Stone cutting service • Bespoke items • Stone fabrication • Hearths & cills • Stone Furniture

Stone Installation Guide

FIXING AND MAINTAINING STONE TILES AS FLOORING

Limestone, Sandstone and all natural stones are products of nature and no two pieces are the exactly alike. There will also be small variations in all dimensions. The tiles arrive in much the same order as they came of the saw, which means that shades of colour and particular markings in the stone are liable to be next to each other. The material should be looked at to establish colour and markings characteristics, and should be shuffled before fixing to create a random pattern. Mixing the tiles up will spread these variations over the floor. Any other design details should be agreed before the installation.

Stone can be fixed to a sprung floor (to marine ply or a combination of marine ply and tile backer board) or to a solid concrete sub floor. Flexible additives to the adhesive and grout are necessary to take up any movement if the stone is being fixed to a sprung wooden floor or over under floor heating.

The stone is vulnerable until it is fixed and still vulnerable until it is treated against staining. It will arrive on site wet. This will not prevent it being fixed but it cannot be treated until it is DRY.

TILING

Using Screed

The sub-floor should be firm, clean and dry. The recommended depth of screed is at least 35mm. The mix should be 3 part washed, sharp sand and 1 part white cement, used semi-dry.

Make sure the back of the stone is clean is clean of dust or similar. Butter the back of the stone with white cement based adhesive before fixing the stone in the screed. In order to stop the stone drying out to quickly, which may result in some tiles not sticking properly, we recommend that the stone is wetted before fixing; alternatively paint the back of the stone with a bonding agent.

USING ADHESIVE

The stone can be fixed to concrete screed or sprung wooden floors. Flexible additive should be used in the adhesive and grout with sprung floors, under floor heating and externally. Before fixing the tiles ensure that the sub-floor is true level, free from contamination and loose areas are properly prepared to give a good bond. Ensure that the backgrounds to the adhered to be thoroughly dry, solidly bedded, and free from dust and other matter before starting to tile. Some fixers will paint the sub-floor with a bonding agent.

Make sure that the back of the stone tile is clean of dust or similar. Fix tiles with adhesive in accordance with the recommendation of the adhesive manufacturer. Stone tiles, especially larger sizes, can vary in thickness, and so it may be necessary to build up the adhesive to ensure a level floor with a minimum of ‘lipping’, always start with one of the thicker tiles. Press tiles onto the adhesive and tap firmly into position. It is essential that each tile be laid on a solid bed of adhesive with no voids. If adhesive gets on the face of the tiles clean it of immediately.

White cement should be used as coloured cement may sleep through to the face of the stone. Paint the back of the stone with a bonding agent to inhibit any possibility of leaching.

We recommend a gap between tiles of between 2-3mm, depending on personal preference. We do not recommend that the tiles be butted up, as the size of the tiles will inevitably vary slightly.

The edges of the tiles will not have been calibrated and are only sawn- most good fixers will ‘kill’ the edges by rubbing each tile with a diamond pad as it is fixed. This done on all four sides, cleans the edges of any small chips from the saw.

GROUTING

Most fixers prefer to apply one coat of impregnator or sealer to the stone before grouting, which acts as a grout release. No impregnator or sealer should be allowed to run down the edges of the tiles because it would inhibit the adhesion of the grout. (Make sure the stone is clean and dry before application of the protection and allow it 24 hours to cure).

Grout the joints so that they are completely filled, the grout should be pushed in firmly so that it goes right into ht e gaps. We recommend that the face of the stone be completely covered with grout to avoid any possibility of ‘picture farming’, open face stone should also be grouted across the face of the tiles in order to fill up any larger holes.

As the work proceeds, thoroughly clean the gout off the surface using a damp cloth and tool the joints smooth.

It is advisable to test a small area of the floor to make sure that the colour and texture of the grout is suitable. Grout comes in many colours but we would advise pale natural colours matching the palest element of the stone.

PROTECTING AND MAINTAINING THE STONE

Stone is a material that looks better as it ages. It weathers down with wear and tear and unavoidable marks and scratches all contribute to the character of the floor.

If the area is large or prominent features of the building or the interior design, it is worth taking advice from a specialist stone maintenance company regarding the initial protection of the stone and the subsequent maintenance of the floor.

The stone should be treated as soon as possible. It is absolutely imperative that the stone is completely dry and spotlessly clean before applying sealer protector. If the floor is dirty before treatment then it should be cleaned with ‘Wexa’ by Lithofin. If building work is continuing then cover the floor with boards until finished.

The stone should not be covered when still wet and some coverings will stain the floor they are meant to be protecting. For protecting floors in domestic use we recommend an impregnator by Hg Hagesan, which hardly changes the look of the floor. Two or three coats liberally applied should be sufficient in most cases.

Waxing the stone, A very traditional treatment, makes the floor look a well established feature in a short time, but will promote the build up of false layers which will be unattractive in the long run and will probably need regular stripping and re-application.

For stone in use in regularly wet areas (Showers or baths) we recommend that the stone should be floodtreated or many coated with impregnator, this should stop the stone from excessive ingress of water but allow it to breath. The stone should be fixed to ‘falls’ so that there is no possibility for standing water to eventually soak into the stone- any standing water should be wiped dry.

CLEANING THE STONE

It is better to clean the floor little but often with the correct product, rather than enthusiastically with the wrong one. Some good household cleaners will clean of the protector and not help the long life of the floor.

Once the floor has been protected with impregnator, there are various products from Hg Hagesan which should be used for day to day cleaning.

Kitchen worktop and shower areas may need regular maintenance. A busy kitchen worktop is less likely to stain than an occasionally used or neglected one.

On large areas of commercial floor, it is advisable to invest in a scrubbing machine and a wet vacuum cleaner.

Do not use cleaning products that will leave a film of soap, detergent or polish on the stone, this will trap soil and eventually require chemical removal.