BERT AND MAY Glazed Tiles Installation Guide
- July 24, 2024
- BERT AND MAY
Table of Contents
BERT AND MAY Glazed Tiles
Product Information
Specifications
- Product Type : Glazed Tiles
- Suitable For : Indoor use only, not suitable for wet room/shower floors
- Manufacturer: Fila
- Recommended Sealer: Fila MP90 eco Xtreme
Product Usage Instructions
Installation Guide
This document is intended for certified trade professionals. Always wear suitable protective eyewear and clothing when cutting or drying tiles.
Sealing Recommendations
Glazed Tiles do not need to be sealed. However, it is advised to seal grout lines in bathroom settings or around sinks to prevent staining or cracking. Use Fila MP90 eco Xtreme for sealing. Accidental contact of the sealer on glazed tiles will not cause harm.
Grouting Process
Preparation: Ensure tiles are clean from dust and adhesive before grouting. Point grouting is recommended over spread/slurry method. Use a grouting gun and sponge the area with clean water before applying grout.
Drying Time: Allow the grout to dry for 24 hours before further handling or cleaning.
Post Grout Cleaning
After grouting, clean any excess grout from the surface of the tiles using a clean sponge and water. Ensure the tiles are completely dry before use.
FAQ
- Q: Can acidic or abrasive products damage the glazed tiles?
- A: Yes, products like sealants, silicone, cleaning agents, or foods can cause damage if they are acidic, pigmented, or abrasive. Avoid contact with such products.
- Q: Can you provide a list of recommended installers?
- A: Please contact help@bertandmay.com to request a list of our recommended installers for professional installation services.
BERT & MAY
- This document is designed as a guidance note for certified trade professionals. Please note that it is essential to wear suitable protective eyewear and clothing when cutting or drying tiles. Please check the suitability tab on our website for each of our Glazed products, as Glazed Tiles are not suitable for wet room/shower floors.
- Please note this guide is for glazed tiles including glazed Bejmat & Glazed Zellige Tiles
- For our raw unglazed Bejmat/Raw Thick Bejmat/Raw and White Mosaic Zellige Tiles – these do require sealing – please follow our terracotta installation guide *
- It is important that you choose a contractor that is experienced with the installation of these tiles and that they are given this information prior to proceeding with any work to ensure they are aware of the processes & timelines for each stage
- For Glazed Tiles, these do not need to be sealed. For Crackled Glazed Tiles (Emerald Square Glazed), we recommend these are sealed – see separate installation guide. * Where we say the tiles do not require to be sealed, we do advise sealing the grout lines in a bathroom setting or around sinks to avoid staining or cracking of the grout over time. We recommend Fila MP90 eco Xtreme for this. If you are sealing grout lines, it is no problem if any of the fila MP90 eco Xtreme gets on the glazed tiles, and it will not harm them in any way.
Recommended Products
MP90 eco Xtreme Sealer (for sealing grout lines)
Deterdek pro – for cleaning stubborn building/grout residues (if applicable)
Fila Cleaner Pro – For Ongoing General Maintenance
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The manufacturer of the installation products we recommend is Fila. we have worked closely with the Fila team to develop our guide using their products and our tiles, and extensive testing on our tiles has been carried out.
Fila believe it is fundamentally important to ensure a constant commitment to ethically sustainable products, and they have been awarded the Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold Award (low VOC emissions) for their MP90 Eco Xtreme product. All their packaging is also recyclable. -
Any products that come into contact with the tiles i.e., other sealants, silicone, cleaning products, or even foods, can cause damage if acidic, pigmented or abrasive.
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Please contact help@bertandmay.com if you would like us to send you a list of our recommended installers.
Installation Guide
Cutting
We recommend that a high-quality diamond cutter is used to cut the tiles. The cutting blade should be water-suppressed to control dust and cool the blades. Whilst cutting or drilling tiles, the surface of the tile may become wet and/or dirty. Wipe the tile clean immediately after cutting.
