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Glass is a versatile surfacing material that can be used on many vertical surfaces both indoors and out. It can be used in wet areas such as showers, pools and fountains and in areas with freeze / thaw conditions. It should not be subjected to thermal shock. Some glass tile can be used on light duty floors that will not be subjected to excessive wear.
Glass tile should only be installed over cured and stable substrates. If there is any question about the stability of the substrate, a crack suppression membrane should be used.
Use white setting materials. A high quality latex-modified white thin set is recommended. Epoxy setting materials and grout products may also be used.
Always “back butter” each piece with the mortar to ensure a perfect bond to the mortar bed with no voids or trowel marks.
Install leaving even spacing between the tiles, at least 1/16 of an inch. Install expansion joints where tile abuts restraining surfaces and at the perimeter of the installation. Install with a uniform grout joint, do not “butt set”.
Most glass tile can easily be cut with a standard glass cutter or a mechanical “score and snap” tile cutter. Rough edges may be smoothed with a sanding stone or emery cloth. Always use safety goggles and gloves when cutting glass.
Glass tile may also be cut using a wet saw with a diamond blade designed specifically for glass, such as MK215GL from MK Diamond Products. Using a ceramic tile cutting blade will chip the cut edges of the tile. Some glass tile is actually clear glass with a colored epoxy coating applied to the back of the tile. Cutting the tile face down on the wet saw (with the epoxy coating up) often produces a cut with less chipping of the epoxy. Rough edges on the face can be smoothed with emery cloth.
Grout should fill joints to just below the “shoulder” of the tile, which will reveal the unique clarity of the material when finished. Relief tiles should be taped off, pre-sealed, or bag grouted to reduce grout grab. The use of a latex add-mixture in the grout is recommended.
Glass tile should not be exposed to high abrasion, mechanical or thermal shock. Some glass tile may arrive with a white residue on the back of the tiles. This is normal and does not affect installation. The white material is a kiln-release, which prevents the glass from adhering to the kiln during firing. Avoid abrasive cleaners or chemicals which may permanently damage glass surface.
Thinner glass tile may be used with thicker material such as ceramic tile or stone. In this case, use a plastic backspacer to compensate for the difference in thickness between the materials. Do not overbuild the mortar behind as it may shrink excessively and cause breakage.
Please read and follow recommended installation specifications carefully. NO ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE MADE AFTER INSTALLATION.
Substrates
The performance of a properly installed thin-set tile application is dependent upon the durability and dimensional stability of the substrate to which it is bonded.
Plywood, due to its high degree of expansion and contraction, is not a suitable substrate for glass tile products.
Traditionally, wire-reinforced mortar beds, cured 7 days prior to installation, and cementitious board units (CBU, Wonder Board, Hardi Backer) are recommended substrates for most applications. For wall installations in interior DRY AREAS, drywall is widely accepted as a substrate, however a professional evaluation should be made to ensure that the installation will not be subjected to moisture.
The industry minimum standard for curing of concrete is 28 days. For cold exterior and high moisture climates the cure times can extend to 60 days or more.
Please refer to the Tile Council of America (TCA) Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation 2003 (www.tileusa.com) to determine the proper substrate and method of installation for your project.
All materials should be used according to manufacturers’ directions. Due to the translucent nature of glass, the color choice of the bonding material will impact the appearance of the final installation. We recommend the use of white bonding mortars mixed with specific latex add-mixes. Carefully follow manufacturer’s recommended cure times for all setting materials. Pool, spa, and all submerged applications require a minimum of a 21-day cure time after grouting before the installation can be submerged or exposed to heavy water use.
Ceramic Tile or Marble Mastics (organic adhesives) are not appropriate for installing glass tile. The resulting very low bond strength from the use of mastics will result in job failure. In addition, discoloration and yellowing will occur behind translucent glass tile within a short period of time if mastics are used.
Setting materials may be tinted to change the overall appearance of glass tile installations, however, it is important that this recommendation must come from the setting material manufacturer as we do not recommend altering the manufacturer’s products, nor do we recommend setting our products in latex modified grouts.
