Installation and treatment advice

Installation tips

We strongly recommend that the installation be done by a professional who will do it properly. Let’s not forget that our tiles are handmade and that a quality installation will contribute to the beauty of your floor. Storage should be in a dry place. Nevertheless, here are some useful tips to implement.

Place the tiles dry in order to position the decorations or friezes well, and distribute harmoniously the shades of plain which can vary appreciably (mix the tiles of each box).

The raw tiles are covered with efflorescence due to a rise of cement during drying. This is normal and disappears after a light polishing with a very fine water sandpaper which will make it instantly clean and smooth. The joints will be all the easier to make.

Traditional installation :

It must be done on a very lean mortar screed (150kg/m3). Tiles must be wet to remove dust, and are laid flush with the screed, then gently levelled by pressure. Do not hit them with a black mallet, use an old-fashioned bat to hit 4 tiles at a time. They must be cleaned as the installation progresses.

Laying with cement glue, see the steps below:

1. With powdered adhesive mortar, make a sufficiently thick mixture (photo 1). Use a wide-tooth comb.
2. Using a wide-tooth comb, spread the mixture obtained in a layer slightly larger than the width of the tile and over a sufficient length to allow the installation of several tiles (photo 2)
3. Also coat each tile with the same mixture, then apply it to the floor
4. Provide a trowel-thick joint between each 2 mm tile.
5. Press the tile by tapping it with your hand while making sure to even it out with the tiles already laid
6. The joints are made either with a slip or with dry cement swept and moistened. Colored and/or pigmented joints are prohibited
7. Clean up the mortar burrs as you go along

IMPORTANT Never tap with a hammer or plastic mallet directly on the surface of the tile. Use a bat (a piece of wood of about 50cm/50cm).

Treatment Tips

In order to offer a quality service to our customers, La Cimenterie de la Tour offers its range of products for the treatment of cement tiles.

SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE if you follow our instructions

BEFORE YOU START

(1 week after a glued installation and 1 month after an installation with screed)

Make sure the floor is dry and clean (dust-free floor)

EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER! SO LET’S GET STARTED…

1st STEP – The Cleaner.

PROTECTION / rubber gloves , goggles and mask

CLEAN ACCESSORIES / bucket , broom , mop

DILUTION / for 1 liter of water dilute 300 to 400 ml of cleaner

APPLICATION / with a broom

Let it work for 5 to 10 minutes and RINSE with clear water with a soaked mop

LET DRY 24 to 48 HOURS depending on the weather

2 nd STEP – Micro-porous waterproofing / water-repellent – oil-repellent :

Make sure the floor is dry and clean (dust free) before proceeding with this step

Soil moisture content should not exceed 1.5%.

PROTECTION / rubber gloves , goggles and mask

CLEAN ACCESSORIES / waterproofing container , lint-free cloth (preferably white cotton)

DILUTION / None

APPLICATION / with a rag small surface by small surface (m² / m²) in 2 layers spaced out of 4 h

MANDATORY / REMOVE THE SURPLUS AS YOU GO ALONG

LET DRY 24 to 48 HOURS depending on the weather

3 rd STEP – The Wax

Make sure the floor is dry and clean (dust free) before proceeding with this step

ACCESSORIES / clean bucket , clean lint-free cloth

DILUTION / For 1 liter of wax dilute 100 to 200 ml of odorless white spirit

APPLICATION / rag small area by small area (m² / m²)

Once dry to the touch you can polish the floor.

MANDATORY / REMOVE THE EXCESS AS YOU GO ALONG

ALLOW TO DRY 24 to 48 HOURS BEFORE WALKING depending on the weather

Daily maintenance

With neutral, non-acidic cleaning products (e.g. liquid Marseille soap). We advise you to clean from time to time with the Shampoo waxing (Cimenterie de la tour) your floors will patina over time.

IMPORTANT Do not use soap containing linseed oil.