Piling of Porcelain. How to Properly Lay Porcelain on the Floor with Your Hands

Porcelain in the market of building materials appeared not so long ago, but immediately became in demand due to its excellent properties and high performance characteristics. Stacking ceramic granite is not the most complicated procedure, it is available for independent execution, but requires serious approach and attention.

Types of porcelain tiles

When choosing ceramic granite, it is necessary to consider where it will be used, under what conditions it will be used. There are several of its most popular types:

• glazed;
• Matt;
• polished;
• technical.

Porcelain is a very strong material, suitable for styling in any room, however, glazed and polished should not be used where intense loads are expected. These coatings from long exposure to them can eventually erase, their color will become faded.

Selection of glue and tools

The ceramic granite is low-porous and has a very small moisture absorption coefficient. It is because of these properties that its styling has several features that must be taken into account. It does not fit into ordinary mortar. For installation special adhesive compositions are used on the basis of a cement-sand mixture with the addition of polymers. They increase the adhesion and give the adhesive a good elasticity. Mix the adhesive mixture with water exactly according to the manufacturer's instructions, while remember that the mixture is added to the water, and not vice versa.

In addition to glue, you will need to stock up on the tool you need in the process:

• drill;
• Nozzle for mixing the solution;
• Mallet;
• Notched trowel;
• level;
• Tile cutters or "Bulgarian";
• Rubber scraper;
• Plastic crosses.

Surface preparation

Any kind of ceramic granite is very exacting to the base, where it will fit. It should be smooth, without cracks, scratches, protrusions. It is very important that the surface is rigid.

This is especially true if the porcelain stoneware is laid on a wooden base. In this case, the logs must be strong and set horizontally, with a rough floor fixed to them. It can be poured with a self-leveling mixture or aligned with thick plywood sheets.

Regardless of what material is used for the substrate, it is primed with two coats. This will remove the surface from dust and increase the adhesion of the adhesive.

Stacking ceramic granite with your own hands

After all the preparatory work has been completed, all the necessary materials and tools have been purchased, you can start working. If the tiles are laid in a straightforward manner or in staggered order, work starts from the corner of the room, spreading the first row along the wall. If the same ornament is laid out in several colors, or a complicated type of laying is applied, then they proceed to it from the middle of the room. It is desirable to draw a plan on the floor, according to which the tile will be laid out, and sign the name of the flowers. Otherwise, during the work you can make a mistake and do not notice it right away.

The process of laying ceramic granite on the floor is not very difficult, the main thing here is not to rush and observe the sequence:

1. Glue is applied to the substrate with a spatula on an area equal to two or three tiles. Since ceramic granite is a heavy material, the glue should not be applied too thickly, as the tile simply pushes into the mortar under its own weight. A small amount of glue must be applied to the tile. This is necessary to ensure that no voids are formed beneath it. The glue is leveled by means of a spatula, and then its grooves at an angle of up to 60 degrees to the base are furrows.
2. The tile is tightly pressed until there are no excess glues from under it. This is an indication that the solution was distributed evenly, and there were no voids under it. Surplus immediately removed with a rubber spatula, otherwise the solution will solidify, and this will be very difficult.
3. With the help of an even tapping of the tiles along the ends of the tile, it is leveled, leaving a few millimeters to the seam, where plastic crosses are inserted into full depth. This will avoid the fact that the joints will dissociate before the solution solidifies. If the design involves seamless styling, no crosses are needed, and the tile is tightly pressed against each other. Once several tiles have been laid, their horizontal line must be checked by level in different directions.
4. After laying the entire surface, you must wait 24 to 48 hours. This time is necessary for the solution to fully harden, and only then can you begin grouting the joints. This is done with a rubber spatula in the direction, transverse seam. Surplus is removed with a damp sponge. The color of the grout is selected depending on the design. It can be both in the color of the tile, and, conversely, contrast with it.

Ceramic granite flooring will be ready for operation in 6-7 days, then you can also connect the system "warm floor".