Help with fire surround tiling with porcelain tiles

**Walander** · 29-11-2010

Hello,
My first time posting and first time doing wall tiling so I need some help.
I am making a fire surround for a wood burning stove in my new home. I got 119 off, 10cm x 10cm, 10mm thick, tiles from a friend. She said she thought they came from Fired Earth a long time ago. The tiles seem good quality. The tiles look like they are meant to resemble hand made tiles in that they have a motled green glaze and are various "irregular" shapes. I'm confused as to how to lay these since the irregularity could make them go off square, even if I use spacers. On closer inspection the tiles are numbered on the back. They have a "T" in the top left hand corner (as you look at the tile from the back) then each tile has a number, from 1 to 12, stamped into one of four postitions in the top row of a 5x5 grid which is embossed on the tile back. There is also an arrow, pointing downwards, as you read the info on the tile back. They have "Floor Gres Ceramiche Duraker" and "Made in italy" stamped on the back.
I'd love to use them as they are just the colour I want. I'm wondering if the numbers and grid positions correspond to a particular way of laying these tiles. Or is it just to avoid getting two the same next to each other and spoiling the "random-hand made" look? I don't want to have to align each tile individually by eye if I can help it.
Also I gather that these tiles are porcelain. I am mounting the tiles on Supalux (fireproof) board which I will seal with PVA first. Supalux will be screwed to the gyproc wall. The area is 1 square metre.
My questions are:
1) Should there be a particular pattern to follow to lay these tiles?
2) What adhesive should I use for porcelain tiles which will be subject to heat from the wood burner?
3) What grout should I use?
4) The manufacturer of the Supalux board advises sealing it with PVA prior to using tile adhesive. Will PVA be compatible with my high temperature adhesive?

I'm pretty handy usually. e.g. I laid 100m2 of variable thickness slate on top of wet UFH and screed I did myself. I can usually do a decent job (albeit very slowly) if I can get the right materials and info. This is my first time on a wall though. Thanks for any advice.

**whitebeam** · 29-11-2010

Don't use pva, use sbr to prime the suplux but thin down to 3 water to 1 sbr...or an acrylic primer

I have not used those tile but would lay with the arrow pointing in the same direction on every tile and fix with 1-12 as the sequence for fixing.

You may find that fixing the tiles you may have to be by eye due to the edges

**Walander** · 01-12-2010

Thanks,
I'm not sure what SBR is. Is it a trade name? Any idea what grout I should use? Or does it not matter.
The tiles did not come from Fired Earth, just a high street tile store.
I can only just fit 10 tiles into the width I have available. Would it be "wrong" to fix the tiles touching each other or must I leave a gap between tiles eg for expansion? If I squeeze them in, I can avoid any cuts which would suit me better. I'm worried it will be difficult to cut 15mm edges from a 10mm thick tile.
Alternatively, I could just widen the fire surround a bit to allow a 3mm gap between tiles, I've not fitted the mantle piece yet so I have some leeway.

**whitebeam** · 01-12-2010

Sbr is styrene butertied rubber (spelling ?) Tradetiler Tilers Silicone and tools

Leave a gap for appearance purposes Gallery some examples for you to browse

**Walander** · 07-12-2010

Thanks,
I've 'phoned the BAL technical help line and they only advise use of their flexible adhesive up to 100 C. The finished tile surface will be pretty close to an iron stove that will be at 250 C. I don't think that the tiles will actually get as hot as 100C, more like 60C - 80C in real world use, but I think I'll probably use Vitcas High Temperature Adhesive to be on the safe side. Maybe overkill? I've found , from experience that "specialist" products are usually much stickier and generally more awkward to use than every day products. I'll risk it though. I now need to find a compatible sealer and grout.
Can I assume that any old flexible grout will do. No one seems too concerned about what grout to use.

**whitebeam** · 07-12-2010

Concerning the grout, give it a few weeks to set properly otherwise it could dry out to fast and crack..

There is a fire cement which you may want to use for grouting, just an idea

**Walander** · 21-02-2011

Got the job done. The Vitcast HT adhesive got lost in post. I eventually used BAL flexible adhesive for porcelain and stone and BAL flexible grout. Sealed the supalux board with BAL acrylic primer. So far 2 weeks, the tiles seem fine and stuck fast. Thanks fo rthe help.