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F.A.Q's
Maintenance
1. Is it possible to repair the surface of a damaged or worn ceramic tile?
Once the glaze of a ceramic or porcelain tile has been damaged, it is not possible to repair. The only alternative is to replace the damaged tile for a new one.
2. Do high polished tiles scratch?
As they are highly polished, they are more susceptible to scratches and due to this they are recommended for domestic use. They should therefore be protected throughout their installation and afterwards once installed.
3. What do I need to clean Porcelain tiles?
Cleaning of tiles is simple as they just require clean water adding a alkaline-based detergent.
4. Can a porcelain tile be polished once it has been fixed?
Once the porcelain tile has been fixed, it is not possible to polish its surface.
5. Is it recommended to use a hydrochloric acid-based cement remover to clean any cement residues?
No. Many chemical cleaning manufacturers now produce stain-removers and cement-removers which are produced from other chemicals (organic acids) so that any residue can be cleaned without any problems.
Hydrochloric acid-based cement remover can damage the metals that are used on the tile.
Hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid is so strong that it can attack any kind of ceramic product.
Fixing
1. What is the least amount of adhesive to stick new tiles over existing tiles?
The material thickness will depend on the teeth of the trowel used for this purpose, so we can generally say it is around 5mm. However, it must be taken into account that the adhesive manufacturer indicates the maximum thickness depending on the properties of the cement adhesive. Another thing to consult with the manufacturer is the fact of making the installation on an existing tile.
2. Is it possible to put a porcelain tile or gres outdoors over stamped concrete?
To put ceramic tiles over stamped concrete, first we must clarify that when a placement is made with the so called ‘thin layer’ it has to be made with cement adhesive and not with conventional mortar as the surface must be perfectly level. As the glue is fixed with a thin layer of adhesive, it does not allow for a high tolerance for leveling the tile. Usually, the stamped concrete surfaces does not have the flatness for this type of fixing; perhaps because of the placement technique or the printed pattern itself, so maybe using a mortar to level the surface would be more appropriate. If it is level, It would be best to consult with the manufacturer of the glue the possibility of adherence to these sub-structure to ensure a correct installation.
3. What kind of material is best for under floor heating, gres red body floor tiles or porcelain tiles?
Gres red body tiles and porcelain tiles are materials with different heat transfer rates and different porosity but it is considered that to heat a house with under floor heating, there is no significant differences to choose one product or the other. It might be noted however, when there is a variation in thickness from one to another.
4. Can you install under floor heating with a porcelain or ceramic tile?
Porcelain and ceramic material are perfectly apt to be used with under floor heating. The only thing that should be taken into account is that a grout joint of at least 1.5mm is necessary for the installation.
5. Is the use of a joint-line necessary for a correct installation?
It is necessary to respect a minimum grout line of 1.5mm between tiles and a greater joint is advisable for tiles which are medium and large size in order that they can absorb the structural tensions that take place between the substrate, the adhesive and the tile.
6. How should you grout a scored tile?
You should always grout a scored tile with the correct grout paste. This means using a specific grout an not an adhesive. As the name suggest with a scored tile, the incision does not go right the way through the tile and therefore using an adhesive for grouting would not be suitable and it would soon fall out. Having said this, Vives always recommends using grout and not adhesive to grout between tiles due to its better performance.
7. Does the thickness of a tile have any bearing on its installation?
Usually the thickness of a tile does not have any bearing on the installation and the thickness itself is dictated principally by the actual size of the tile. Usually a larger tile has a greater thickness. It is worth highlighting that as a measure of caution, it is important to check the thicknesses when mixing tiles of different sizes. A minimum difference in thickness can be used together if installed by an experienced fixer and the appearance in the final surface will not be noticeable.
8. Can any adhesive be used with Porcelain tiles?
We recommend that you use an adhesive which has a high adherence, does not deteriorate, and resists any damage due to water. Always read the manufacturers instructions before installation.
9. Can you install a floor tile as a wall tile?
We recommend that you use an adhesive which has a high adherence, does not deteriorate, and resists any damage due to water. Always read the manufacturers instructions before installation.
