Features of clinker tiles
Clinker tiles are one of the most environmentally friendly, because in its composition there are no plasticizers and artificial colors. The main component is highly plastic clay. The production process has its own specificity, which works to strengthen the initial data of the procurement. the raw materials go through a powerful pressing step and the next firing. The temperature during firing is not lower than 1200 degrees. At the end of the process, clinker tiles come out, which is one hundred percent consistent with the following characteristics:
- Water-repellent, because the percentage of its water absorption ranges from 1 to 6%.
- Frost resistant.
- Undemanding in operation.
- Wear resistant.
- Resistant to chemicals and temperature changes.
- Durable
- Homogeneous in tone color palette, which perfectly hides chips, scratches and small cracks.
In addition to multifunctional advantages, clinker also has decorative properties.
This is a tile that has a wide variety of tonal options and textures.
It can be glazed, rough, unprocessed. Modern manufacturers have launched the production of clinker in a variety of formats. If you decide to choose a brick tile, then do not hesitate. it is really reliable.
Clinker cladding
Clinker laying requires strong surfaces, so the base must be concrete, brick or screed of strong cement. The main requirement that the foundation is required to comply with is cleanliness and evenness, without the smallest roughness and dust.
Clinker cladding with your own hands begins with a primer on the surface, due to which the main ones become stronger, and adhesion is enhanced.
This video will tell you more about laying clinker in the interior:
The outer lining is performed on the insulated facade. Stacking is performed in 2 ways:
- KamphaTherm system. First, the facade is insulated with KamphaTherm panels, which have special guides in order to significantly simplify their installation. Next, glue is applied to the grooves, intended for gluing the clinker itself.
- LobaTherm system. Initially, the facade is sheathed with insulation, and plastered using reinforcement. And only on a subfloor the tiles are tiled.
information on installing the KamphaTherm system on the building facade:
One of the main features of clinker is tonal heterogeneity, even within the same batch.
What to speak of different? To make the cladding look very natural, you can simply mix the tiles before laying.
Markup
Clinker tiles require painstaking marking, especially when laying is carried out with m imitating a brick. Particular attention is required door and window gaps. In the standard, lay a whole tile along their perimeter, without pieces and scraps.
It is also worth keeping in mind that the width of the seam will be up to 12 mm. This is the best size of the seam, which is needed not only in terms of aesthetics, but also in terms of functionality. Clinker tiles have an extremely low rate of water absorption, because when the moisture inside the building begins to evaporate, it simply has nowhere to go.
Thanks to the wide seams in the room there will never be condensation.
Styling technology
Facing with clinker tiles starts from the bottom, and preferably from the second row, which is installed on special slats.
Laying the bottom row is carried out last, to cover the floor cladding. Thanks to this order, the work is much simplified and the trimmed floor slabs have a completely different look.
The horizon level is set using a lighthouse cord. If you are new to facing, the cord must be pulled for each row. If there is even a little bit of laying experience, then you can set only the starting row, and control the rest with the rule. But thanks to the cord, the clearest styling comes out, an impeccable fishing line of the horizon and an ideal plane are formed.
Special angular elements are used for cladding external corners, but it is extremely common to carry out this decoration with ordinary clinker.
Fundamentally try and perform a benign pruning. Clinker cladding is performed using conventional tools and devices. The only difference is the crosses, which are much larger in size than with other facing works. With their help, similar seams are formed. Some professionals do not use crosses; they work with special rods that have a uniform cross section. The rest of the tilers use only glue, with low fluidity.
We prepare the adhesive composition
Glue can be prepared manually or using a drill with a special nozzle.
If you knead the composition with the first method, you will have to spend a lot of effort and time, and even then it is hardly possible to achieve a suitable consistency. It takes only 30 minutes to work with glue from the moment of kneading, therefore it is not worth preparing a lot of consistency at a time.
During this time, no more than 1 m2 of the area can be treated.
Glue is applied to both the tile and the surface to be coated. On the base are combed, removing excess glue. The consistency applied to the back of the tile is also removed, this method is referred to as sir.
This method is designed to significantly enhance the adhesion of the tiles and the base.
For large-format floor tiles, there is a proprietary method. free-style laying, which consists in laying on a finished foundation without using any glue at all.
Cut tile
In order to get a high-quality cut, you need an angle grinder or an electric tile cutter. Clinker has a dense structure, its surface is covered with decorative elements, so cutting it is quite difficult.
It will not be extremely difficult to make an ordinary straight cut, but you will have to work a little on the L-shaped one.
What it is
What is clinker? This is a common clay, fired at the highest temperature. Specifically, high-temperature firing distinguishes clinker tiles from ordinary tiles: at 1300-1400 degrees, the mineral particles that make up the clay base are sintered with each other.
The strength obtained surpasses almost all types of natural stone and at the same time is deprived of their dominant vulnerability. the ability to accumulate water in cracks and faults.
The erosion of the stone is primarily associated with the destruction of the surface layer due to the crystallization of water: ice has a larger volume.
Clinker has a water absorption of not more than 3%; as a result, it can be worn with good frost resistance. at least 100 cycles, which in practice corresponds to a period of operation without destruction of 250 to 300 years.
