vitrified?

[negsy26]

hi all, this may sound like a really dumb question, but how do i know if a tile is vitrified? fully or part? thanks

[enduro]

If its vitrified its bloody hard

[Dave]

1. Fully vitrified tiles have a water absorption rate of about 0.5%......

2.Normal Vitrified tiles have a water absorption rate of about 0.5 % to 3%......

3. Semi vitrified have a water absorption rate of about 3% to 6%.....

Porcelain /Fully Vitrified Tiles ....tiles are normally dry pressed using a body made from Kaolin clays, feldspar, silica and colouring oxides fired to around 1200 degrees. ( thus making them vitrified ...glass like ).........

[negsy26]

i see. a customer has asked me to lay some travertine floor tiles and i have not worked with natural stone before. not sure about the sealing side of things and i have not seen the tiles he has gone out and bought.what about adhesive and grout? i take it normal rules apply as its going onto a concrete floor?

[grumpygrouter]

Is this a follow on from the Vitrified question or something different now?

[hillhead]

Hi Negsey,
i normally put marble down with slow set white flexi adhesive,doesn't have to be flexi but i find it sticks better,white because grey can show through tiles some times or so i was told.Slow set because i like to keep people off the tiles for a day or two,this helps when you go to seal too,i was actually using mapeker white rapid set today,real good stuff but the floor wasn't too level so i fought hard all day,my helper was busy mixing and cutting,lol.
The sealer i use is Lithofin stain stop MN, a good impregnator.

[grumpygrouter]

Hi Negsey,
i normally put marble down with slow set white flexi adhesive,doesn't have to be flexi but i find it sticks better,white because grey can show through tiles some times or so i was told.Slow set because i like to keep people off the tiles for a day or two,this helps when you go to seal too,i was actually using mapeker white rapid set today,real good stuff but the floor wasn't too level so i fought hard all day,my helper was busy mixing and cutting,lol.
The sealer i use is Lithofin stain stop MN, a good impregnator.

You have a helper? Ok for some.....

[Fekin]

I have a helper... my left hand

[Burnsy]

i see. a customer has asked me to lay some travertine floor tiles and i have not worked with natural stone before. not sure about the sealing side of things and i have not seen the tiles he has gone out and bought.what about adhesive and grout? i take it normal rules apply as its going onto a concrete floor?

Has to be a white adhesive, so it doesn't bleed through. The adhesive has to be polymer modified. Use a flexible grout aswell. In terms of sealing, you should be fine to fix, then seal, then grout, then seal again and maybe one more time. Make sure also that you back-butter the tiles to fill in any voids in the travertine, as these holes in the back will soon appear on the face of the tile if you don't. If it is a large format tile, then use a large format trowel.

Don't take this the wrong way, how long have you been tiling and where did you learn. Again, don't take this the wrong way, just interested to know

[Dave]

Has to be a white adhesive, so it doesn't bleed through. The adhesive has to be polymer modified. Use a flexible grout aswell. In terms of sealing, you should be fine to fix, then seal, then grout, then seal again and maybe one more time. Make sure also that you back-butter the tiles to fill in any voids in the travertine, as these holes in the back will soon appear on the face of the tile if you don't. If it is a large format tile, then use a large format trowel.

Don't take this the wrong way, how long have you been tiling and where did you learn. Again, don't take this the wrong way, just interested to know

Why? modified on concrete then...........

[negsy26]

not long. just trying to learn the right way thats all

[Burnsy]

I did a powerspec and they recommend a polymer modified, i suppose it bonds better to natural stone. I should have said i recommend not that it has to be, but i would always use a polymer modified or one of the Bal range with porcelbond. Powerpspec suggests if not using polymer modified then use an addmix. Just saying what i would do.

All i was saying by asking how long you have tiling for was if you have never worked with natural stone, then might be worth getting a hand with the job. Thats what i did on my 1st stone job. Didn't want to say "you should get a hand with job" either in case you had been tiling for ages and took offence. Again, i swas just curious how long and not getting at you for asking the question, thats what the forum is for.

Hope it goes well.

[negsy26]

thats cool. about 6 months thats all. but like i say never really got into natural stone but its something i should do. like i say ireally just want to make sure i use correct adhesive grout and sealer. thanks burnsy