Below is the detailed method statement For installation of tiles on floors and walls. Semi-Dry Mortar method is useful for floor tiles works and for wall thin-bed adhesive method is useful. The aim of this method statement is to provide and maintain effective quality control procedures and to execute the work in compliance to standard and good practice at all stages and activities for installation of porcelain tiles.
You can also read alternative method statement for installation of marble and granite tiles.
Mandatory Tools / Equipment’s
Below is list of tools and equipment that are necessarily required for this activity:
- Cutting machines
- Punching machine
- Spirit Level
- String / Line
- Aluminium straight edge 3 meters long
- Cutting grinder
- Drill machine
- Floor Gres Tiles
- Stonetech
- Stonewhite – 60x120x1.6cm
- Mirage tiles – LAB_21 – LB 02 – 60x60x1cm
- Stainless steel angle sets
Method for Floors Tiles Installation Semi-Dry Mortar Method
Mortar: Shall be Portland Cement, Concrete Sand and proper size of coarse aggregate mixed with potable water.
Substrate and Expansion / Movement Joints
- Concrete slab surface to be covered with Thick Bed Mortar shall be sound, clean and free of dirt, oil, grease, sealers curing compounds, loose materials and paint.
- Expansion joints in substrate to be carried through in the mortar bed and the ceramic tile with the same width.
- Movement joints in the ceramic tiles to be of 2mm width, spread at 6m center to center if no expansion joints exist in the concrete slab. (One joint will be filled with silicon instead of grout).
Mixing Proportions
- Slurry Bond Coat: Shall be Portland cement mixed with potable water.
- Semi Dry Bed (not to exceed 10 cm. in thickness):-
- Use 1:3 mix of Portland Cement, Concrete, Sand and proper size coarse aggregate mixed with potable water.
Machine Mixing of Mortar
- Pour water into rotating blade mortar mixer.
- Start mixer
- Add mortar to mixer.
- Mix only enough to wet out batch. DO NOT OVER MIX.
- Stop mixer and dump mortar.
- Clean out mixer promptly with water.
Application & Fixing Procedure
- Place the semi dry bed mortar and compact the mortar by tempering with flat trowel.
- Provide correct slopes to drains.
- Spread slurry bond coat approximately 1.5mm thick with flat trowel over semi dry bed while it is fresh.
- Align pieces to show uniform joints and beat with a hardwood block on rubber mallet to level / imbed tile work before mortar bed takes initial set.
- Clean excess mortar from tile surfaces with wet cloth or sponge while mortar is fresh.
- Grout with Laticrete 1500 series grout (sanded) for joints larger than 3mm or 1600 for joints smaller than 3mm, mixed with potable water.
- Expansion joints in substrate to be carried through in the mortar bed and the ceramic tile with the same width.
Tiles Installation for Walls (Thin-bed Adhesive Method)
Laticrete 325 or any other locally available adhesive can be used. which is mixed with water to form thin-set mortar tile adhesive.
Substrate: The wall surfaces to be covered with tiles shall be sound and confirm to good design, rigid, clean and free of dirt, oil, grease, curing compounds, foam releasing agent or loose plaster, paint and scale. For economy, the surfaces should be level and true within 3mm in 2.5m.
Mixing: The materials can be mixed by hand or slow speed electric drill mixer (less than 300 R.P.M.) Place water in a clean container and then add the Laticrete 325 powder. Mix slowly until the mixture becomes creamy and plastic. DO NOT OVERMIX. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes and remix before use. Mix only sufficient for immediate need.
Installation
- Reasonably wet the wall and remove the excess water before applying the adhesive. Ensure the area is shaded from direct sunlight. The adhesive shall be applied with the flat side of the trowel using a scrapping motion to work the material into good contact with the surface to be covered. Additional mortar is then applied with the notched edge of trowel.
- When installing large tile, rib/button/lug back tiles, or sheet mounted ceramic / mosaic spread adhesive onto back of each tile in addition to troweling material over surface to be tiled. Select proper type of notched trowel. For wall tile use 6mm x 6mm notch trowel.
- The most important standard to keep in mind is to make sure that the piece of tile is completely bedded in the mortar or adhesive with 100% coverage and a minimum 3mm continuous thickness after “beat in”.
- Rear face of tiles (especially porcelain tiles) should be cleaned with damp sponge to clean all the dust. DO NOT SATURATE IN WATER.
- Excess mortar on adhesive shall be cleaned from the surface of the tiles with wet cloth or sponge while the mortar is fresh.
Grouting
- After 24 hours from bonding the tiles, spacers and bottom support can be removed, clean the grout joint with sponge or wipe dust and dirt of the tile face.
- Use Laticrete UNSANDED Grout Filler (1600 series) when grout joints are less than 3mm wide and Laticrete SANDED Grout Filler (1500 series) for wider joints (over 3mm).
- Mix the grout filler with water. Mix only as much can be used in ½ hour or less. Clean up immediately before beginning next.
Mechanical Fixing Method of Tiles Installation
Anchoring in Horizontal Joints
- Drill dowel holes for 1st row of panel. Align support anchors and fasten with bolts. Fill the pin holes with resin and place the 1st row of panels on the anchors. Hold the top of the panel with a wedge.
- Drill holes for 2nd row of panels. Fasten the support anchors for the 2nd row of panels and fine-adjust the 1st row of panels. Leave a gap of 3mm between the top edge of the panels of the bottom row and the under-side of the 2nd row of panels.
- Push the anchor pin through the bracket into the pin hole below. Position the 2nd row of panels, etc.
- Avoid fixing cut pieces using 1 body anchor from top and bottom, and use either a two pin body anchor or two anchors from bottom and one from top to avoid rotation of the cut piece.
Welding Corner Pieces
- Corner pieces that cannot be directly fixed on its substrate shall be welded to the front panel, and will be supported by the anchors of the main panel.
- Welding is to be performed in the workshop, prior to the installation of the panel.
- 45 degree chamfering of the edges of the tile and the corner piece is to be performed first. Chamfering is to leave around 5mm of the side of the tile as a straight edge, to make the corner stronger.
- Grooves are to be performed on both the panels and the corner pieces, which are to be filled with Laticrete 310, and a bolt placed upside down and immersed in the epoxy in each groove. Time will be given for the epoxy to cure, after which the corner piece is place in its correct position, with the stainless steel L angle placed on top of the inverted bolts and nuts are tightened. An additional coat of Latapoxy 310 can be then applied at parts of the edges to make the welding even stronger
Cut to size Panels : Cut to size panels will be cut in the workshops as per approved designs and shop drawings. Pieces will be numbered prior to shifting to the site location for easy reference. Drill holes will also be performed in the workshop for better quality control on the holes.