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Proper Bedding Procedures

When installing these tiles follow the same procedure as the “Small Mosaic Tiles” procedure. After the tiles are “beat in” and have a chance to set, 5-30 min utes depending on the mortar type and substrate, you will need to wet the paper so that the glue emulsifies and can be removed. Use a wet sponge or spray bottle to gently wet the paper with water. The “soaking” of the paper will take several applications before the glue will emulsify and let loose from the tiles. Do not use too much water as it may get into the mortar. Between ap plications of water you will notice the paper is starting to turn dark. The darker it gets, the easier it will be to remove it. You will also notice that the outer edges of the paper are turning lighter faster as they are drying out. Keep them moist as they are dry ing out faster. When all of the paper has turn dark, take hold of a corner of the paper and gently pull it off of the tile. If it doesn’t release from the tiles continue to soak the paper until it does. The paper should release and be removed as a single sheet of paper. After the paper has been removed, gently wash the tile surface with clean water to remove any excess glue from the paper. If need be the remaining glue can be washed off the next day. At this time, check the tiles and adjust any that may have moved during the paper removal processes. Note : Cutting a full sheet of paper face mounted tile on a regu lar wet saw is not recommended as the water from the saw will start to emulsify the glue from the paper and the sheet may start to fall apart. As an alternate method for paper-faced mosaics, certain non-sanded cement grouts mixed with adhesive latex admix tures may be used as both the adhesive and grout. In this ap plication method, the liquid to powder ratios are measured and replicated to create a consistent color. The glass tile is grouted from the underside while adhered to the paper and while wet, placed onto the mortar applied to the substrate in the manner described above. The sheet tiles are beat into place and paper is to be removed after an initial set. Perform a mockup to confirm color and appearance Other Glass Tile Formats Glass tiles formed in dimensions >9 sq. in. (58 sq. cm) can be adhered with mortars based on manufacturers’ recommenda tions and possible testing. They may alternatively require spe cial adhesives such as epoxies, silicones or urethanes. Bedding methods would be similar to mortar application procedures.

collapse to achieve the required coverage. It is required to use a trowel configuration that is designed to facilitate bonding mor tar ridge collapse. Scratch/key the mortar into the substrate and gauged porcelain tile or gauged porcelain tile panel/slab with the flat side of the trowel before combing. Using a notched trowel of type and size recommended by mor tar and tile manufacturers, comb mortar onto substrate and tile uniformly with no bare spots. Mortar ridges on both the gauged porcelain tile and gauged por celain tile panel/slab back and on the substrate must be par allel to each other, combing at right angles (perpendicular) to the long side of the tile panel/slab. Use the appropriate trowels and troweling technique (hold at least a constant 45° angle) and take care to keep the ridges straight and of consistent height. This is crucial to achieving required coverage. Overspread the mortar on the substrate by at least an inch wider than the gauged porcelain tiles or gauged porcelain tile/slab you plan to embed. This is to ensure full support of mortar at the tile edges and corners. When troweling mortar on the back of the gauged porcelain tile or gauged porcelain tile panel/slab, complete edge to edge cov erage of the mortar is required in order to achieve continuous support of edges and corners once embedded. Troweling techniques are critical in creating an even setting bed to ensure an adequate and uniform bond coat between gauged porcelain tiles or gauged porcelain tile panels/slabs and sub strate. Therefore, it is recommended when troweling gauged porcelain tiles and gauged porcelain tile panels/slabs with widths greater than 20 in. (0.5 m) to comb the mortar on the tile from the center line to the outside edge. Leaving this start/stop point at the centerline of the tile will ensure a uniform setting bed of mortar under the tile body and that the edges of the tile are fully supported. Do not allow mortar to skin over or exceed the mortar’s open time. Trowel over an area no greater than can be covered with tile before the mortar skins over. Note : The goal should always be wet mortar transfer. On both floors and walls the resulting embedded mortar layer shall have a minimum thickness of no less than 3/16 in. (4.8 mm).

GAUGED PORCELAIN TILE AND GAUGED PORCELAIN TILE PANELS/SLABS COVERAGE

Due to the large sizes of these products traditional notched trowels employing a traditional approach of pressing and sliding will not adequately facilitate and achieve the necessary ridge

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NTCA Reference Manual | 2024 / 2025

Chapter 8 | Thin-Bed Method Installations