Please review the following list of setting materials. They are products that have proven successful in testing. This is important since Thin-Set and Latex can vary considerably. As mixing brands will void manufacturers’ warranties, manufacturer’s directions should be followed explicitly. Do not dilute the admixture with water.
ACCEPTABLE SETTING MATERIALS -
Select one of these required (white) Thin–Set Mortar Systems
• Custom Building Products: Premium Plus Thin-Set Mortar mixed with Custom Flex Ultra-Strength Thin-Set Additive • Custom Building Products*: 50% Universal Tile Setting Adhesive, 50% Premium Plus mixed with 100% Custom Flex Ultra-Strength Thin-Set Additive • Custom Building Products: Mega Flex Ultimate Thin-Set Mortar • Laticrete: 317 Thin-Set Powder mixed with Laticrete 333 add-mix • Mapei: Kerabond Premium Dry-Set Mortar (KER 102) mixed with Keralastic Mortar Admix (KER 310) • TEC (H.B. Fuller): Super Flex Premium Performance Universal Latex-Modified Thin-Set Mortar (no admixture is necessary) • Flextile: 52 Versatile Floor Mortar (no admixture is necessary)
All adhesives need to sit (slack) a minimum of 10-15 minutes after mixing, before being used.
To locate the nearest distributor for any of the above setting materials, please contact the manufacturer directly:
Custom Building Products 800-272-8786 or on the web at: www.custombuildingproducts.com Laticrete 800-243-4788 or on the web at: www.laticrete.com TEC (H.B. Fuller) 800-323-7407 or on the web at: www.hbfuller.com Mapei 800-426-2734 or on the web at: www.mapei.com Flextile 800-699-3623 or on the web at: www.flextile.com
Helio glass tiles may be cut to meet job site dimensions with the use of a high quality wet diamond saw. Cutting the tile face down on the wet saw (epoxy coating facing up) will produce a cut with less chipping of the epoxy backing. For smaller projects, a score-and-snap method can also be used. Rough edges may be smoothed with a sanding stone or emery cloth.
Always use safety goggles and gloves when cutting glass.
To successfully drill the glass tile, a water swivel and small fractional core bit work best.
• Custom Building Products: Polyblend Sanded Tile Grout • Laticrete: 1500 Series Tile Grout or equivalent We recommend standard sanded grout products.
• Mapei: Ker 200 Series and Ker 700 Series Ultra/Color • TEC: Accucolor Premium Sanded Tile Grout
NOTE: An acrylic grout admix can improve freeze-thaw resistance. Check with the manufacturer for their recommendation on specific applications.
Install grout mix according to manufacturer’s instructions. Grout joints shall be full and uniformly finished. Due to the impervious quality of glass, the grout will take longer to begin setting up as compared to a more porous material like ceramic tile. For initial cleaning of grout from the tile face, use clean, dry cheesecloth. This method will wick additional moisture from the grout and avoid washing out the grout joints. Use only a clean, damp sponge for the final washing and smoothing of the grout joints. Take care to remove grout promptly to avoid a grout haze residue. For final polishing of excess grout haze use a clean, soft cloth.
TIP: AFTER 48 HOURS OF CURING, A CLEANING SOLUTION SUCH AS STONE AND TILE STRIPPER CAN BE USED FOR FINAL CLEANING.
Follow instructions on Expansion Joints EJ 171-02 or current year instructions in the Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation published by the Tile Council of America. Expansion joint requirements will vary depending on substrata, climate, and size of installation.
Expansion / Control / Flexible Joint Filler Products • Laticrete: Latasil NS (non-sag), Latisil SP (floors) • Sikaflex: 1A or 2C Polyurethane-based Sealant • Certain applications may require a different type of sealant.
NOTE: This information is general in nature and may not apply to specific applications. All specifications shall conform to local building codes, ordinances, trade standards and practices, and climactic conditions. Consideration must also be given to the suitability of glass tile for certain types of installations.