Cement tile Modell AZUL

Cementtiles were produced in Portugal under the influence of the Moors already centuries ago.

Even nowadays every tile is hand-made. A coloured mixture is made by combining marble powder, white cement and pure colour pigments, that is than filled up with a carrier layer and bonded together under high pressure. As a result you get thick and extremely hard-wearing tiles with a slightly porous surface and a 3mm thick colour coat and wearing surface. The characteristic and distinctive features these tiles have are attributable to the manufacturing process: the silky smooth surface, precious chatoyant colours, slightly uneven edges.

Surface

The surface shows a porous structure, similar to natural stone. Impregnation must be caried out after laying (see below). Through use and regular cleaning with re-fatting soft soaps a protective patina will develop and give the floor a vibrant look. Please be careful with acidic products (red wine, vinegar or the like). These should be removed immediately.

Deviations of colour, pattern and form as well as fine crazes and eruption of salt or lime may occur to a limited extent. The thickness of the tiles may vary slightly, the different thicknesses of the tiles are compensated during laying. When filling the master plate entry points may originate. These are also part of the characteristics of cement tiles and therefore are no reason to complain.

Suitability

The cement tiles are very hard-wearing and wear-resistant (similar to marble). Thanks to their (R9) step security they are suited for hallways, foyers and bathrooms. If your tap water contains high quantities of lime we discourage from laying in the shower area, as cleaning should not be carried out with acidic cleaning agents.

Cement tiles can be layed on underfloor heating, if the floor is heated evenly with usual water temperatures (22-28°C). Please avoid large temperature fluctuations. The combination with electric floor heating systems, which are inserted into the adhesive bed of the cement or terrazzo plates, is not recommended due to the increased thermal stress.

If cement floor tiles are laid in drywall construction, cementitious drywall tiles/screed elements should be used.

The tiles are not frost-resistant and therefore not suited for outdoor use.

Delivery time

Portuguese cement tiles are generally available ex stock. Please enquire current availability. If tiles need to be produced, lead time may take up to 10 weeks due to the long drying time.

Packaging and delivery

Cement floor tiles can only be transported safely with a forwarding agency. Transport cost depends on weight and distance. We would be pleased to provide you with an offer for delivery on your construction site. To prepare the offer we need to know the amount of tiles you plan to buy and your postcode. The tiles are delivered from our central warehouse to your construction site.

Portuguese cementtiles are generally available ex stock. Shipping costs on request.

Receipt of goods

Please note that tiles must be transported to dry premises immediately, and cannot be put into interim storage in the open due to potential moisture absorption.

Please stick to the individual working steps and drying times carefully. Depending on the weather conditions, you have to calculate about 3 weeks from the beginning of laying to complete usability of the floor.

Laying

All tiling work must only be carried out by a qualified specialist. We cannot accept any liability for damages due to incorrect installation.

To achieve a harmonious play of colours we advise you to mix the packs among one another before laying them in the adhesive bed, leaving a thin gap (1-2mm) for the joints. Individual tiles may exhibit more pronounced colour differences, which is part of the laying pattern. However, before very differently coloured tiles are laid, this should be agreed between the tiler and the customer. The small joint width is a special design and should also be agreed explicitly between client and tiler.

The surface must be clean, even, load bearing, resistant to deformation, dry and free from anti-adhesive substances as well as solid and crack-free. Substrate treatment should be carried out according to the data given by the manufacturer of the tile adhesive. In order to bind the residual dust on the substrate and to reduce the absorbency of strongly absorbent substrates, the substrate should be pre-treated with a primer. (e.g. Oktamos UG 30 from Kiesel)

As tile adhesive we recommend using a very fast setting and hardening, high-strength and deformable mineral flexible mortar with crystalline water retention (e.g. Servoflex K-Schnell SuperTec from Kiesel). Firstly, a contact layer of the flexible mortar is applied to the substrate with the smooth side of the large-toothed comb trowel. Using a 10 tooth comb trowel, the adhesive layer is applied which, when pressed and carefully aligned, allows a flat surface without runs and hot spots. For an almost cavity-free laying it is advisable to use the buttering-floating-technique. The open time / correction time of the adhesive must always be observed: the tiles must be inserted into the fresh thin-bed adhesive. Care must be taken that no skin has formed on the surface of the adhesive. Never stir too much adhesive and do not apply any more adhesive than can be processed during this time. Do not use already thickened residues. Moisture absorption of the tiles should be reduced to a minimum. Re-moistening of the tiles or irregular moisture content in the surface e.g. by drying too quickly, may cause effervescence.

The cement floor tiles can be cut best with a diamond blade. Even mitres can be cut that way, so that clean mitre joints on outer edges are possible. The cutting should be done dryly.

If the laid out tiles need to be covered, this should be made with a breathable material (Do not use cardboard as this might leave marks and discolouration).

Jointing

The tiles can be jointed 2-3 days after laying.

Before jointing, the surface of the flooring should be slightly pre-wetted in order to avoid burning out the joints. The jointing of the tiles is made with a mortar made of 2 parts trass cement and one part quartz sand (grain size 0 - 0.3mm) that are combined with water to a yoghurt like texture and applied to the well-swept floor. The mortar is pressed into the joints with an epoxy resin floorboard and is worked in until the joint no longer falls (i.e. the mortar fills the joint completely).

