Large Tile Installation Tips

Large format tile must be installed on a level substrate.

Large tile installation tips.

Thus they need to be installed in a square space. The level of flatness dictated by the tile council of north america for large format installations is 1 8 over 10. Plus all the tips to avoid ending up with ugly cuts in the doorways. When installing large format tiles and planks it is vital to adhere to the recommended grout line widths recommended patterns and all installation guidelines.

Ensure a flat surface. Dos don ts large format tile installation requires particular attention to proper substrate preparation grout joint sizing trowel selection and mortar coverage. As you near cabinets doorways walls and other flooring stops trim tiles as needed for installation. Below are three tips to maximize the advantages of large format tile.

At the beginning of your tile floor installation always do a test to ensure the consistency of the mortar is appropriate. Substrate preparation for walls and floors that will be tiled with large format materials must be perfectly flat. For all of msi s rectangular tiles a minimum of a 1 3 or more off set with 1 8 grout joint size is recommended for rectified tiles and a 3 16 grout joint for non rectified. But if you re setting tiles larger than 12 x 12 in look for terms like medium bed large tile or large format on the bag label.

Learn all the tricks to a beautiful tile floor that will never crack. Use a tile cutter for small straight cuts. A common solution involves use of a special non sag thinset mortar that is designed to stone tile weighing up to 6 pounds per square foot. Holding a bubble level to a straight six or eight foot board make sure that both walls and the floor are plumb vertical and level.

When installing large format tile there must be at least 90 mortar contact and a minimum grout joint of 3 16. Thin set mortar is the best bedding adhesive for most tile. Lay the tile flat and then with mild pressure slide the tile 1 4 inch back against the thin set ridges then slide it back into place. Use a tile saw or wet saw both rentable if necessary for cutting numerous or thick tiles.