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How to install and care for Natural Stone Tiles?

Natural stone tiles may not be the easiest material to use and maintain for walls and flooring, but they are certainly one of the most rewarding both in terms of quality, and also return on investment since it is widely believed that a natural stone wall or floor will increase the value of your property. In addition to these benefits, natural stone tiles also are extremely hard wearing, and in most cases, with some care and attention, will last as long as the house does.

As already mentioned, there is perhaps more work involved both in fitting and maintaining natural stole tiles, than there is in some alternatives such as wood flooring. One reason for this is because stone is a very strong material that is more difficult to cut than a wood board, or even a ceramic tile, which would be scored and snapped. In addition to this, you may need to prepare the surface of the sub-floor upon which your tiles will be laid if it is uneven or cracked. This can be done in most cases with a good quality self-levelling compound, available from all respectable tile and flooring specialists.

When preparing natural stone tiles for laying, be sure to spend time inspecting them both for chips and surface scratches. Typically, natural stone tiles will arrive with a light wax coating to protect them from potential damage in transit. Don't worry too much about cleaning the tiles before you lay them – this will need to be done after they've been laid and grouted anyway. Try to work out of several packs of tiles when laying, to help you achieve a truly random and harmonious aesthetic.

When it comes to cutting natural stone tiles, the best way to do this is with an electric tile wet cutter. In addition to stone tiles being quite thick and strong, they are also a natural material and will therefore by nature have veins and faults in it, making it unsuitable to be cut using a manual tile cutter, which would be more likely to shatter the tile as opposed to snap it. Be aware that wet cutting can be messy and create significant amounts of dust and debris; therefore try to either perform the cutting outdoors, or in a safe environment. Always take care to wear hand and eye protection as well as suitable clothing, and remove and power sockets or electrical equipment that is likely to get wet in the process.

When marking a cut line on a natural stone tile, you may prefer to use a crayon as oppoed to a pencil which is likely to not make a significant mark on the tile. Take care to go extra slow when reaching the end of your cut, as if you go too fast and force the tile through it is likely to break rendering it difficult to use. If you are cutting a particularly large tile, try to get someone to help you steady the tile as you cut, since the weight of either piece of tile can start to pull the whole piece apart – encouraging a snap - as you advance through the tile.

Laying your natural stone tiles is a relatively simple process involving the use of tile adhesive to fix the tiles to the surface. Some types of particularly porous tile such as travertine require ‘back-buttering' with tile adhesive before they're laid. This is also important if your tiles have any cracks in the underside, since ‘buttering' will help to seal the crack and add strength, and the process is considered good practise in any situation. Take care when laying natural stone tiles, as they can be quite heavy. Take care to minimise unnecessary stretching to reduce the risk of back-strain. You can use a spirit level to help check your tile is level before moving onto the next one, and a gentle tap from a small mallet can help to encourage any corners that are too high.

Grouting your natural stone tiles after they've been laid is again, a fairly simple process. Do use a mask when mixing your tile grout as it can be a considerably dusty process. Always mix your grout powder with clean, cold water, and if you're laying your tiles in a bathroom or kitchen, you wish to use a tile grout that features anti-bacterial agents to reduce the growth of mould and mildew. Using the edge of a trowel, generously fill in the gaps between your tiles (created by using spacers) and smooth it over the surface at a 45 degree angle to the floor. A grout profiling tool can help after you've applied the grout to smooth the fill off, and remove any unwanted excess.

Caring for your natural stone tiles, it an important to remember, and before you finish your tiling job, you need to seal the tiles, to prevent the stone from becoming stained. This seal needs to be applied after tiles have been cleaned, and any residual dust, adhesive or grout has been removed with a residual remover. After applying and removing the residual remover, a seal can then be added to help prevent materials and liquids from entering the pores of the stone and leaving potential marks. This seal needs to be regularly maintained in order to keep the tiles in good condition, and can even be added to through the use of enhancing products to bring out the natural grain and contrasts of the stone.

About the Author

Topps Tile's offers a wide range of high-quality Natural Stone Tiles, and offer expert advice on how to install and maintain your floor.

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