Types of Tiles and Fixing Guidelines
Tiles have been utilized to decorate floors and other surfaces for millenniums and are very trendy, what with the availability of many designs and make. Let us look at the properties of some of the more popular tiles available in the market today.
Glass Tiles
For tiles made of glass, it is advisable to select an adhesive that is appropriate for your specific application. If what you have in mind is a splash back, you need to make sure that an exceptional additive is supplemented to the grout in order to avoid staining. The rule of thumb is to explicitly follow the manufacture’s guidelines.
Glass tiles are best incised using a diamond wheel cutting machine incorporated with a specific blade for glass cutting. After the tiles are cut, they must be polished with a carborundum stone to ensure that no sharp edges exist.
To drill glass tiles, it is best to use either a diamond coated drill/ Hole saw or a dedicated tile/ glass drill. Utilizing either one of these contraptions would require the use of plenty of water to maintain coolness and to prevent discoloration caused by heat accumulation.
It is best to place glass tiles to an area which has one primary color, and that glass tiles do not come close to any direct heat. For a professional-looking finish, glass tiles would need grouting of at least 2mm between each tile. Grout which is epoxy based or has quartz sand is not recommended.
Mosaic Tiles
Mosaic tiles are usually available in 300mm sheets or its equivalent. These sheets consist of minute tiles which vary in dimensions, although the more common ones measure around 1cm square. Mosaic tiles made from ceramic or glass is secured to a piece of paper, string or nylon mesh and installing them is an intricate process which requires a lot of patience and skill.
For mosaic tiles, select an appropriate adhesive. For tiling the bathroom area, a strong non slip waterproof adhesive is recommended. To cut mosaic tiles with precision, a wet diamond cutter, or nibblers is best. Glass mosaic tiles will need a specific pair of nibblers outfitted with a special blade. Mosaic tiles can also be drilled with a standard tile drill; for bigger openings, a diamond coated drill bit or hole saw is recommended.
To fix mosaic tiles into place, use a spreader with 3mm notches and depress each tile into the adhesive using a rubber float. Mosaic tiles usually entail grouting as a finishing touch.
Porcelain Tiles
Most porcelain tiles are made out of ceramic and possess a very low absorbency. These tiles are very hard and complicated to drill. To tile a wooden floor, a flexible floor adhesive is necessary. Porcelain tiles require delicate handling, and can be cut well using an untextured standard tile cutter. Avoid using flatbed cutter as it will result in rough edges – it is best to use a diamond wheel cutting machine as it slices through each tile like butter. To obtain the best results, special drill bits made exclusively for porcelain tiles is the best, although it is extremely pricey. For the DIY user, stick to a diamond coated drill bits or hole saws.
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