It is worth clarifying: the clinker with frost resistance F 100 is considered economical. For clinker steps of German and Italian, frost resistance from 300 cycles and above is considered the norm.
Clinker step 710 crio KERAPLATTE AERA. Frost resistance. 300 cycles.
Advantages and disadvantages
Let’s try to evaluate the consumer properties of clinker as a finishing for steps.
pros
- Great exterior.
Thanks to the addition of mineral dyes, modern clinker steps do not resemble a dull tile in the bathrooms of our grandmothers: in other words, you cannot name the exterior of a clinker-covered porch.
If the porch is steep, and there are elderly people in the middle of the house’s residents, there’s no problem: just find steps with a notch that are not afraid of even ice.
You can wash the clinker with all cleaning products: to throw traces of abrasive powder on it, you will have to spend more than one day. Of all household chemicals, only concentrated acids can manage to throw traces on it, and then with prolonged exposure.
When cleaning, you can use at least some equipment. He will not leave any traces.
Minuses
Does the solution have any shadow sides?
Perhaps only a pretty high price. One step measuring 325×325 mm can cost the buyer 300-600 rubles. For comparison. the same cost per square meter of high-quality floor tiles, fundamentally different only by firing at the lowest temperature.
As a justification for manufacturers: the consumption of thermal energy increases with increasing firing temperature nonlinearly. During firing at 1300 degrees of fuel, four times more is required to maintain the operation of the furnace than at 800 ° C. Given the duration of the operation in 10 hours, the difference in costs becomes more than tangible.
Summary
Steps from clinker. a solution that is virtually eternal and does not have any shortcomings, not counting the sufficiently high cost.
If it doesn’t bother you, it’s definitely not worth finding the other options.
Application
How to prepare the base and lay the brick steps with your own hands? The abstract is no different from the laying of any other frost-resistant tiles.
Foundation preparation
- The surface painstakingly leveled. Peeling plaster is removed with a pickaxe and an iron spatula. All protrusions are cut down with a chisel; significant cavities are best filled with cement (if necessary, with a block of broken stone or brick). Obviously, nothing prevents you from filling them with tile glue, but in this case, the costs will noticeably increase: high-quality glue is expensive.
An important point: if you are going to do yourself clinker to trim an old concrete porch-staircase.
which managed to be covered over decades with a network of deepest cracks. do not be too lazy to put a reinforced screed under the tile. In most cases, when you open the porch, you will find inside not reinforced concrete, but brick or masonry on orderly sagging soil.
Of course, fresh steps are also certainly reinforced.
- Remains of dirt, dust, grease and paints are removed from the surface of the reinforced concrete staircase. Bare concrete does not need additional processing, but any absorbing and dusty coatings (yes, it is not always possible to completely remove dust) are certainly primed. The best soil for our purposes is giving a rough surface with good concrete-contact adhesion.
- Tile glue is kneaded in strict accordance with the annotation.
Do not determine its consistency by eye or, contrary to management, add water to the consistency, and not vice versa. Mixing utensils must be clean: lumps will prevent the glue from applying a narrow and even layer.
Stacking
Glue in the case when it comes to the external staircase is only frost-resistant, even if you live in Crimea.
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The glue is applied with a trowel and leveled with a comb spatula with a comb 6×6. 8×8 mm. The steps are gently tapped on top with a trowel handle and checked by level.
Between the tiles there are 5 mm temperature seams; crosses of the corresponding size are used for control.
In the photo. a diamond-coated cutting disc.
- Grouting is possible after the adhesive has firmly set (usually 24 hours).
How to cut tiles
Tile cutting is an important process in laying ceramics on the floor or walls!
The tile does not give in to adverse chemical action, possesses hydrostability, durability, reliability, durability.
For proper laying of tile, a certain amount of tile must be cut. Tile cutting is supposed to properly distribute the coating elements around the entire perimeter of the room, as they may not fit on the floor or wall in general. Tile cutting is performed using certain tools that have their own personality and nuances.
Tiles can be laid on the floor or walls, but such a process without the help of others in home criteria requires accuracy, accuracy, awareness of the laying technology. Tile coating is considered one of the most necessary, as it has many advantages in comparison with other finishing mi.
Tools for cutting clay tiles and porcelain tiles
Speaking of tile cutting in home conditions without the help of trained professionals, at least some owner conducting repairs in the house wonders: how to cut clay tiles?
Clay tiles can be cut using the following tools:
- electric tile cutter;
- manual stationary tile cutter;
- string;
- Angle Grinder.
Basically, cutting tiles comes down to using tools such as tile cutter and glass cutter.
It is worth noting that, in addition to clay coatings, there is also porcelain tile.
Its differences from the tiles are obvious, if you want the most dense and long-term for the decoration of the room, then you need to suspend your own choice on porcelain tile. If you would like to follow elegant and unique figures in your own room, with a beautiful and pleasant ornament, you can safely choose clay tiles.
If you ask yourself a question about how to cut porcelain tiles, it can be noted that working with such m in terms of cutting is possible both with a tile cutter with at least some control, and an angle grinder.
Before cutting porcelain tiles, you need to think about observing the safety technique, because working with such tools is extremely traumatic.
Since porcelain stoneware is strong m, the tile cutter is perfect for performing such work, but it is not capable of curly cutting.
