TILE INSTALLATION

Professional installation guidelines for EuroStone quartz tiles

Important: EuroStone will not warranty material if these guidelines are not followed. See the Tile Warranty.

Before You Begin

•Our tiles are supplied finished and ready to be laid. They are calibrated, squared, pre-polished and chamfered.
•A diamond disc or diamond water cutter is required to cut tiles.

•The state and preparation of the foundations must be optimal.
•The supporting surfaces or foundations (screed) must be stable, solid, resistant to compression, and sufficiently level.
•The screed must be absolutely dry and free of dust, grease, wax, paint, dismantling agents and anything else that could impair adhesion.
•The concrete slab surface must be sufficiently mature — about 6-8 days per cm of thickness, unless special quick-drying cements are used.
•Any pre-existing concrete, tiled, ceramic or marble foundations must be solid, free of cracks, well attached to the base, resistant to the expected loads and complete with adequate structural joints.
•EuroStone Quartz tiles have minimal water absorption. Traditional laying methods requiring large quantities of water are NOT recommended — if water cannot escape from the screed, joints or perimeter, it may result in detachment, tension, and possibly warping.
•The use of traditional sand and cement for laying EuroStone tiles is to be utterly avoided.

•Use adhesives specifically studied for bonding recomposed stone material, such as Mapei, Laticrete, Kerakoll, etc.
•Commercial adhesives composed of sand and cement with synthetic latex additives are ideal, as they respond well to stress and thermal strain.
•Example for internal flooring and coverings: two-component Granirapid by Mapei (component A powder + component B latex). Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for quantities and mixing.
•Vertical bonding to exteriors is risky — mechanical anchoring systems are suggested.
•With underfloor heating, the maximum tile size is 24" x 24". Use a C2FTE S2 type adhesive (EN:12004, EN:12002), e.g. Mapei Elastorapid or Kerabond T + Isolastic.
•For floors exposed to direct sunlight, use an R2T adhesive (EN:12004), e.g. Mapei Keralastic T.

•Always follow the adhesive manufacturer’s dosages and instructions.
•Spread a small quantity of adhesive at a time, laying tiles within the adhesive’s laying time.
•Apply with a serrated spatula so the adhesive covers at least 80% of the tile.
•For sizes over 12" x 12" and intensive-use areas (hospitals, factories, department stores, etc.), use the double spreading system for 100% coverage.

•Environmental temperature must be between +5° and +30°C.
•Residual humidity of the screed must be less than 3% (approx. 2% - 2.5%). Evenness variation must be no greater than 3 mm/meter.
•Position large-sized tiles with the help of a sucker, and tap with a rubber hammer to avoid air bubbles and empty spaces.
•Use open, uniform joints with specially made nylon spacers. Closed-joint laying is to be utterly avoided except under specific conditions and only in small areas.
•Leave joints wide enough for one-component silicone sealant around the perimeter and at walls, pillars, steps, etc.
•Clean joints thoroughly (removing all adhesive), fill with grout using a smooth spatula, and remove excess grout immediately with a damp sponge.

•In new construction, expansion and control joints are usually specified by the Architect and Civil Engineer. In renovations, repeat expansion joints where settlement and natural openings have occurred.
•Place expansion joints at perimeter walls, curved walls, columns, etc.
•Joint width depends on tile size (minimum 3 to 5 mm); for 24"x24", 24"x48" or 48"x48" tiles, 5 mm is recommended.
•Respect pre-existing expansion joints and divide the floor into 4x4 m or 6x6 m squares using a special 5-10 mm PVC batten.
•Regardless of size, always lay tiles with a joint — standard joints between tiles of at least 1.5 mm are required for grout.

Contact our technical support team for assistance