Installation Guide
installation guidelines
& conditions of purchase
Please Read Carefully before Installing
pebble & marble meshed
inspection
No two pieces of natural stone are
exactly alike. Tiles must be inspected
prior to installation to ensure that no
blending is required. No claims will be
accepted by Island Stone after
installation. Use of product implies
acceptance.
substrate
All substrates should be firmly fixed,
flat, clean, dry and free of
contaminants. Deflection should be a
maximum of 1/360th of the span for
walls or floors. Wet areas require
special attention involving appropriate
substrates (e.g concrete, compressed
sheet, gib aqualine, H3 treated
plywood), the use of reinforced
waterproof membranes and, in the
case of floors, a fall of the drainage
point of not less than 1:60.
adhesive
Cement-based adhesives (thin-set) are
gen era lly su ita ble o n mas on r y
substrates where no movement is
anticipated. Where slight movement
could occur through thermal or
pedestrian loads, a modified cement
adhesive (probably 2-part) should be
used as a minimum. It is important that
each pebble is embedded in the
adhesive. Select a product suitable For
Application with a 1/4” notched trowel.
control joints
There are numerous reasons for
building movement. Control joints are
an effective way of minimizing potential
damage, by dividing a larger tiled are a
into a series of smaller ones joints can
be easily formed with two angles;
sealant and bond breaker between
them.
laying & joint hiding
Interlocking pebble tiles are designed
to achieve a no-joint look. For best
visual results, Island Stone
recommends the tiler butt tiles together
and not leave the traditional 1/4” to 3/8”
grout gap when laying ceramic tiles.
Before grouting, inspect that all
pebbles are properly installed. Remove
and re-adhere any particular pebble
that may have been placed incorrectly.
grout
The grout, whether it is for external or
internal use, should be suitable for
joints up to 1/2” wide. Generally grouts
are water-mix, but where some
flexibility may be needed, then a latex
additive should be used in place of or
with water.
sealing
It is recommended that the stone tiles
be sealed with a quality impregnator
before and after grouting. For use in
and around water, a water repelling
sealer is recommended to ensure
longevity. A color enhancer may be
applied to bring out the true color of the
stone at any time after grouting. Do not
use oil based sealers!
discolored pebbles
Before sealing, if any pebbles are
yellowed from contact with glue, a
solution of bleach and water applied to
t h e s u r f a c e w i l l r e m o v e a n y
discoloration.
curved surfaces
Island Stone pebble sheets can be
easily fitted around a gently curved
surface –a column, for example. If the
sheet is turned around a right angle
some stones will need to be plucked off
the mat where they are distorted at the
corner point. They should be replaced
with smaller pebbles to maintain
uniformity.
waterproof membranes
These prevent water from leaking
through to sub-floor framing and/or
habitable spaces below. Particular
attention must be paid to carrying the
membrane up the wall, outside shower
boxes, installation of bond breakers
and sealing around penetrations. It is
strongly recommended that membrane
systems are used in all wet areas.
t.c.n.a.
All installations of Pebble and Random
Tile should meet or exceed the
guidelines and specifications as
outlined by the Tile Council of North
America.
Refer to www.tileusa.com
note:
It is recommended that the grout level
not be much higher than the maximum
girth of the pebbles. In this way more
pebble is seen with less grout. The
pebbles should be as visible as
possible!
- optimum grout level
- adhesive (thin-set)
- subfloorl!
grouting height
ae es a s a
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