The most economical and simplified option for cutting tiles is glass cutter.
It is much cheaper and simpler than the rest. How to cut porcelain tiles with a tile cutter? You need to take the tile and mark the cut line on it. After that, the roller is pressed with some effort and held along the strip to obtain the deepest furrow.
Its depth must be similar throughout the entire length, which must be constantly monitored. Next, you need to break the porcelain tile along the acquired notch, tightly fixing the part of the tile that will be glued.
Tile cutter
This tool is divided into several types, each of them works differently and has its own multifunctional identities.
Answering the question: how to cut tiles with a tile cutter, it can be noted that with each type of device, cutting will be based on various actions, depending on whether it is a portable tool, either stationary, electric, or manually controlled.
Tile cutting in home criteria with its help requires significantly more effort than on its electric counterpart.
Electric tile cutter is the most high-quality and careful method by which the tile is cut. In its mechanism there is a diamond cutting wheel, the means of which, it is quite excellent to cut tiles, with the addition of water to the place of cut.
Due to this, no dust appears in the process of this activity.
Its use is justified for the huge size of the work, when you need to cut a huge number of parts.
Together with the highest manufacturability and quality of the tool, you need to pay attention to the cost of equipment, appropriate to its technological characteristics.
Angle Grinder
Tools such as angle grinders and strings are also provided for high-quality cutting of flooring at home. Before you cut a tile angle grinder, you need to know that it has its own personality in the work, you should study them to avoid damage and the appearance of chips and cracks.
For the implementation of work with a tiled coating, it is not much to cook only an angle grinder, you need a special nozzle and retainer. For the purpose of a careful and clear cut, a circle is traditionally used with a fine diamond coating.
The only inconvenience will be the fact that after the work done, there remains dust that will need to be removed.
This tool is perfect for cutting tiles at an angle of 45 degrees.
A direct cut is carried out along the marked strip on the tile in advance, the angle grinder is firmly fixed on the proposed cut strip in such a way that its edge remains on the cut strip in the weight position, when cutting, you need to create the direction in which the mechanism moves. A cut at an angle of 45 degrees is much more difficult than the previous version.
Number 34
Answer: Clinker bricks, paving stones, granite paving stones, it is necessary to cut on large professional machines with a diamond blade diameter of 250 mm or more.
up to 300mm. Do not try to take the discs more across, in the hope that they will quickly saw through your clinker pavers or bricks. Clinker pavers and clinker bricks have the highest high quality properties and the highest density. When using the huge diameter of the disk during friction against clinker pavers or brick, the steel heats up and becomes softer, especially if there is no perforation on the disk for water access and cooling, the disk may simply heat up and not cut when overheated, it may become loose and become inappropriate or wedge when heated due to lack of cooling. If you get the smallest diameter of a diamond disk for cutting clinker or granite pavers, it will not work at full strength and will quickly fail or be instantly consumed.
the small diameter of the disk heats up much faster and fails or wedges. Also, if a diamond disk with a turbo-edged edge, it heats up much faster than a diamond disk with a flat diamond edge and with holes for cooling steel. If there is a backlash on the diamond disk, it will be ejected and the average cost of a professional disk is from 3 thousand. up to 12 thousand rubles. The huge widths of the disc are much more expensive, and the operation is approximately similar to the size of the discs 250mm and 300m. Our solution, based on personal practice, take discs with a diameter of 250-300mm and without a turbocharged diamond edge.
You can find out about the selection of diamond blades and their workforce on our website. Well, note: the choice of a machine for cutting pavers is also extremely important for working with diamond blades. It is also extremely important to have experience working with this equipment and operating diamond blades.
In 2019, a unique article will be published on our website on the solution of all issues with diamond blades, their labor force, proper operation, and naturally, they will be told and shown about their full-fledged properties, their differences and the similarity of labor force with different types of strong ones. You can also get acquainted with sharp clinker tiles in the article Services. Technology of laying clinker tiles.
How and how to cut ceramic tiles before laying them?
Here are some common tips for choosing the right tools and cutting technology.
If you are cutting wall tiles, it is easy to cut with a conventional roller (not diamond!) Glass cutter. To do this, we mark with a soft pencil or marker, then we put the tile on a flat hard surface and, applying moderate pressure to the glass cutter, roll it from the far edge of the tile to ourselves so that the visible strip remains on the enamel. Only one incision is made. It remains only to break the tile along the notch strip, for which it is necessary to slip a match or a small clove under it and gently press from 2 sides of the line.
Glass cutter is excellent to use when the size of the work is small and do not want to spend money on tile cutters.
But glass cutter is difficult to perform a large amount of work. In fact, if you need to cut at least a dozen tiles, it would be nice to purchase a tile cutter. The difference between a tile cutter and a glass cutter is that the tile cutter wheel is larger in size (1.5 cm in diameter), which allows you to make a cut to a great depth. The tile cutter itself is similar to tongs, as it is equipped with a device that allows you to break the tile after applying the incision.
And glass cutter, and manual tile cutter perfectly cut wall tiles. Naturally, you can experience cutting them into tiles intended for laying on the floor. It may be what happens, but for floor tiles (or porcelain tiles) it is better to purchase a stationary tile cutter. It allows you to cut tiles with the least loss and most accurately. Hence the intermediate conclusion: if there is a need to cut floor tiles, it is better to immediately get a stationary tile cutter.
