2024-25_NTCA_Reference_Manual_dig_dwnld

Handmade Tile Installation

Handmade tiles have been available for centuries and come in many sizes, thicknesses, and shapes. Because each handmade tile is unique, the installation of these tiles requires special attention to provide a finished project that will be acceptable to the con sumer.

Given the unique nature of handmade tiles and the fact that they may not meet any of the ANSI A137.1 standards, several questions must be addressed prior to installation.

• Is the location suitable for the tile? • Will it be used on an interior or exterior substrate? • Is the tile recommended by the manufacturer for dry and/or wet environments? • Can it be placed in a submerged situation or in freeze/thaw climates? • Will the tile be appropriate for walls and floors?

The answers to these questions must come from the handmade tile manufacturer that should know of any limitations or cautions on usage. Installing these tiles without answers to these questions or proper written installation directions and recommendations can be a recipe for a very costly failure which may be solely borne by the installer. Be aware that just because the tile is available for sale doesn’t mean that it is applicable for every job. If the tile manufacturer cannot or will not provide detailed guidance on the installation process, it may be wise to walk away.

EDUCATE YOUR CLIENT Do your homework well in advance of the start of the project. The unsuspecting consumer may be enamored with their selec tion, but they may not know if the selected tile is suitable for his/her project. The best way to proceed is to educate the con sumer on the characteristics and idiosyncrasies of handmade tile and the critical points of a successful installation. Providing information about handmade tile’s unique nature as to signifi cant size and shape variations, small glaze fissures or cracks, widely varying glaze color and shading, as well as the potential of bowing, twisting, and warping is extremely important. Some clients love the imperfections of handmade tile and are willing to accept them, while others find the inherent variations unac ceptable and will reject them. USE A MOCKUP The best way to achieve success is to work with a client who has realistic expectations. Helping the consumer understand how the finished product will look before the installation begins is realized by the use of a mockup which is strongly recommend ed. The mockup may be as simple as dry laying the tiles on a flat surface using the selected pattern and grout joint size or an actual installation complete with grout and sealant joints. The choice of grout color can be problematic and must be examined. The use of a grout color that strongly contrasts the tile color will show in the fissures, pits, and irregularity of the tile and will be difficult or impossible to remove.

Although handmade tile normally doesn’t meet the ANSI A137.1 requirements of ceramic tile for sizing, the grout joint suggestion could be helpful, taking the size variation between the smallest and largest tile and multiplying that size difference by a factor of three. As an example, if the tile size varies by 1/8 in. (3 mm), multiply 1/8 in. (3 mm) times three. The recommended grout joint would be 3/8 in. (9 mm). Another way to look at determining the grout joint width is looking at how the tiles are aligned. With handmade tiles it is necessary to space the tiles by aligning the centers of the tiles instead of aligning the edges of the tiles as you would with rectified tiles. This is how rows and columns stay consistent. At this point, the decision must be made on what grout joint size that will be acceptable to the consumer, but most importantly, will this joint size accommodate the variation in tile size? The use of wide grout joints may not be acceptable to the client, but that may be the only way the tile can be effectively installed. Additionally, the mockup will exhibit the full range of color vari ation, glaze texture, surface defects or imperfections, crazing (hairline cracks), and tile warpage. When the mockup is ac ceptable to the client, have them sign and date it. The mockup should be retained by the installer until the completion of the project to be certain the client(s) doesn’t suffer from selective amnesia once the project is complete.

With an approved mockup at hand, the following techniques and tips may be helpful in satisfying the customer’s expectations.

If the tile size varies greatly, some of the tiles may touch each other (no grout joint) while others have extremely wide joints.

126

NTCA Reference Manual | 2024 / 2025

Chapter 5 | Material Specific Products and Installation