5mm to
3mm between tile is considered to be the most reliable and safest method,
although it takes longer and is more expensive.
For installing tiles, today’s
designer and tiler can choose from a variety of materials (adhesives,
grouts, joints) that are the product of thorough research and which guarantee
first rate, highly reliable installations even in the most difficult environments.
An experienced designer, working with an experienced dealer can provide
the consumer an appropriate and satisfactory installation, whatever the
location.
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