10. Is it a good idea to resurface and level the substrate before fixing the tile?
It is practically always essential to resurface and level the substrate before fixing the tile with adhesive as the installation often requires little adhesive and due to this it doesn’t allow for irregularities behind the tile. If the substrate is the floor, a auto leveller can be used.
11. Can you fix rectified tiles without a grout line?
It is not recommended to fix rectified tiles without a grout line as the grout absorbs the stress movements once it is laid which will help prevent the tile from chipping.
12. Can porcelain tiles be fixed with mortar?
Due to the fact that porcelain tiles have a very low absorption rate, it is not viable to fix them with any kind of cement and sand as the tile does not absorb the water in these materials and therefore no mechanical fixing is possible and the tile will remain loose.
13. How do you cut a tile?
To cut the tile squarely, you can use:
A manual tile cutter with a glass blade.
A tile cutter with a diamond jigsaw blade which is cooled down using water.
A low-powered tile cutter (500-700W) with a continuous diamond blade (not segmented.)
To cut different shapes such as around columns, doors, etc.. the follow cutting machines can be used:
A tile cutter with a diamond jigsaw blade which is cooled using water.
A low-powered tile cutter (500-700W) with a continuous diamond blade (not segmented.)
14. What can I used to drill a hole in a porcelain tiles?
To drill and make a hole in a porcelain tile, it is recommended that the tile is first correctly fixed. It is necessary that the drilling takes place at least 24 hours after the installation to ensure that the tile is correctly fixed.
A special diamond drill is available on the market specifically designed for porcelain tiles. Electric drills are recommended with the hammer action turned off.
15. Can I use black grout with a polished tile?
The use of black grout on a polished tile can darken the surface and sometimes it is impossible to clean it back to its initial state.
16. What are expansion joints?
An expansion joint is used to subdivide tiles to relieve them of the structural stresses that the tile and/or substrate will suffer.
17. How can I install the tiles with a interlock pattern?
We do not recommend interlocking the tiles by more than 15%.
18. Can I install tiles on an outside terrace?
To install the tiles correctly, it is important that the substrate is stable and resistant and is slightly sloped to help water disperse. It is recommended to use a porcelain tile.
19. How is a small tile installed and grouted?
To guarantee a correct installation and to facilitate cleaning of grout residues, it is recommended to use a product that can be used to fix and grout the tile at the same time.
20. How can I install large format tiles on an old existing floor?
Until now, to tile on a floor already tiled, it was necessary to pull up the old floor and level the substrate. This resulted in increased costs and took longer to install the new floor.
To avoid this, new cement adhesives are available (cement mixed with resins) which provide a perfect adherence for the new tiles on the older, existing ones.
21. How can I tile a new tile on an old tile?
An adhesive that is guaranteed to adhere the tile to the existing tile is necessary. Ensure that the existing tiles are still well adhered to the substrate. Spread the adhesive in small amounts using a trowel with teeth of 6x6 to regulate the thickness of the adhesive. Fix and press the new tiles leaving a grout line of 1.5mm. Leave to dry for at least 24 hours before grouting.
22. Can you place the ceramic material on a surface previously plastered with plaster?
The placement of a wall tile on a support that has been plastered is viable but with previously applying a product, which creates a film that prevents the plaster dust itself detaching, thereby preventing the falling of the gripping adhesive which would cause the detachment of the ceramic material.
Properties
1. What does "SPR" mean?
The acronyms come from Rectified Semi-Polished, and it is used for those porcelain tiles that have a satin or semi-gloss effect on their surfaces with the rectified edges to minimize the joints.
2. What is a Porcelain tile?
Porcelain tiles are ceramic tiles made using high technological glazes which make it the best choice for demanding environments. They have a moisture absorption rate which is less than 0.5% which make them perfectly suited for exterior environments as they are resistant to ice.
3. What properties do Porcelain tiles have?
Porcelain tiles have technical characteristics (hardness, resistance to ice, resistance to pedestrian ware, resistance to cleaning products…) which make them more versatile than other tiles.
4. Where can I install Porcelain tiles?
Due to their technical qualities, porcelain tiles can be used on the floor as well as the wall, in interior environments as well as exterior environments.