Pre-installation Preparation
Bert & May recommends that the tiles are the last material to be installed during a building project. remove any dust gathered on the tiles to improve adherence. Before installing glazed tiles, the floor must be clean, and free from dust and moisture, ensuring the sub-surface is level and stable. Please ensure new floor screeds are dry for a minimum of 6 weeks.
Installation
Apply adhesive to the floor using a notched trowel, working in small areas in parallel lines, spread only enough adhesive (we recommend Mapei Keraflex maxi low dust adhesive) that remains workable. We recommend using grout spacers with a minimum 1mm between tiles, although the tiles can be butt jointed if required. However, if the tiles are being installed outside, we would recommend a minimum spacing of 2mm between tiles. Ensure the tiles are level by using a spirit level and do not step on the tiles for a least 6 hours (if using rapid set adhesive) or preferably overnight. The ambient temperature does affect the drying and curing times. The longer you can leave the tiles, the greater assurance you have that they have dried out. please remember to protect your tiles from liquids and heavy foot traffic. Should you need to wash the tiles, use pH-neutral soap and water or pH-neutral fila cleaner pro.
Grouting
Ensure the surface of the tiles are free from dust and adhesive before you begin the grouting process. We recommend point grouting as the spread/slurry method of grouting is likely to sit in any textured surface of the tiles. A grouting gun can be used. sponge the area to be grouted with clean water before applying the grout, working in small areas. Replace the water when needed, it is essential that the water and sponge is always clean. allow the grout to dry for 24 hours.
Post Grout Cleaning
Tel : 020 3744 0776
To clean the tiles post-grouting, we recommend using Fila Cleaner Pro, which should be diluted in the clean sponge and repeated, as necessary. Once the tiles are clean, with a damp sponge (wet vacuum for larger areas) remove the residue. Rinse thoroughly with clean water & leave to dry. For any stubborn grout stains, we recommend Deterdek pro (diluted 1 part product/10 parts water) following the same process as above. Proceed to seal the grout lines/ around sinks.
Sealing
- Where we say the tiles do not require to be sealed, we do advise sealing the grout lines in a bathroom setting or around sinks to avoid staining or cracking of the grout over time. we recommend fila mp90 eco Xtreme for this. Once happy with the look of your installed tiles, sealing around the grout lines/around sinks is recommended. they should be sealed with fila mp90 eco Xtreme. Start by ensuring the tiles are clean and dried. apply mp90 eco Xtreme evenly, using a paintbrush, soaking the grout lines well. Leave for 10 minutes and then promptly remove any excess sealant sitting on the surface, using a clean dry microfibre cloth, to avoid any mottling on the surface. the tiles are not fully cured until 24 hours later.
- Bert & May recommend professional advice is sought from a certified trade professional. Please note Glazed Tiles are not suitable for floors when outdoors as glazed tiles will become slippery when wet. When the tiles are exposed to the environment and subject to foliage and inclement weather conditions, they will naturally patina over time, which we feel adds to their beauty, but it is important to regularly clean outdoor installations with the pH-neutral product to limit any staining.
- Glazed tiles installed outdoors will naturally patina over time due to being exposed to the elements, which we feel adds to their beauty, you should always take advice from your installer for professional advice about the best time for you to install your outdoor tiles, as some ancillary products such as adhesive, can sometimes only be used during certain ambient temperatures. Bert & May would recommend installations be carried out during spring/summer when a few dry days are more achievable.
Ongoing Maintenance
We recommend for day-to-day cleaning of your tiles to use Fila Cleaner Pro (diluted 1 part product/200 parts water), or pH-neutral cleaners, avoiding anything too abrasive, acidic or bleach which can affect the tiles.
Hearths And Fireplaces
Care should be taken when tiling into hearths or fire surrounds. ensure that the tiles are kept a minimum of 300mm away from direct contact with the flames or the main heat source.
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Read User Manual Online (PDF format) >>