At the tile cutter, the base must be rigid, and the guides along which the working part moves are thick-walled. He does not have to have backlashes and unnecessary deflections. If there is an opportunity, then when buying a tile cutter, grab the tile you intend to cut and immediately check the quality of the cut.
The technology of cutting with a stationary tile cutter differs somewhat from cutting with a manual tile cutter: the tile is laid out, mounted on the base, pressed tightly against the stop-ruler (the tile cutter itself would also be nice to rest or screw in. there are holes for fasteners in it).
Cutting is done from one movement with a little click on the tile. The tile breaks at the end of the slice by lightly pressing on the lever with the help of a corner placed on the lever.
A little tip: professionals apply a few drops of engine oil on a cutting wheel. and it’s easier to cut and the cut is cleaner.
Video: How to Cut Porcelain Tile 1200 600
An electric tile cutter with a diamond disk makes very straight cuts with smooth and slightly rounded edges, in contrast to the sharp edges obtained from conventional tile cutters. Hence, the best quality of cut tiles, the ability to use to get curly cuts and the ability to cut pieces less than 5 mm. You can cut tiles and porcelain tiles of any hardness.
Another natural advantage of electric tile cutters is their cleanliness. dust and tile particles settle in a tank of water and do not pollute the surrounding area.
Cutting tiles with an electric tile cutter does not present huge problems, but asks for compliance with safety measures. Conventional protective equipment: gloves, glasses.
To purchase or not to receive an electric tile cutter for a single laying of tiles. everyone decides for himself. But I heard the worldview that when laying significant sizes of floor tiles, and even “diagonally,” even the cheapest tile cutter can help a lot.
Along with tile cutters, you can cut tiles with an angle grinder.
It can also be used for straight cuts and curly slices. In general, an angle grinder cuts tiles no worse than a tile cutter, but since it is a hand tool, it cuts with the smallest accuracy and leaves serrated edges.
Angle grinder is a very scary tool and very neat to handle. When using this tool, you need to have goggles, headphones, a dust mask and be extremely careful.
What affects the technology of laying clinker tiles
One of the main properties of clinker tiles, in addition to a low coefficient of moisture absorption and frost resistance, is considered to be practically vapor-tight. Therefore, when facing the facade, it is worth taking measures to ensure that the vapors coming from the inside do not condense on the surface of the wall under the tile.
This is achieved by increasing the thickness of the seam between the tiles, depending on the size of which, it can be from 8 to 12 mm. Such a large surface area of the grout will allow the wall to breathe, since the one used for filling joints has the best vapor permeability.
Often you hear that clinker tiles are better to wet before laying, so that, despite the low moisture absorption, it can absorb some of the water from the glue. But, this worldview is fundamentally wrong. Moisture on the tile can disrupt the polymerization of the adhesive texture, in order to avoid the absorption of water by the tile using a different method.
The glue is applied to the surface of the wall, leveled with a notched trowel, and a tile is covered with a small layer of the same composition. But, almost immediately, the glue is cleaned off with an even spatula, the part of the consistency that has absorbed into the base will prevent the absorption of water from the main layer.
Surface preparation for installation clinker installation
The preparatory step largely describes the durability of the cladding, therefore it should be taken with full responsibility. Clinker tiles can be applied specifically to the wall, and if desired, it can be pre-insulated, for example, with expanded polystyrene.
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The wall surface is painstakingly cleaned, ancient paint and patches of poorly adhering plaster are removed, after which it is primed with the deepest penetration compounds.
If necessary, a plaster grid is applied to it. Small bulges can be eliminated with putty, global corrections, including leveling the plane, should be done using plaster consistencies. Finally, the entire surface is re-primed.
How to cut clinker tiles at home
How and what to cut tiles
How and what is the best way to cut clay tiles?
In this article for us, we will examine all the options for solving this obstacle for us with our own hands. At the same time, work with tiles and clay tiles will be considered.
When carrying out facing works in the room with the use of tiles, every time we have to deal with sections of the walls and floor on which the laying of a whole clinker tile is impossible. It is necessary to cut off part of the product, but do it so that the edges of the tiles come out flat (see video). There is also the risk of breaking completely expensive ceramics. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to use special devices, which include both professional expensive tools (tile cutters) and the most ordinary types of equipment (glass cutter, angle grinder, etc.).
- How to work as a professional tile cutter;
- Manual tile cutter;
- Tile cutting with glass cutter;
- Tile cutting tongs;
- How to cut a tile angle grinder.
How to cut tiles with a tile cutter
An electric tile cutter with a diamond disk is an impeccable mechanism that can cope with any kind of tile.
With its help, it is easy to achieve even sections with rounded and smooth edges. To do this, all you need to do is pre-marked tiles to lay on the working surface of the device and slowly advance under the blade. The tile must be pressed firmly against the platform with both hands. At the same time, do not forget about safety:
- it is necessary to wear safety glasses so that small fragments of the tile do not get into the eyes;
- control the water level in the pan, due to which the disk is cooled;
- change the water in time if it becomes clogged with tile chips.
By the way, mosaic tiles can be cut in the same way, with great care.
