Installation Guide

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Best Practices - Installation

PREP:

Pattern Installations

Before selecting a multi-size, multi-ﬁnish, or multi-product paern, it is important to understand the nuances of paern assembly and installation. Having the distribution center dry lay

prior to ordering is absolutely necessary to ensure a paern will work. Grout joint width must be taken into consideration in order for the ﬁnal paern design to align properly. Proper

overages should be ordered to ensure the entire project is being ordered from appropriate size and shade calibers. When doing a checkerboard paern for example with two tiles that

are the same nominal size, from the same series, may not work if the actual dimensions of the product are not the same. Each color, ﬁnish and size may be from a diﬀerent production

run. Selecting tiles from the same series or even the same color does not guarantee that a paern will work correctly.

Dry Lay Prior to Setting in Mortar

It is standard practice to dry lay all tiles with a paern as well as mosaic products, especially those with an interlock prior to seing them in mortar. This is especially critical with natural

stones that may display V2 Shade variation or higher. Dry laying ensures the interlock is tight, the tiles can be blended properly and the sheet placement and cuts can be planned

accordingly.

Gauged Porcelain

It is important to understand gauged porcelain standards for interior installations (ANSI A108.19) prior to beginning any work. Special tools and procedures must be observed to ensure a

successful install. There are many things to consider from transportation of A-frames on ﬂat-bed trucks, A-frames to move materials around the jobsite, carrying material up elevators and

stair wells, suction cups and special tools for handling, additional surface prep to ensure ﬂoor ﬂatness, appropriate tables and tools for cuing, corner protectors, additional labor and the

like. Emser Tile, in partnership with its adhesive manufacturers, oﬀers training and information on how to achieve a successful installation in this product category prior to purchasing. As

of the publication of this catalog there are no industry standards for exterior use. As such, manufacturer’s recommendations prevail. A mortar method can be used for horizontal exterior

applications, while a mortar and mortar/fastener method should be considered for vertical exterior applications.

SET:

Finishing High Relief Edges

3D, textured, split-face and high relief products may be challenging to trim out when coming to a sudden stop in the middle of a wall, when tiling around an outlet, mitering a corner, or

buing them up to an adjacent wall covering. Due to the nature of these products, it is best to tile from end to end both vertically and horizontally whenever possible. Where a stop

is necessary, some series may come with a ﬂat ﬁeld tile that can be used to trim out the desired edges. Otherwise, it may be necessary to simply leave the edge grouted, coordinate

bullnose and ﬂat pieces from other series, or install metal proﬁles. In the case of natural stone split faced edges, hand chiseling may be required. Additional options should be discussed

and may be available prior to material speciﬁcation.

Knocking Down Ridges

Before pressing glass tiles and mosaics into adhesive, it is important to knock down the ridges and smooth them out with the ﬂat edge of your trowel, to prevent them from showing

through the glass lens, or coming up through thinner mosaic products. In some cases, where back buering tiles is necessary, it is important these ridges be knocked down as well as not

to create stripes or unintentional voids. For glass lens products, any mortar or adhesive that comes up between the tiles may be visible post install.

Leveling Clip System

A leveling clip system is recommended to achieve narrow grout widths and minimize lippage with planks and large format tiles (those with a single edge being >18”). The clip system will

not only allow for a tighter joint, but will minimize the visibility of any inherent warping, or lippage, that may be prevalent in the ﬁnished application. Oen times a clip system will allow

a joint to be narrower than the manufacturer’s recommendation and should be discussed with a sales associate prior to speciﬁcation.

Summary of content (3 pages)

PAGE 1
Best Practices - Installation PREP: Pattern Installations Before selecting a multi-size, multi-finish, or multi-product pattern, it is important to understand the nuances of pattern assembly and installation. Having the distribution center dry lay prior to ordering is absolutely necessary to ensure a pattern will work. Grout joint width must be taken into consideration in order for the final pattern design to align properly.
PAGE 2
Large Format Shower Floor Field tiles larger than 6”x6”, that meet appropriate DCOF values based on final use, that cannot be sloped towards a center drain on a shower floor, may be sloped to one side using a linear drain. For proper sloping, reference to ANSI installation standards is required. Joint Width ANSI standards recommend that the actual grout joint size be at least three times the actual variation of facial dimensions of the tile supplied.
PAGE 3
Brushing During Grouting For the best results during grouting, a medium bristle brush may be required to expose the edge of the pebbles or high relief modules to a desired level and expose any that may have been buried using a standard rubber float. Forceful Grouting and Sanded Grout Forceful grouting with sanded and non-sanded grout may scratch the surface of metal, glass, resin, and polished finishes.