5. Is it possible to place a porcelain tile like high ground?
Placing porcelain tile for raised floors is perfectly viable. Porcelain flooring provide a wider range of designs in terms of aesthetics that other types of materials.
6. Is it necessary some additional treatment to porcelain tiles for using them as a raised floor inside?
For this type of placement , the ceramic material must have an additional treatment to give to the product a greater thickness , which leads to an increase in strength and a marked improvement in its acoustic properties. It can consist of a sulfate calcium panel or an agglomerate . To this process it is added a perimeter edging pvc for helping to place the material on its elevated structure.
7. What finishes does a Porcelain tile have?
Vives BY GROF porcelain tiles are available in a natural finish, rectified, semi-polished and polished finishes.
8. What is the resistance of abrasion rating (PEI Rating)?
Abrasion on the tile is caused by the friction created by the sole of a shoe (or tyre) coming into contact with abrasive dirt particles (such as sand, soil etc.) on the tile’s surface.
Resistance to surface abrasion is very important for floor tiles that are subject to the circulation of people or vehicles. However, it is not important with wall tiles as they do not come into contact with these kind of pressures.
The PEI (Porcelain Enamel Institute) method is used to determine the resistance to abrasion with all kinds of glazed tiles used for flooring.
9. What is RESISTANCE TO STAINS?
This is related to the cleaning of stains on the tiles and depends on the type of glaze that has been used.
Classification of the tiles is according to how easy it is to clean the tile.
- Class 5: The tile can be cleaned with hot water
- Class 4: The tile can be cleaned with normal detergent (PH6,5-7,5) and water.
- Class 3: The tile can be cleaned with detergent (PH 9-10) and water.
- Class 2: The tile can be cleaned with special products.
- Class 1: The tile cannot be cleaned.
10. What is the absorption of water?
All ceramic tiles absorb water. The less porous the tile, the less water can be absorbed of course and the better technical characteristics it has. The following classification is used to classify ceramic tiles and absorption rates.
Group Classification of water absorption (%):
- BIa from 0 to 0,5%
BIb from 0,5 to 3,0%
- BIII greater than 10,0%
11. What does shade varied mean?
It is a product that has many different shades which is part of the design.
12. Which VIVES products are anti-slip?
The products which can be used in this situation. Anti slip products They are classified according to the different testing methods.
13. What is a glazed floor tile?
A glazed stoneware floor tile is a ceramic product with a low water absorption rate, with one side that is glazed. It is perfectly suited to interior floors.
14. What is a glazed wall tile?
It is a ceramic tile that has a high absorption of water with one side that is glazed. It is perfectly suited to interior walls.
15. What is the difference between red or white biscuit?
Originally the colour of the biscuit depended on the origin of the clay. In the areas near to the industry in Castellón, the clay mines with iron oxide components are located and these give the reddish colour, while in other countries, clay has components such as kaolin, feldspar, etc., that give it its white colour. Due to globalization the manufacturers had easy access to the various clays using each according to their own judgment. The use of different types of clay is determined by the production process of each manufacturer, with the majority mainly choosing the white body products for large format and red biscuit for medium to small format tiles. Both are similar products after their manufacturing and are only distinguished by aesthetic finishes decided for each of the models.
Ecoinfo
1. What is the Kyoto Protocol?
Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 when the International Community became aware of the importance of the climate change and its relation with greenhouse gas emissions. The developed countries intended to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Kyoto protocol created a range of tools to ensure the fulfilment of the agreements, such us the emission trading. Through the Directive 2003/87/CE of the European Parliament establish the European Emission Trading Scheme, Law 1/2005 of 9th march in the Spanish Legislation.
2. How do we control emissions?
VIVES BY GROF performs periodic official controls in all its emission points (atomisation machines, dryers, kilns, dust depuration filters) and voluntary inspections by accredited organisms to certify the fulfilment of the environmental legislation.
Various
1. What is the difference between border and beading or listello?
This is an issue that could start a debate but we can say that a possible difference between the two elements lie in the width of the pieces with the thinner one being beading. Although there is no a marked dimension which decides one piece to the other. Specifically the word listelo as such today has no place in the dictionary, so that is a word that has come down to us as a derivation of the Italian word "listello".