Bonding, grouting, impregnation
How many days should I wait after tile installation and application of joint before I can put on the impregnant?14 days, however it is recommended to wait 4 weeks as it is the safest solution. During that time the facade cannot be subjected to heavy rain as efflorescence may appear in the powder adhesive and the joint that is not fully bound will change colour depending on the rain amount and frequency. It is especially important in case of jointing fences and free-standing poles.
What should I use to paint the tiles when I have to cut them?The best and proven method is to take the cut tile with a colour that is the most representative out of all purchased tiles to the shop which has paint mixer. Select the paint from colour palette that resembles the tile colour the most and buy slightly darker paint. Paint with the use of a sponge - that ensures achieving the best result. If the tile is discoloured, you can also purchase dark paint. Bear in mind that any good pint is suitable for interior applications so all you need to buy is a sampler, i.e. a paint of 0.25 l capacity. When applied to the exterior, the paint must be adjusted to external walls and suitable for concrete plaster. After preparing the bas-relief on the stand (the maintenance should be carried out prior to applying adhesive), the paint should be applied only once, with one decisive spray. Do not respray painted spot. It will result in a damp patch that will be impossible to remove. This agent binds very quickly, co even if you cover another layer after 30 seconds, it will not be absorbed. It will remain on the surface and create glassy, gleaming layer. After using the resin the surface becomes harder and more resistant to shock. The colour of the bas-relief becomes darker but it is uniform and matt (it absorbs more easily and takes longer to bind). The surface prepared in this way can be wiped with a damp cloth.
How should I apply joint to Jura/Rodos tiles and what tools do I need?In order to prepare the joint, you need a clean bucket, high-speed drill and a mixing spatula with blade alignment forcing the mortar up during mixing process (alternatively, you can change rpm speed in your drill). The most important element is a short jointing trowel. The optimal width is 10 mm (12 mm). You can also buy wider trowel and cut it. An alternative for small jointed surfaces is a spoon or a fork handle without any grooves or ornaments. It is a stainless, smooth material which can perfectly replace the jointing trowel. However, it is quite soft which makes work more difficult. You also need a rectangular sheet metal float for applying the joint. You can buy a new one made of sheet metal of the size of about 25 x 15 cm as a float used for jointing clinker (dry). Another alternative is a plastic bottle (1.5 l) cut lengthways in half but with the whole neck in the shape of a pen tray so that the applied joint will not fall out. The most important thing is to remember that the material, which the float is made of, must not absorb water. The joint is usually applied from bottom to top. This is the most convenient way.
How to apply the impregnant to the tiles – using spray or a brush?The spraying method allows to impregnate the tiles with a large moisture absorption indicator, i.e. gypsum tiles, NF, DF, Rustik. This way it is possible to evenly reach every tile surface, as the brush loses the preservative too quickly and is unable to evenly cover the entire surface. The efficiency is higher when using the spray gun. When it comes to tiles that have low moisture absorption indicator, the preservation must be carried out with the use of a brush. This applies to concrete tiles not mentioned before. If the surface is porous, the process must be performed twice. In case of Country, Calabria, Toscana tiles one time will suffice. If you are preserving concrete tiles, you can also handle two methods at the same time. First, you spray the agent on a small surface with a spray gun and then use the brush to distribute the excessive amount in order to avoid damp patches.
Is it possible to mix Żywy Kolor with water or any other agent?Żywy kolor is a water-soluble agent. However, watering it down for economical reasons is not recommended. Adding water in a 1:1 ratio severely weakens the characteristics of the product and makes its use pointless. Water solubility helps to keep clean other elements which can be accidentally splashed during the facade maintenance process, yet such splashes must be reduced as much as possible. Multielastik adhesive is a semi-flexible cement-based mortar. It is prepared by adding appropriate amount of water. Its lifetime is 20-30 minutes. It offers both interior and exterior applications and is used to mount concrete and natural stone tiles. The adhesive is less resistant in the initial phase of application (up to 5 days), does not stick to the surface as much as Elastik, so slightly thicker layer should be applied (it pays off in case of uneven walls), is less flexible and it is always required to mix the same amount as prepared - its advantage is that it is generally cheaper.
What should I do if the adhesive binds too quickly (after about 15 minutes in 23°C)?Add more water than recommended on the package.
When should I wipe the adhesive from the tile surface?It is best to wait until the adhesive is completely dry and then use a knife to cut it off.
W jaki sposób impregnować płytki – metodą natryskową czy pędzlem?Metoda impregnacji zależy od struktury materiału. Metoda natryskowa najlepiej sprawdzi się w przypadku produktów o nieregularnej fakturze oraz produktów fugowanych - tak, aby dokładnie pokryć całą powierzchnię okładziny i spoiny. W przypadku płytek o gładkiej strukturze wystarczająca będzie impregnacja za pomocą pędzla lub wałka malarskiego.
Conservation
Jak czyścić płytki betonowe?Do standardowego czyszczenia wystarczy ściereczka do kurzu lub odkurzacz - z miękką końcówką, aby uniknąć uszkodzenia płytki. W przypadku większych zabrudzeń, m.in. z tłuszczu, należy wykonać czyszczenie za pomocą preparatu o pH powyżej 7 (są to środki czyszczące powszechnie dostępne w sklepach) oraz ciepłej wody. Im wyższe pH środka czyszczącego, tym skuteczniejsze działanie.
Can I paint gypsum tiles?Yes, you can. All STEGU tiles can be painted with standard wall paint. If the tiles are a few years old, they need to be dusted and primed prior to painting. The more time passed from the maintenance process (if the tiles were impregnated with Żywy Kolor), the lower quality paint can be applied. Generally, the best type of paint is latex-silicone paint, covering paint and its derivatives. However, sometimes applying primer to the surface is necessary, but it depends on individual approach.
