You have chosen your cement tile floor; You have chosen from thousands of designs and materials. You lay it according to the instructions, but there comes a time of the year when the hydraulic floor lifts up, causing aesthetic problems, even breaking the materials. These are the 2 reasons why this happens, to give you an idea.
Cement tile rises, but it's not a mystery
When a hydraulic floor tile lifts up, it is not because it is of poor quality or because the tile adhesive has not done its job. It is simply because there are 2 major factors to take into account. Here are the 2 reasons:
1.- Humidity
The great enemy of old or modern cement tiles is humidity both indoors and outdoors. Most of these little accidents happen in summer with high temperatures or in winter when temperatures are very low, where temperature changes affect the design and cause the materials to lift or increase in size. This should be taken into consideration when working in places with extreme cold or unbearable heat.
Why is moisture the problem? This problem has the ability to creep in from all sides. In the case of cement tiles, if they are not sealed and waterproofed, they will get into the concrete screed, so somehow or other all the vapour has to get out. In short, your floor is going to sweat.
2.- A bad job on the counter-floor
Number 2 goes hand in hand with number 1. Moisture gets in and out for one simple reason: The subfloor, which all such works have, is of poor quality, simply not thick enough for the climatic sector of the site.
The hydraulic floor rises, but there is a solution. Above all, in the hands of professionals.
Tips when installing hydraulic mosaic tiles
Once the surface on which the cement tiles or mosaics are to be laid has been levelled and filled, the pieces should be laid in a layout to ensure the result before laying. If a traditional carpet format is chosen, start from the centre of the design, then lay the border pieces and finally lay the outer pieces and cut them to the required shape using a wet disc or grinder.
Preparation of the tile
A good preparation of the cement tile is fundamental to guarantee its subsequent maintenance, and a high level result once the installation is done. First of all, and once we have all the flooring installed, it is advisable to wash each of the tiles with neutral liquid soap mixed with water. It is important not to use any type of abrasive liquid such as ammonia bleach, or anything that may deteriorate the appearance of the cement tile.
Once the liquid soap and water solution has been applied, it is very important to wait until the floor is completely dry to avoid the appearance of stains. After this step, it remains to apply a pore-covering product that will prevent stains caused by future accidental spills, here we recommend using our waterproofing product. Torra sealer
The work carried out when laying cement tiles can cause water to evaporate, leading to the appearance of calcification deposits with a whitish appearance. However, they will disappear easily by washing with neutral soap, or you can also use our cleaning product. Torra floor cleaner for more effective cleaning.
By following these simple steps, we will prepare the floor and protect it from damp, stains and daily wear and tear. Afterwards, it will only be necessary to periodically carry out a very simple maintenance, which will preserve all the properties of the cement tile using our daily use product, Torra maintenance, which will clean and preserve the shine of your hydraulic floor.
Placement:
With the help of a sponge, wet the surface completely to facilitate the adhesion of the mosaic and the tile adhesive.
Apply the adhesive to the floor surface evenly, then place the adhesive on the tile, what we would call double gluing, try to brush the adhesive in the same direction on both surfaces, otherwise trapped air bubbles can cause the mosaic or cement tile to lift.
It is recommended not to use any black rubber mallet as it could stain the pieces, instead, it should be pressed with the palm of the hand to place them in the right position and level. Pay attention to the levelling of the mosaics, because unlike marble and granite, mosaics cannot be levelled with a polishing machine as we would damage the hydraulic floor in a totally irreversible way.
Avoid leaving adhesive residue on the pieces, as once dry, it makes cleaning difficult. When the installation is finished, if the hydraulic floor is very dirty with remains of the work itself, we recommend cleaning it with our product. Torra floor cleaner, Please read our instruction manual carefully for correct application.
As you can see, the installation of mosaics and cement tiles seems simple, however, it has its problems and risks, so it is recommended to hire specialised and trained people, in order to get a good job, saving time and money.
Protection of cement tiles
When it comes to installing cement tiles, attention to every detail is essential to ensure a flawless result. Perfect alignment and levelling of each tile is essential to achieve a visually appealing and durable finish. However, meticulous installation is not enough; aftercare is equally crucial.
Sealer plays a vital role in the maintenance and protection of cement tiles. Beyond improving their appearance, it acts as a barrier against the absorption of stubborn stains, reducing their porosity and prolonging their lifespan. It is essential to use our waterproofing Torra sealer in order to preserve the beauty and integrity of the tiles without altering their original appearance.
When applying the sealer, it is essential to ensure that the surface is completely clean and dry. Using a roller or a 20 cm trowel, which is the width of most of the cement tiles used, makes the task easier and allows you to get into tricky corners with ease. Accuracy in the application of the sealer is key; an excess of product could leave unwanted stains. Therefore, carefully follow the instructions that Mosaics Torra has on each of its products and this will guarantee optimum protection without compromising the aesthetics of the cement tiles.
It should be noted that before applying the sealant it is advisable to test on a small piece of tile to observe the reaction. From this point on, the sealing procedure can be carried out with confidence.
Now I have the floor installed or I am thinking of buying hydraulic mosaic, but... What maintenance should I do? Whether for interiors or exteriors, hydraulic mosaic tile requires regular maintenance. This maintenance allows to preserve the floor and to reinforce the protective layer of waterproofing treatment.
For daily cleaning you can use neutral soaps (no acids) and once a week mop the floor with a diluted glass of Torra wax tile in a bucket of water. In this way, we clean the cement tile and normal dirt while nourishing and restoring the floor treatment.
Tips on mosaic care
In this post we want to give you some tips to follow to keep your hydraulic floor impeccable as the first day.
Cleanliness: What is the floor stained with?
For each type of stain, we will use the most suitable cleaning product. The Torra Floor Cleaner, is ideal for cleaning building site debris, cement and salt efflorescence. For other types of stains you will have to use a neutral soap or another type of specific cleaner. You can contact us for advice.
Treatment How to treat indoor cement tiles, what about outdoor tiles, is it necessary?
Treating the floor means saturating the porosity of the tiles, protecting them against all kinds of domestic stains while maintaining the natural colour or intensifying it with a wet effect, enhancing the colours of the tiles. It is therefore absolutely necessary and 100% recommended. The treatment products act as water-repellent and oil-repellent, i.e. they waterproof the tiles while maintaining the natural tone or enhancing the natural beauty of the Hydraulic Mosaic floors. We have two products available (for both indoor and outdoor use):
TORRA SEALER if we want to treat the floor while maintaining its natural tone,
TORRA BRITE SEALER to treat the hydraulic floor by reviving the colours achieving a wet effect and satin finish.
These products help protect against indoor weathering, salt efflorescence and household stains.
TORRA STONE SEALER It has an anti-frost effect and a natural, matt finish. Ideal for keeping your outdoor hydraulic floors in perfect condition or in damp areas.
What about Wax for Hydraulic Floor? Apply or not.
What do the experts recommend? If we want to obtain a more intense and uniform shine and leave the floor much smoother to facilitate ordinary maintenance, we can apply liquid noble wax over the waterproofing here we would recommend you our wax TORRA WAX TILE. Moreover, it will protect hydraulic soils in an additional way.
