Porcelain Tile Installation
Just as with laying ceramic tile, laying porcelain tile can be tedious and time consuming work, there are many accepted installation techniques, and in most cases there is a reason for that. The job conditions, skill level of the installer (maybe you!) the products being used, and the expected usage after installation will all contribute to the final installation methods. We will go much more in depth into the different ways of laying tile for your tile flooring project in our how to install tile flooring section. If you have purchased porcelain tile flooring or porcelain wall tile for yor project yo will need to know about some unique aspects of porcelain ceramic tile before you attempt to install it.
Just as with laying ceramic tile, laying porcelain tile can be tedious and time consuming work, there are many accepted installation techniques, and in most cases there is a reason for that. The job conditions, skill level of the installer (maybe you!) the products being used, and the expected usage after installation will all contribute to the final installation methods. We will go much more in depth into the different ways of laying tile for your tile flooring project in our how to install tile flooring section. If you have purchased porcelain tile flooring or porcelain wall tile for yor project yo will need to know about some unique aspects of porcelain ceramic tile before you attempt to install it.
Porcelain tile hardness
Porcelain floor tile as well as porcelain wall tile are made up of about 50% of a product called feldspar with the other half containing various high quality light firing ball clays. Also because porcelain is pressed under higher pressure than other tiles it is more dense than regular ceramic tile. The higher firing temperatures also give porcelain tile flooring a much lower rate of absorption. These traits that differ in ceramic vs porcelain tile cause us to consider additional factors when installing porcelain tile.
Beginning your porcelain tile installation
First the surface to be tiled must be clean, dry, flat and structurally sound (does not flex when weight is applied), secure, and free from any type of contamination that can act as a bond breaker or bond inhibitor. If there is any substance present that could inhibit the bond of the mortars used, it must be completely removed. Suitable substrates include, but are not limited to, exterior grade plywood, cement backer board, concrete, mortar beds, cement plaster, and existing ceramic. Just as with installing any other ceramic tile each of these acceptable substrates may require various different methods of preparation.
Be sure to get the right mortar. Depending on the application and conditions present, the use of a liquid-latex fortified sanded cement mortar, polymer modified sanded cement, medium bed, or epoxy mortar is recommended for the installation of Porcelain tile. It can also be installed in mortar bed (i.e., thick bed) applications. Consult the installation materials manufacturer for additional information and installation instructions. Ensure that adequate coverage of mortar is present under the tiles to provide proper bedding coverage and problem-free performance. We recommend a quality premium polymer modified thinset mortar for most normal porcelain tile installations.
Next you will lay out your project just as you would with any other tile installation project. Take special note of any cuts that will need to be made (this the biggest different between porcelain vs ceramic tile installation projects). Cutting porcelain tiles is more difficult than regular ceramic tile.
Cutting porcelain tile
When cutting porcelain tile be sure to always use a very sharp or even a new blade. One of the biggest contributors to breaking porcelain tile when trying to install is due to the wrong or a dull blade. Another common problem is if your cutting head bearings are worn it can cause vibration which will contribute to breakage when cutting.
In most cases a wet saw is the best tool to cut porcelain tile with. We recommend using a continuous rim diamond tip blade designed for porcelain tile and glass as it has a softer rim that exposes a fresh diamond cutting edge when used on hard dense porcelain. I also brings a smoother cut and less chipping as the diamonds are smaller and closer together.
Also when cutting porcelain tiles using minimum but firm pressure will bring the best results.
Grouting porcelain tile
After you have finished installing porcelain tile, a polymer-modified, liquid-latex fortified or epoxy grout should be used. While grout-staining problems are extremely rare when using Porcelain tile products, a small test patch is recommended when using a dark grout over a light-colored tile, or vice versa. The test patch will also verify cleanability of the grout with heavily textured tile surfaces.
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