How To Lay Clay Floor Tiles



Posted: Tuesday, September 15, 2009

by
http://www.karundu.com

Clay floor tiles are made from soil burnt in a kiln to form the different shapes and sizes. These can be used on verandas, balconies, walk ways or entrance lobbies and areas usually with high human traffic. They give a rustic floor finish. For good building aesthetics, ensure they are laid in areas with a protective apron of slabs or any other materials around them. This will that ensure that mud or soil does not cover or spread over the tiles causing discoloration.

The clay tiles have to be selected, ensuring that they are well burn with have the same color and shape. The size of is from six by six inches square. They are sold as two tiles joined back to back. This means that they have to be split into two equal parts. The thickness is usually three quarters of an inches. It includes the ribs made after cutting twos. When laying the tiles immediately outside the house, the floor must be lower by four inches of depth.

The procedure of laying clay tiles, starts by soaking them in water first. The floor is prepared by hacking. This is to remove the dried cement slurry or mortar from the base concrete slab. After this, the floor is swept and thoroughly watered. A floor screed mortar of the mix one cement part and three parts sand is spread on the concrete. It is done in bays of three by three feet square. The mortar is wood floated with a cement slurry. Clay tiles are then laid.

The wet clay tiles are laid on cement slurry with the ribs facing down. One tile is placed on one edge of slab and another on the other end. A string is tied on top of the tiles for levels. The rest of the area under the strings are filled. A slope away from the house for draining off the water is done. Joints in between are pointed with an oxide matching the tiles. Curing is for one week. The tiles can be left as they are with the rustic look or varnished to look shiny.

Andrew Karundu Is A Building Economist, Providing Home Based Solutions To Fixing, Repairing, Remodeling And Redesigning Homes. He Uses Simple Tried And Tested Methods To Improve Family Lifestyles.Visit His Site Here For Adequate Information On Most HOME IMPROVEMENT SOLUTIONS

This Article has been viewed 117 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.