The disk on this device is able to withstand up to 1000 cuts without replacement.
But the blade needs to be cleaned from clay particles from time to time. In order to clean, you can just make a few cuts in the grinding stone.
It is recommended that you obtain an electric tile cutter in the company market or in the official consulate of the manufacturer, where property guarantees are provided and there is a whole list of the necessary documentation. But in any case, it is better to inspect the equipment for possible defects, as well as check the operation of the motor.
It is also worth noting that it is not easy to find spare parts for all models of electric tile cutters, therefore it will not be superfluous to predict this in advance.
The most important advantage of this equipment, of course, is the cutting speed. Professionals spend less than a minute on a single clay tile.
For cutting tiles at an angle of 45 degrees, you will need the most advanced equipment, the cost of which is several times higher. But to prepare a small amount, it will be enough to fix it firmly and use the ordinary tile cutter, angle grinder or electric jigsaw.
You can do the same when cutting in a semicircle, although in this case, professionals advise to carefully fix the tile in a vice. Cutting the tiles figuratively, the fastest way, will fail. It is better to entrust this work to a specialist, especially if expensive.
Less valuable tools, which are mainly used by amateur craftsmen, are manual tile cutters. With its help, it is quite comfortable to cut tile fragments with a width of not more than 6 mm. Mastering the work with this equipment is not difficult, and the cutting speed will be much higher than when working with a jigsaw:
- markings are applied to the surface of the tile with a pencil or marker;
- the tile is laid on the base, fitting it so that the wheel coincides with the marking line;
- controlling the handle of the tile cutter, draw the wheel along the line;
- the product is fixed with the help of “wings”, which will allow you to divide clay or clinker tiles into two even parts;
- after a light hit with a hand on the handle of the device, a suitable fragment comes out.
The main advantage of a manual tile cutter is its independence from in electrical energy.
Its use is especially relevant in places where it is problematic to get to electric energy. In addition, a hand-held device can be used without risk in high humidity criteria. And small dimensions and weight, as a rule, not exceeding 10 kg, make it comfortable for transportation.
Glass Cutting Tile
Glass cutter is the most common and cheapest equipment. It is successfully used for processing narrow tiles. At the same time, the method of cutting tiles, as can be seen in the video, actually does not differ from the technology of cutting glass.
The work is carried out as follows:
- marking is applied to the glossy side of the product using an erasable marker;
- applying a ruler or corner to the strip, you need to hold the glass cutter in the direction from the far edge to yourself, while trying to distribute the pressure as evenly as possible;
- tile or floor tiles are placed on the edge of the table along the notch strip, and, holding one part of it, gently shake their hands on the other;
- the edges at the fault can be further treated with sandpaper.
Of course, to work with a glass cutter, you will need some skill. Therefore, in the absence of adequate experience, you should not train on expensive clay x.
A very comfortable tool is tile cutter-tongs.
With it, you can create cutting in virtually all criteria. The instrument itself resembles pliers from the outside. At one end is a cutting wheel.
Thus, it looks like a glass cutter, which is combined with wire cutters. At home, such a device is often simply irreplaceable. It is inexpensive, but it fully justifies itself in the small size of the work. In fact, all of this work is minimized:
- along the marking strip, a cutting wheel is used, which is mounted on the tongs;
- to the edge of the product lead the tongs of forceps;
- a plate of tongs is placed on the front surface of the tile, and the central part is mounted above the groove;
- the forceps smoothly squeeze, after that the tile breaks off evenly.
This tool is much better at its own task than a glass cutter.
But with it, it is also not easy to cut thin strips. For this, in any case, the most complex and precious equipment will come in handy.
How to cut a tile angle grinder
Many novice professionals are wondering: is it possible to cut tiles with an angle grinder? Can. When using an angle grinder for cutting tiles, tremendous abilities arise. Unlike other tools, with its help you can not only cut even stripes, but also make complex curly cuts. With some effort, you can completely cut out a rather fine hole in the shape of a circle in the product.
Thanks to the diamond disk, tiles can be cut quite quickly, both wall and floor, but the cuts are very poor quality and certainly need additional processing. the edges have to be grinded.
It is necessary to cut the tile with an angle grinder extremely carefully so that there are no chips on the glossy side of the tile. To do this, the diamond wheel must be brand new and high quality, and you need to cut the product from the back. The most detailed presentation will give a step-by-step annotation on the video.
When working with an angle grinder, it does not constantly come out to achieve cutting accuracy.
It can bring the eye or, for example, flinch a hand under the weight of the instrument. It will be true to fix the angle grinder on a fixed base and manipulate the tile itself. You can attach the grinder to the workbench leg using clamps so that the disk is oriented upwards or fix the angle grinder on the edge of the workbench in a horizontal position.
Among the shortcomings of using this tool, a huge amount of dust during the work and fragments soaring on the sides can be noted.
Therefore, for safety reasons, it is recommended to use safety glasses and gloves.
To cut porcelain or granite tiles, it is better to use a ventilated diamond disk, since when it is very overheated, additional cooling will be necessary. It is most convenient to cut porcelain tiles using wet cutting machines. Under no circumstances should tiles be cut or porcelain stoneware using a disc that is designed for metal.
