Keep Large Tile Flat On Wall
Having a flat or plumb substrate is also critical.
Keep large tile flat on wall. Substrate preparation for walls and floors that will be tiled with large format materials must be perfectly flat. As with floors secure bonding is key to the success of a large format tile wall installation. To address this on a practical basis some manufacturers recommend against any patterns with offsets in excess of 33 if the tile being used has an edge larger than 18 inches. Spread the mortar with the flat edge of the trowel then groove.
A batten board helps you start your bottom most course or row of tiles. Again the maximum tolerance is 1รข 8 inch in 10 feet. Press the tile firmly in place making sure it is flat and level. Tips for tiling a wall.
To keep grout joints uniform use small plastic spacers between the tiles. The weight of a large format stone tile can cause it to sag or slip during installation on the wall. Don t start it at the floor. Hang a batten board to prevent tile slippage.
If this tolerance isn t met lippage can occur. Ensure a flat surface. The level of flatness dictated by the tile council of north america for large format installations is 1 8 over 10. Below are three tips to maximize the advantages of large format tile.
Apply the mortar to the wall creating 1 4 inch ridges with the trowel. Next press the tiles into place. A batten board is nothing more than a 1 x4 or 1 x2 board screwed directly into the wall horizontally. Spread thinset mortar on the bottom center of the wall.