ATTENTION: Do not use prepared joint fillers with plastic content, as these may establish a grey film. You will get the necessary trass cement and quartz sand in a hardware store.

After completion of a well-reachable section, the laying surface is completely cleaned by wiping with a slightly damp tile-laying sponge. However, the tiles should never be washed off wet! This could lead to cracking due to swelling and shrinkage.

Silicon joints should be made before the impregnation is applied. Please use a natural stone silicon that does not release acetic acid when curing in order to avoid discolouration. .

Impregnation

Impregnation can be carried out 10-14 days after jointing, if the laying surface is thoroughly dry. The cement tiles have an open-pored surface and are therefore sensitive to dirt and moisture as long as they are not impregnated.

1 - Basic cleaning with HMKR155

A clean, dry surface is the basis for subsequent impregnation. Before the impregnation, the floor should get cleaned again.

Begin with sweeping or vacuuming the floor, if necessary remove grout- and/or colour residues with a spatula. Sweep the floor with a damp cloth and afterwards scrub the floor with acid free basic cleaner R155, diluted 1:10. Then remove the dissolved dirt with a mop and wipe the surface sparingly with clean water, so that residues of the detergent are completely removed. Rub the cleaned surface dry with a clean, non-linting cloth and allow the cleaned surface to dry again for approx. 1-2 days, depending on the weather conditions and construction site conditions. The tiles must never be acidified, this will destroy the surface! Use water as sparingly as possible.

2 - Impregnation with stain protection HMK S234/h4>

The tiles must be clean and absolutely dry before impregnation; the capillary may not be saturated with water due to the previous cleaning. Before the impregnation of the whole surface is done, it is necessary to establish a meaningful trial area. Check the tiled surface for dryness before application! The residual moisture may not exceed 2-4 % for subsequent processing.

Ventilate the working area! Pour some stain protection S234 in a wide varnish tray. Use a wide short pile roll (30 cm) or a wide brush to work in the stain protection completely and evenly into the tile surface. Apply the first layer going in one direction and the second layer in the opposite direction, as if painting a cross. The stain protection is absorbed by the surface at first, so the section must be worked on until a thin excess remains. Allow the stain protection to sit for about 5 minutes, then remove the remaining excess with a paper towel or a lintfree cloth and rub the surface evenly. After approximately 60 - 120 minutes, if the stain protection has settled, continue with the P330 clinker oil.

3 - Colour intensification with clinker oil HMK P330

The clinker oil enters into a bond with the stain protection, it is used for colour intensification and colour equalisation and additional surface protection.

Pour some P330 clinker oil in a wide varnish tray. Use a wide short pile roll (30 cm) or a wide brush to apply the clinker oil to the area already treated with anti-stain protection. Leave a liquid film on the surface for 5-10 minutes, then remove the excess with a cloth or white rubber wiper and rub the surface. Leave the clinker oil for another 6 - 12 hours and then remove any remaining excess with a paper towel or a lintfree cloth and rub the surface evenly with a mop. Wait another day. Finally, rub the surface with a dry cloth and wipe it with water and P324 liquid stone soap to remove the last residues of excess oil. The floor is then ready for use.

Trial: After impregnation the floor may no longer absorb any liquids. This can be checked with some water drops that must drip off on the surface and should not penetrate the floor. This is the only way to ensure that the floor will be easy to clean and no dirt will settle.

NOTE: Immediately after surface treatment, the surface may still have a somewhat uneven appearance due to low moisture content and slight oil concentrations. During the first months of use, the surface will develop the desired slightly matte surface by cleaning / care with P324 stone soap. Through the appropriate cleaning, a greasy protective layer gradually builds up and gives the even light gloss.

Consumable materials

Primer, tile adhesive and materials for mortar are available at your hardware store. The products mentioned below are available at our company or any specialist shop.

7110000CA1 Basic cleaner HMK R155: consumption ca. 1 litre per 15 – 30 sqm

7110000CA2 Stain protection HMK S234: consumption ca. 1 litre per 5 sqm

7110000CA3 HMK P330 Cotto- and Clinker oil HMK P330: consumption: ca. 1 litre per 10 sqm

7110000CA4 HMK P324 liquid stone soap

Source of supply in Switzerland: www.ct-chemie.ch.

Maintenance and care

Every cleaning procedure consists of cleaning and care. It is important that the cleaning effect is not achieved by using acidic cleaning agents, but by using alcaline, slightly re-fatting cleaning agents!!! Under no circumstances should sharp, acidic or limescale cleaning agents be used as they affect the tile material. We recommend the use of stone soap HKM P324 for day to day cleaning.

For the first 6 months use stone soap P 324 for mopping and scrubbing the tiles. This stone soap contains wax substances that complement the protective layer with each cleaning. We recommend to use this soap also after this 6 months period. Alternatively any conventional good neutral soap (green soap) can be used.

Haste makes waste - a patina that protects the floors will only develop after some time has passed.

Treatment of stains

Any dripped liquids, especially red wine should be removed immediately. Stubborn stains can be removed with a scourer, scouring pads or rough brush and scouring powder. However, stains that arose prior to the impregnation or due to incomplete and deficient impregnation, are usually irreversible. Grinding with a diamond sanding pad can help in order to conceal this - but if need be, the tile must be replaced.