Can I paint the brick tiles with white latex paint following the impregnation or do I have to wait some time?The tiles can be painted straight away, following the impregnation process.
What can I do if Parma tiles have been dusted and impregnated (the installation team did not notice)?The only solution is to repaint the tiles with standard wall paint. If you prefer the original colour, then use white paint. If you want to change colour, use any paint you see fit.
Montage
What method should I use to cut Colorado tile in order to create inner corner?You should choose a tile that has pebbles aligned in one plane that do not stick out and are not recessed too much. Cut the tile in half. Use a knife or a chisel to reshape the tile so that it has direct contact with another tile. The tiles can be attached at a 45º angle, overlapped or laced. The method of application depends on the final result you wish to achieve.
Can I glue Nepal tiles and lighter tiles to styrofoam? If so, how can I do this?Facade tiles can be mounted to styrofoam, but you need to dowel it properly and apply adhesive with a high-density mesh (over 180 g) prior to tile installation.
How can I replenish the gaps in the wall during application of brick tiles behind a freestanding stove and what materials should I use? The gaps are about 15 mm wide, can I fill them in with Elastik adhesive?Elastik is a thin-layered adhesive so it should not be applied to fill in such big gaps. The uneven surface can be filled out with Knauf plaster and after letting it dry the surface can be covered with a suitable layer of adhesive. If the surface is particularly exposed to high temperature, you can use it along with Elastik adhesive.
The entire wall has been covered with Parma tiles, but 4 of them are mounted only with joints. Will they fall off?There are 2 ways to fix this: 1. Take down the tiles, file the joint and apply the tiles again. 2. Buy white adhesive and glue the tiles only where the joints are connected. This will fix the tiles in a secure position.
Product Tips
Can I purchase more decorative tiles or lamellas in a while?We recommend that you carefully calculate the required materials and purchase all the necessary elements at once, from one production batch. Then we can ensure the consistency of our products in terms of color and texture. If you purchase products after a few months or years, there is a risk of changes in colors or the lack of availability of a given collection.
Will the room become quieter if I apply tiles on the walls?We cannot guarantee that such an action will make the room quieter but it is certain that the sound will bounce off the walls in a different way compared to the surface that does not have any tiles.
Purpose
Can COUNTRY tiles be used in rooms such as the kitchen – where there might be fumes and the tiles are likely to get dirty? How do I keep them clean?All concrete tiles designed for exterior applications are suitable for kitchen and bathroom after applying Żywy kolor do kamienia impregnant, but you need to avoid their direct contact with water. The surface prepared in this way can be wiped with a damp cloth with soap. When it comes to the kitchen, particularly surfaces between the cupboard and the worktop, you can also cover them with a clear plexiglass, e.g. where spacers occur. It provides beautiful visual effect and at the same time very effective protection.
What is the maximum load capacity for railway sleepers and wood-based imitation discs – are they reinforced and enable car movement? Can gypsum tiles be applied to a fireplace?A correctly built fireplace cannot exceed the temperature of 70ºC. Such conditions are appropriate for installing gypsum tiles on the fireplace with the use of Elastik adhesive. The tiles will not discolour nor will they lose their durability. If the external part of the fireplace heats up very much, it should be covered with concrete tiles.
How can I make the colour of PARMA tiles more uniform and what kind of product should I use to do so? Should Stegu impregnant be applied first, followed by paint, or is it the other way around? What paint should I use and how should I paint?The colour of PARMA tiles can be levelled out by applying standard wall paint to the entire surface. However, you must first apply primer to the surface. Everything can be done using the spraying method. When the painting is finished and entire surface is dry, apply "Żywy kolor do kamienia" impregnant.
Can I install Country brick tiles on a drywall? I would also like to apply them to sloped drywalls. If this is not possible, what product in your offer can I use to achieve the same result?It is possible to install COUNTRY tiles on a drywall in a vertical alignment. However, we do not recommend using our products on sloped walls or ceilings. If you choose to do so, you are doing it at your own responsibility. :)
Can Rusty tiles be used on finished, three-layered external facade: cellular concrete, lamella mat, 18-cm mineral stucco? What is the safe wall height for such application?RUSTY tiles are designed for exterior applications. There is no height limit for the installation of these tiles.
Can I use Żywy Kolor do kamienia (with blue cap) for Rustik stone? When I was doing the shopping, the shop assistant prepared the whole merchandise, including: stone, adhesive, mortar for jointing and the impregnant. From the note on the impregnant I found out that it can be applied to stone except for Rustik stone. What will happen if I decide to apply the impregnant?We do not recommend using the impregnant with blue cap with RUSTIK tiles. We recommend to use "Żywy kolor" with red cap, as it is stronger which is important in case of Rustik tiles. In order to avoid breaking the pebbles off the tile, you must apply the "Żywy kolor" impregnant with a red cap twice.
Can I apply normal wall paint to brick-like tiles or do I have to paint them with special paint?All our brick tiles can be painted. Indeed, in case of LOFT and PARMA tiles the easiest solution is to apply normal paint, as they are gypsum products which are usually covered with regular wall paint. It is important to apply primer to the tiles prior to painting (in exactly the same way as when painting walls).
Can I install gypsum tiles in the bathroom?We advise against using gypsum tiles in the spaces with high humidity (such as bathrooms and kitchens), because this material absorbs water from the air and wet gypsum has only 35% of its durability. The use of gypsum tiles in the bathroom may result in the tiles peeling off the wall after some time. For bathrooms and kitchens, we recommend choosing a concrete tile.