terracota????

[adambuthead]

hi my first post on here. my business is doing well and work is coming in steadily, but a job has come my way and im a bit un sure its about 40m2 of terracota 300x300x18mm now ive been and looked at the tiles and the are so powdery its unbelivable they look and feel like childrens play chalk ive never laid real terracota before although i have a lot of experience with slate and travertine more to the point ive not even seen a tile like this before! any advice on prep ,sealing, and finishing?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by adambuthead

hi my first post on here. my business is doing well and work is coming in steadily, but a job has come my way and im a bit un sure its about 40m2 of terracota 300x300x18mm now ive been and looked at the tiles and the are so powdery its unbelivable they look and feel like childrens play chalk ive never laid real terracota before although i have a lot of experience with slate and travertine more to the point ive not even seen a tile like this before! any advice on prep ,sealing, and finishing?

hello adam...welcome to forums mate.....

terracotta is pretty straight forward really... use a solid bed trowel and back skim tiles with adhesive to get a good key to adhesive bed as tiles are quiet dusty as you say...
wash tiles as you lay them to remove the thick of dust... once floor has set then give another couple of washes with plenty clean water....there are plenty of methods to seal them.... the old way used to be boiled linseed oil and bri wax.... this does give a good finish but is a high maintenence method .... i tend to use lithofin terracotta impregnator first.. apply between 5 and 7 coats or until it wont soak anymore in as the terracotta is very porous then once grouted and well cleaned off ..seal with lithifin terracotta sealer this gives a lasting wax like finish....
Good luck with the job......dave....

[IanCampbell]

Try soaking the tiles for a couple of hours so that they don't absorb moisture too quickly from the adhesive. Also helps get rid of the powder.

Good luck.

[GazTech]

As above...good advice guys....Gaz

[sc24]

I would be very wary about soaking them, if you seal them and they havn't dried out properly you will have a nightmare with efflouresence

[Fred]

I agree, soak 'em.