APPOINTMENTS & NEWS 3


NEWS FEATURE


Tile specification and installation to avoid failure


Nick Bratt, National Technical Sales Manager at tile adhesive


manufacturer Palace Chemicals considers some pointers which will help specifiers avoid problems. More detail on these and other issues is contained in the company’s RIBA-approved CPD entitled: Successful specification of wall & floor tiling and how to avoid common failures (palacechemicals.co.uk/technical-services).


W


hile suitability of substrate is critical to ensuring the success of a tiling project, as discussed in our previous column in this publication, another aspect highlighted in the CPD


presentation is the specification of the right type of tile adhesive for the project. Cement-based adhesives are commonly specified for tiling and offer high bond strength for a variety of substrates. However in line with environmental targets set out by the Government and by industry, specifiers should look to choose more environmentally friendly construction products which align with carbon reduction goals. For example lightweight, high yield adhesives containing recycled low density blown glass are now available, which have a reduced environmental impact and additionally offer up to a 50% weight reduction compared to conventional cement-based adhesives. These adhesives are suitable for fixing all tile types, including large format and natural stone.


Another factor is the use of the correct application methods for the adhesive, in accordance with the requirements of BS 5385-1, the Code of Practice for Ceramic and Natural Stone Wall and Floor Tiling. The first approved method is the notched trowelling method. This involves applying the adhesive to the substrate using a trowel as a floated coat, which provides a sufficiently deep and level base coat of adhesive applied to a wall or floor to create a flat and stable substrate for the installation of tiles. Applying the adhesive on to the substrate surface and combing through with a notched trowel creates a series of ribs into which dry tiles should be pressed with a twisting or sliding action to compress the ribs and achieve as much of a solid contact between the two surfaces as possible. The alternative buttering method is suitable for awkward tiling positions, such as around openings and restricted areas where a notched trowel cannot be used. When using this method, spread the adhesive evenly over the entire back of each dry tile with a trowel. The bed thickness should be slightly greater than the final thickness required to allow for proper adjustment when pressing or tapping each tile into position.


Finally the notched trowelling and buttering method should be


used for fixing large tiles and tiles with ribbed, deep keyed or heavy buttoned back profiles. A thin coating of adhesive buttered over the backs of the tiles should fill the deep keys before placing the tiles into position on a combed adhesive bed. There should be no significant increase in the bed thickness.


Supplied by Nick Bratt, national technical sales manager for Palace Chemicals


NEWS FEATURE


Take advantage of the design opportunity in external porcelain tiles


Nick Bratt, National Technical Sales Manager at tile adhesive


manufacturer Palace Chemicals says that the exterior porcelain tile sector provides a popular design opportunity for architects, but correct installation is key to achieving a good result.


T


he 20 mm thick exterior porcelain tile sector is currently one of the fastest-growing areas of the tiling market. Smaller housebuilders are leading this trend, using high-quality outdoor finishes to


differentiate their offer from their competitors. Traditional concrete slabs are increasingly seen as outdated, offering limited aesthetic appeal and posing ongoing challenges in terms of maintenance and cleaning. From an architect’s point of view, the use of porcelain tiles allows for much more freedom in design, colour and style. The tiles can mimic natural stone or have any other aesthetic effect, but with the added benefits of being porcelain, which cleans more easily, is easier to maintain and offers better slip resistance than pavers. The trend is gaining significant traction among landscape professionals and is a hot topic on social media. Timber decking has increasingly been superseded by composite or porcelain alternatives, driven primarily by their durability and longer lifecycle.


The impervious nature of porcelain tiles does however necessitate a more considered installation approach. The convention is that you have to lay a minimum of 100 mm compacted hardcore, with a 50 mm bed of mortar and then the back of the porcelain has to be primed with a slurry bond coat to create a key between the tile and the mortar. However there are systems on the market, such as Palace Chemicals’ own Rock- Tite system, which do all of that, but will also allow you to reduce your mortar bed depth to 25 mm, meaning less dig-out, less mixing and less material – and you also get a guarantee over the whole system. From an architect’s point of view, the design possibilities are endless. If you have dwarf walls, for example, in an outdoor hospitality area, which has been laid with porcelain tiles, you can have corresponding and matching 10 mm tiles on the vertical surfaces. For fixing you use an S1 tile adhesive which is suitable for outdoor use. All tile fixing has to be solid bedded (dot and dab is not acceptable). It is important to stop moisture getting behind the tile and causing damage. An SBR primer should also be used in order to create a key between the mortar bed and the tile vertical substrate. If porcelain tiles are installed correctly, from a design point of view the potential is enormous, enabling the finish of the whole area to be completed in any colour and texture that you want!


Supplied by Nick Bratt, national technical sales manager for Palace Chemicals


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