You do not need to be a specialist to lay cement tiles. A decent DIY-er will be able to produce a beautiful result. The basic requirements are a flat substrate, accuracy and patience.
Laying your tiles begins with carefully measuring the space so that the carpet of tiles can be ideally positioned and any difficult cuts avoided. Mix up the various boxes of cement tiles to prevent obvious differences in shade. The tiles are best laid with a double layer of adhesive on a flat screed. Cement tiles are unequal in thickness, with the levelling taking place with the adhesive. Cement tiles are laid with a fine space of 1mm between them. Remove any excess tile adhesive systematically. Use a pre-made type of grout for fine joins. Use a good stain stopper (Akemi Nano) before and afther the grout. After installation, add a protective coating to the tiles that allows the moisture through.
Yes, provided the existing tiles are firmly attached and flat.
Cement tiles are particularly suitable for underfloor heating because they conduct and hold heat well.
The cement tiles are laid with a fine space of 1 to 2mm between them. Use a pre-made professional type of grout for fine joins. Use grout without a colour pigment in neutral colours such as white or grey.
Laying and maintaining cement tile.pdf
We recommend laying the tiles with a flexible adhesive and double layer on a dry screed, or single layer on a bed of rapid-hardening flexible adhesive.
We prefer laying the tiles with adhesive on a totally dry screed. When you lay them on a bed of mortar, the mortar dries out through the tiles, which may cause rings in the tiles that only disappear after a long period of time. But if you do opt for traditional laying, wait a few weeks before grouting so that the drying process can go more quickly. When laying tiles on a bed of mortar, the tiles should also be applied with tile adhesive, otherwise there is the risk that the tile will not attach properly. Never use a rubber mallet to level the tiles as this can result in hairline cracks in the surface.