In general, it can be announced that tile cutting can be carried out by various methods, and each master constantly has the opportunity to choose the most suitable one for himself.
Cut tile
How and how to cut ceramic tiles before laying them?
Here are some common tips for choosing the right tools and cutting technology.
If you are cutting wall tiles, it is easy to cut with a conventional roller (not diamond!) Glass cutter. To do this, we mark with a soft pencil or marker, then we put the tile on a flat hard surface and, applying moderate pressure to the glass cutter, roll it from the far edge of the tile to ourselves so that the visible strip remains on the enamel.
Only one incision is made. It remains only to break the tile along the notch strip, for which it is necessary to slip a match or a small clove under it and gently press from 2 sides of the line.
Glass cutter is excellent to use when the size of the work is small and do not want to spend money on tile cutters. But glass cutter is difficult to perform a large amount of work. In fact, if you need to cut at least a dozen tiles, it would be nice to purchase a tile cutter.
The difference between a tile cutter and a glass cutter is that the tile cutter wheel is larger in size (1.5 cm in diameter), which allows you to make a cut to a great depth. The tile cutter itself is similar to forceps, as it is provided with a device that allows you to break the tile after applying the incision. And glass cutter, and manual tile cutter perfectly cut wall tiles. Naturally, you can experience cutting them into tiles intended for laying on the floor. It may be what happens, but for floor tiles (or porcelain tiles) it is better to purchase a stationary tile cutter. It allows you to cut tiles with the least loss and most accurately. Hence the intermediate conclusion: if there is a need to cut floor tiles, it is better to immediately get a stationary tile cutter.
At the tile cutter, the base must be rigid, and the guides along which the working part moves are thick-walled.
He does not have to have backlashes and unnecessary deflections. If there is an opportunity, then when buying a tile cutter, grab the tile you intend to cut and immediately check the quality of the cut.
The technology of cutting with a stationary tile cutter differs somewhat from cutting with a manual tile cutter: the tile is laid out, mounted on the base, pressed tightly against the stop-ruler (the tile cutter itself would also be nice to rest or screw in. there are holes for fasteners in it).
Cutting is done from one movement with a little click on the tile. The tile breaks at the end of the slice by lightly pressing on the lever with the help of a corner placed on the lever.
A little tip: professionals apply a few drops of engine oil on a cutting wheel. and it’s easier to cut and the cut is cleaner.
An electric tile cutter with a diamond disk makes very straight cuts with smooth and slightly rounded edges, in contrast to the sharp edges obtained from conventional tile cutters. Hence, the best quality of cut tiles, the ability to use to get curly cuts and the ability to cut pieces less than 5 mm.
You can cut tiles and porcelain tiles of any hardness. Another natural advantage of electric tile cutters is their cleanliness. dust and tile particles settle in a tank of water and do not pollute the surrounding area.
Cutting tiles with an electric tile cutter does not present huge problems, but asks for compliance with safety measures. Conventional protective equipment: gloves, glasses.
To purchase or not to receive an electric tile cutter for a single laying of tiles. everyone decides for himself.
But I heard the worldview that when laying significant sizes of floor tiles, and even “diagonally,” even the cheapest tile cutter can help a lot.
Along with tile cutters, you can cut tiles with an angle grinder.
It can also be used for straight cuts and curly slices. In general, an angle grinder cuts tiles no worse than a tile cutter, but since it is a hand tool, it cuts with the smallest accuracy and leaves serrated edges.
Angle grinder is a very scary tool and very neat to handle. When using this tool, you need to have goggles, headphones, a dust mask and be extremely careful.
Do-it-yourself clinker tile laying: installation design
Laying clinker tiles is a fairly normal process and there is no difficulty in doing it yourself.
But this also allows you to significantly strengthen the walls of the house and give them a noble appearance, especially in the criteria when there is no ability to use the most expensive natural stone.
Clinker tiles are burnt clay native to Holland.
Since ancient times in the country there was no mining of natural stone, and it was necessary to pave roads, the Dutch established the creation of clinker, while in the early 19th century.
Properties and advantages of clinker
It is made from clay by firing at 1200 degrees, which forms its unique shade and gives the following properties:
- low water absorption: aquatic plants will not germinate;
- high resistance to low temperatures;
- durability. serves from 50 years;
- unpretentiousness in leaving. take a walk Karcher’s under pressure and only;
- mechanical resistance comparable to real stone.
Clinker is now available in more than 100 color options.
The cost of the cheapest. from 350 rubles per 1 square meter. The average cost is from 800 rubles.
Dear Spanish and Italian costs at least 2-3 times more, but also lasts up to 200 years.
Clinker laying (including on the step) is like assembling a puzzle: it is important that all the details fit. Before that, before starting the installation, we will familiarize ourselves with the aspects and afterwards we will proceed to do-it-yourself installation.
Preparations for work
The technology of laying clinker tiles (including on the steps) is largely determined by what manufacturer you choose and what shape it will be:
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Tall and narrow with glaze on the front surface: two standards. 280x85x9 mm and 120x65x8 mm.
The best choice for a socle, as they never get wet;
Clinker imitates the surface of ordinary brick, not covered with glaze. It happens angular and planar.
At least some clinker is suitable for facade work and you should choose its color.
