Installation of Large Format Tile & Stone

18mm loop notch trowel with a medium bed mortar used for
large format tiles or stones.

Twenty to twenty five years ago choosing tile was simple. Floor tile was typically 200mm x 200mm and wall tile was 100mm x 100mm and there were a couple dozen options for color on the floor and several options for wall tile color. The old saying, “you can have any colour you want as long as it’s white” was not far from the truth. With the tremendous advances in technology and materials, the average tile installation is no longer average. For many years the tile manufacturing trend was to create a wider variety of textures and colours for stone; but more recently there has been a trend to manufacture and install larger and larger tile.

Large format tile was considered to be 300mm x 300mm and was on the cutting edge of technology. Now tile is available from 10mm x 10mm glass mosaic to 1220mm x 1220mm porcelain and larger.

Some advantages of having large format tile installed include;

1. Narrow grout joints – rectified, large format tile allows for thinner grout joint widths
2. Easier maintenance – it is typically much easier to clean the face of tile than it is to clean grout.
3. Room size perception – the perception is that large tile makes the room in which it is installed appear larger

Consider three main issues when installing large format tile and stone:

• Lippage
• Thin Set Mortar Coverage
• Curing / Protection

For additional information regarding this important subject read the complete technical data sheet. Click here to view.