Installation Guide

350
Resources
Best Practices
Wall Tile
• Lippage in Backsplashes
The presence of lippage can be exaggerated by a number of factors:
uneven subfloors, laying tiles in a 50% brick joint offset, not back
buering large format tiles, grout joint width being too narrow and
natural light sources making standard variances more noticeable.
Industry standards allow for a certain amount of lippage to be
present based on various factors. In backsplashes the most common
unavoidable issue that accentuates lippage is under-cabinet lighting
and/or the light source washing the tiled wall. Whenever possible
all light sources should be a minimum 24” from the wall to prevent
shadowing.
Glass
• Preventing Chips
In order to avoid chipped edges when cuing with a wet saw,
position the blade a business card thickness short of cuing entirely
through the glass. When the cut is complete, simply snap the edge
off for the cleanest cut.
• Mortar 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.
In some cases, where back buering glass tiles is necessary, it is
important that these ridges be knocked down as well.
• Shadow Effect in Lens
When viewed at certain angles, a shadowing effect may be inherent
to vertical surfaces of mesh-backed glass due to mortar ridges
showing through, or inherent presence of glue on the edges of
the glass modules. In order to blend the appearance of shadows
between the lenses, it is best to use a darker grout whenever
possible or tint the mortar to match the grout color.
• Grouting
Forceful grouting with sanded and non-sanded grout may scratch
the surface of glass products. It is important to use caution when
grouting decorative mosaics, as they will have different properties
and MOHS ratings than standard floor tiles.
3D Products & High Relief
• Finishing Edges
3D and high relief products may be difficult to trim out when coming to a stop in the middle of a wall,
around an outlet or buing up to an adjacent surface. 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 version that can be used to trim out the desired edge. Otherwise, it may be
necessary to simply leave the edge grouted, coordinate bullnose and flat pieces from other series or install
metal profiles.
• Grouting
Grouting is not necessary in dry applications when the tile is being used as a decorative wall covering.
However, when using these products in a shower, exterior application or areas that will come in contact
with moisture, food or other types of debris, it is necessary to grout in between the tiles to prevent water
damage, mold growth and other undesirable situations. The best way to do this is with a grout bag and/or
brush to ensure the grout is forced into the joint properly. In some cases where the joint width is narrow,
the use of a tinted caulking may be preferred and easier to install than grout.
• Pebbles - Brush During Grouting
For the best results during grouting, a medium bristle brush may be required to expose the edge of
pebbles to a desired level and expose any that may have been buried when using a standard rubber float.
Metals
• Usage
Many modern mosaics and field tiles are made from actual aluminum, stainless steel, metallic foil backing,
or metallic glazes. Oen times these metals can be adversely affected by weathering, heat and moisture. It
is always important to double check usage to ensure your product will not fail in your intended application,
as these products are oen real metal and can scratch, oxidize, discolor, show finger prints and water spots
similar to any other metal.
Mosaics
• Dry Lay
It is standard practice to dry lay all mosaic products prior to seing them in mortar. This is especially critical
with natural stones. Dry laying ensures the interlock is tight, the tiles can be blended properly and sheet
placement and cuts can be planned accordingly.
• Remove and Replace from Mesh
When working with any freeform mosaic, or those with a fingerjoint interlock paern, removal and
replacement of individual modules by hand may be necessary to ensure that the product interlocks
properly between adjacent sheets and rows. Removal and replacement of modules from the mesh backing
should also be considered around the perimeter, in place of cuts, to achieve the best results.