Following these guidelines will ensure maximum effect, from looks to durability. These guidelines serve as a basis to enhance the aesthetics of your tiles, whether in the home, office or wherever the application. The use of Strata Products to lay and seal your tiles will ensure that you achieve the best finish available.

Fixing Guideline for unsealed and sealed Terracotta
Fixing Guidelines for Marble and Granite tiles
Fixing Guidelines for Limestone
Fixing Guidelines for Natural Stone


Fixing Guideline for unsealed and sealed Terracotta

STRATA Wall and floor is a cement based Tile Adhesive, specifically formulated as an interior and exterior wall and floor tile adhesive. Suitable for both thick and thin bed applications, it is recommended for fixing terracotta because of its low lime and salt contents, which greatly reduces the chances of efflorescence and marking.

SURFACE PREPARATION

All surfaces must be clean, free of dust, contaminants, grease, organic growth, wax and oil. All loose and flaking paints must be removed. Previously painted surfaces must be stripped clean and at least 80% of the surface must be chipped in order to supply a good key for secure adhesion. Steel trowelled surfaces or powdered floated surfaces should be acid washed first to remove laitance, then rinsed well with clean water. Suspect surfaces must be primed with a base coat of STRATA KEY-COTE.

APPLICATION

Mix STRATA Wall and floor according to instructions. Apply the tile adhesive spreading smoothly with a notched trowel. A minimum thickness of 3mm for walls and 6mm on floors is advised. Bed tiles firmly using a rubber mallet. Excess tile adhesive must be removed from the joints before dry. When tiling unsealed or sealed terracotta, special care should be taken to ensure that NO tile adhesive is messed on the surface of the tile as this may cause staining and could prove difficult to remove once dry. Should any tile adhesive be messed on the surface of the tile, this should be removed immediately.

GROUTING

Allow 24 hours before grouting, ensuring that all loose particles and excess tile adhesive has been removed from the joints first. Grout the joints with STRATA Natural Stone products, applying the grout in the joints of the floor or wall tiles with a rubber spatula. In all cases, it is recommended that a clean-as-you-go approach be used when grouting. This is the ideal finishing touch to the laying procedure.

SEALING

In the case of natural stone or natural clay tiles, we highly recommend sealing. Tiles should be thoroughly washed and or scrubbed to remove any dirt, oil or tile adhesive from the surface. After cleaning, ensure that the tiles are allowed to dry thoroughly before sealing. Newly laid tiles should not be sealed for a period of 14 – 30 days thus allowing the tile adhesive and grout to dry and cure.



Fixing Guidelines for Marble and Granite tiles

Laying
It must be pointed out that laying marble and granite cannot be done randomly, as when laying ceramic tiles. Firstly a few boxes should be opened and the contents allowed to dry naturally so that any differences in colour shade due to moisture content disappear. Before laying the material, try out a variety of arrangements of the materials to obtain the most pleasing results, in accordance with the natural characteristics of the product.

If unfinished products are to be laid thus making it difficult to assess the base colours, wet the slabs to highlight any imperfections or defects that may be present before laying.

It is definitely recommended to use Strata White Marble Fix when laying marble. Approximate coverage is 4m2 on 20kg adhesive. White Marble Fix is formulated to bind rapidly with water to form a paste, thus minimising absorption and therefore inhibiting staining of marble.

Preparing the bed and the slab
When preparing the bed, all the supports on which natural stone is to be laid must be dry, stable, solid, resistant to compression, flat and free from dust, grease, wax, paint solvents or any other substance that could inhibit adhesion.

Grouting
Allow 24 hours before grouting, ensuring that all loose particles and excess tile adhesive has been removed from the joints first. Grout the joints with STRATA Natural Stone products, applying the grout in the joints of the floor or wall tiles with a rubber spatula. In all cases, it is recommended that a clean-as-you-go approach be used when grouting. This is the ideal finishing touch to the laying procedure.



Fixing Guideline for Limestone

The fixing of limestone is fairly straightforward, but there are a couple of things to bear in mind. Due to the nature of limestone, it is advisable to tile with a White Adhesive. The reason for this being, that moisture is drawn up through the tile and that Grey Adhesive may then cause staining.

It is very important (as with any natural stone product) when fixing limestone to avoid any adhesive from touching the surface of the tile as it is very difficult to clean off. Likewise when handling the tiles, try to avoid touching the surface with dirty fingers / gloves.

Grouting Guideline for Limestone
Applying a light thin layer of sealer before commencing the grouting process is advisable when grouting limestone. One coat of the sealer should be applied lightly/thinly with a soft lint-free cloth or mohair applicator. Please ensure that no overrun occurs on the overside of the tile which can affect adhesion of the grout. It is advisable to remove any grout from the tile-face before it hardens. We recommend a clean-as-you-go approach. Newly laid tiles must not be sealed for at least 14 – 30 days to allow adhesive and grout to dry and cure properly.

Sealing Guideline for Limestone
Surface must be completely clean, dry, free from dust, oil, grout or cement. Apply as follows:

Apply sealer thinly to a dry surface by means of a soft lint-free cloth or mohair applicator working along the lay-lines. The sealer should be rubbed into the surface being sealed. A second application should be made after 4 hours, applying the sealer in an opposite direction as the first coat,e.g. First coat – North South and second coat East West. Sealer is touch-dry within 1-2 hours and fully cured within 24 hours.

DO NOT SEAL OUTSIDE IF THERE IS ANY LIKELIHOOD OF RAIN WITHIN 48 HOURS, OR IF THERE IS ANY SOURCE OF DAMP BEHIND THE TILE BED.
The information supplied herein is given in good faith. None of the details supplied herein are to be regarded as absolute specifications.



Fixing Guideline for Natural Stone Tiles

• Prior to fixing, all floors should be firm, level and free from grease, dust or loose material.