Quantity calculation
Any annotation on laying with your own hands (including on the steps of the house) is powerless if you do not understand how much is needed for you. For laying facades, angular and planar are used.
Flat is considered in square meters, and angular. in linear.
Multiply the length of the facade by height and get the area. In this case, it is necessary to exclude gaps, doors and windows.
Each manufacturer certainly shows how many planar parts fit into 1 square. m, adjusted (important!) for the seams between the tiles.
At the same time, if during operation the seams become less than 10-12 mm wide, as stated by the manufacturer, the installation of the clinker is in violation of the technology.
Preparatory stage
Do-it-yourself installation of clinker tiles on concrete, stone and wood facade surfaces.
Therefore, the installation of clinker tiles on the steps is often found.
But we will only disassemble the masonry on vertical surfaces with our own hands.
At this step, the future work surface is thoroughly sanded and smoothed so that the clinker lies on a flawless, one surface. It does not have to be wet.
It is also important to choose a laying pattern that will simulate a brick.
Installation step by step
And now, the styling annotation itself.
Laying of clinker tiles begins with marking, which counts down from door and window openings.
Thus, we will first place the whole tile and only at the very end we will lay the particles. If you do the opposite, you get a sort of visual pointer "this is the door, and this is the window."
We will cut the clinker only at the very end and only for spot work on the facade and cornice.
We start laying with complex angles: using a special corner tile, close the corners in a descending direction. from top to bottom.
The solution of tile glue is applied with a notched trowel so that the grooves come out.
The languid tile asks for more glue, which means the teeth will be 10 mm each.
Before sticking the first tile (including the steps), do a test: apply glue to the back, press it against the wall and tear it off after 1-2 seconds.
The wrong side of the tile must be covered with glue. If not, add more glue.
Apply so much on the glue wall that over the next 20 minutes one hundred percent cover the glued area.
This will increase the laying speed.
But it is better to apply glue separately to each tile, so that it is better to fit.
Use a long lace for leveling rows. As soon as the 1st row is laid strictly horizontally, here we pull the lace for the second row.
Such a cord costs a penny and can be purchased in the same market where the tile was bought. Do not forget about vertical seams.
They are simply measured with a tile inserted perpendicular to the working surface (tile thickness = joint thickness).
Once you have glued the entire tile (including the steps), you can overwrite the seams.
This is done with the help of embroidery. a special tool. The solution is added to the seam.
As soon as he grasped a bit, his smudges should be cleaned with a soft brush and a damp cloth (just do not wet the seam yourself!), Otherwise, after drying, it will take you a whole day to clean the entire tile.
Expert Advice
If you want the tile laying to go off with a bang (including tile laying on the steps) and you end up with a uniform, beautiful surface, then follow these tips:
- Use the adhesive solution from the tile manufacturer itself according to its ability;
- Order clinker for the entire working area immediately, so that due to a probable purchase there is no color deviation;
- Before laying the tile, moisten it with water;
- You can cut tiles only with the help of a special tile cutter, an angle grinder with a disk on a tile or a hacksaw for metal;
- Keep the tiles in the packaging, do not allow dust and water to enter during storage.
Thermopanels
Speaking of clinker, one cannot but mention thermal panels.
Laying thermal panels with clinker tiles is a reasonable solution, which immediately improves the appearance of facades and insulates the walls of the house.
Thermal panel is a composite system consisting of polyurethane foam and facade tiles. With a thickness of thermal panels of 50-60 mm, such a panel replaces 180 cm of silicate brick in its heat-insulating properties.
Advantages of thermal panels:
- Withstands cold up to 40;
- Facing, similar to a brick;
- Insulation thickness. up to 10 cm;
- Protects from rain;
- Does not ask for additional foundation;
- No "wet" work during installation;
- Service life. from 50 years;
The installation manual for thermal panels asks only for the use of special screws, without any glue and mortar.
This significantly increases productivity and a 2-story cottage can simply be pasted over in just 1 week using thermal panels.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourself paving of facades with clinker tiles is a fairly ordinary job.
But only if it is true to observe 3 nuances:
- Take the required amount and do not buy later what horrible;
- Start sticking from corners and connectors;
- Observe a perfect horizon with a lace, as well as an inter-tile seam.
Allocate 7-10 days to work, purchase the right amount in, plus a cutting tool and methodically get to work, do not rush to fulfill the Stakhanov plan.
The video below provides an overview of clinker thermal panels.
As a result, you will get a completely flat surface without overflow of color, which will be extremely similar to a real brick.
Angle grinder and hacksaw
Of course, for cutting tiles (after all, it comes in different sizes), you can use different tools.
Home professionals often use an angle grinder for these purposes.
However, let’s not forget that the tile is covered with a layer of enamel. In it, between all the other, is the whole attractiveness of this finishing coating. In view of the highest rotational speed of the Bulgarian disc, the enamel section is uneven. As a result, even if the trimmed parts of the tiles are installed in the corner of the room, the appearance of the finish suffers greatly from this.
Exactly the same thing can be announced with respect to a variety of hacksaws used for cutting tiles. In principle, this tool is not intended for processing ceramics.
In the specialized departments of the building market, you can find special tile cutters.
On this equipment, you can not only perfectly cut the tiles, but also set a certain angle.
Tile cutting. cut the tile correctly
When facing clay tiles, it will not be possible to avoid undercuts. How to do it right? The proverb “Measure seven times, cut one” will be of help. Before laying the tiles, you need to carefully measure the surface characteristics. Firstly, in order to realize how large the volume of cutting is to be performed and to decide on the inventory.
Secondly, decide where it is very inconspicuous to make this cutting. The cut edge of the tile should be covered with a tile of another wall or with a plastic corner. The visible part of the wall cladding is not required to have cut edges: they must be closed with corners, socket boxes, etc. Laying the visible part of the floor tiles is also required to be carried out in even rows strictly parallel to the walls of the room.
Having measured the required distance, mark the cut line on the front side of the tile.
The breakable part does not have to be less than 8mm. To perfectly break off a narrow piece, it is necessary to put and fix the tile on a hard ragged surface and bite off a suitable fragment with pliers or ticks. An uneven fault can be ground off with sandpaper or paper. over, the saw must be done circularly, with enamel forward, in order to avoid its damage. If in some cases the edge of the cut will be covered with a different tile, there is no need to smooth the cut.
Clay Tile Cutting Tools
Thus, if the laying volume is small, you can limit yourself to using an ordinary roller glass cutter. At the beginning, the line is measured. Further, using a ruler with a roller, an incision is made as accurately as possible along the intended strip.
You can hold a fishing line with a roller only once. Later, with a sharp movement, break the tile along the cutting strip.
If the number of tiles is more than 10-15 pieces, then it makes sense to purchase a mechanical tile cutter. Compared to the glass cutter roller, its wheel, having a diameter of 1.5 mm, allows you to make an incision on the tile deeper, which simplifies cutting. The tile cutter has a handle and a device for breaking a tile into an incision. Both of these tools worked well for cutting wall tiles. An angle grinder can also be made with straight and circular cuts on the tiles. But this process will not be extremely rapid, rather dusty, and the edges of the cut will not be extremely smooth.
If the cutting volumes are quite significant or you need to cut the most durable floor tiles, porcelain tiles, clinker, natural stone tiles (without carbide coating), then you can not do without an electric tile cutter.
There is an economical model range of these devices in the price range up to 3000 rubles, they are mobile and easy to use. With the massive motor of this device you can achieve the deepest non-stop cutting with stable rotation. Section strips will become the most even due to the adjustment of depth and angle, the number of damaged tiles will be minimized. It becomes possible to cut pieces of less than 5 mm. When working with an electric tile cutter, the work will be clean: the dust from the cutting will settle in a bath of water. Immediately, the liquid cools the cutting. What electric stove to choose? First of all, attention should be paid to the thickness of the walls of the guides of the working surface and the hardness of the base.
A high-quality device will not have gaps or protrusions. If there is an opportunity, before buying, check it in work: cut the tile that you are going to use on it. In the case of choosing an electric tile cutter, it is worthwhile to carefully study the attached annotation and strictly observe the safety technique for this electrical equipment.
Ceramic tile. necessary for the arrangement of rooms in which excessive humidity is observed.
Tiles are also widely used as decoration in the design of fireplaces, ventilation systems and other engineering structures. The laying technique is such that during the work it is impossible to do without cutting ceramics. Tiled flooring is mounted from individual tiles of normal sizes. But since the area of the working surface may vary, it is necessary to trim the tiles at the edges. Special equipment is used for this.
Cutting tools
For such narrow work as cutting clay tiles or clinker, it is better to use a special tile cutter. By the principle of operation, this tool resembles an ordinary glass cutter, but it is designed for the thickest and strongest.
The mechanism of plitoreza allows not only to make the cut itself, but also to separate the parts of the tile from each other. There are mechanical and electric tile cutters. Both those and the rest relate to high accuracy devices. But for the thickest ones, such as, for example, matte porcelain tiles, it is better to use electric models. The difference is also in performance. An electric tile cutter is able to work even faster, because it is used for huge work sizes.
Cutting technology
The technique for cutting tiles depends on the task, the chosen tool and the type of tile. For example, clinker is most often used to clad porch, porch, walkway to the house.
Therefore, cutting this sturdy is required, as a rule, in a straight line. At the theoretical level, an ordinary mechanical tile cutter or angle grinder is unsurpassed for this. But if you analyze the scale of the operation, then it is more profitable to find an electric tile cutter for work with this finishing m.
There are two main types of cutting. “straight” and curly. The development of cutting “in a straight line” is quite simple. Measure the required width evenly and accurately and slide the tile to the mark. Specialists recommend pre-soaking the tiles in water, then the cut line will not delaminate and crumble. If we are talking about curly cutting, then everything is somewhat more difficult.
This type of cutting is easier to use for narrow ceramics, but if necessary, a broken cut line can also be obtained when working with opaque porcelain stoneware. strong and thick m. In order to make a bend, you will need a personally designed curve. According to it, the fishing line is drawn, and strategic points are measured. An incision is made evenly, from point to point, during the course of work biting off the cut sections of the tile with nippers. It is important to maintain this proportion: the closer to the edge, the marks should be more frequent, and cut pieces smaller.
Narrow tiles can also be figured out using special tile cutters.