Installation Guide

Color Appeal Installation Guide
Before you Begin:
Glass tiles are designed to provide a lifetime of
beauty and use. However they are not designed to
be used on floors or counter tops. Installation
procedures differ slightly depending on the size of the
glass tiles. The following is a general installation
guide for glass tiles. As most installations differ in
one respect or another it is always recommended to
use products from Custom, Laticrete, or Mapei per
guidelines supported by the The Tile Council of
America Installation Guide (NTCA) revised 2012
www.tcnatile.com , the National Tile Contractors
Association www.tile-assn.com and respective
installation materials manufactures’ guides for the
most up to date procedures.
Glass tiles may be installed on interior or exterior wall
areas, in wet or dry locations but not submerged into
water totally .Glass differs from ceramic products, so
extra caution and attention to installation instructions
is recommended. In every case glass tiles should not
be exposed to high abrasion, high impact and thermal
shock or installed over flexible surfaces.
Important-Many substrates may continue to cure and
shrink over a period of months, and a crack
suppression membrane prevents shrinkage or
movement of the substrate to mirror through the tile.
Install only over well-cured, stable substrates. Allow
for an expansion joint whenever substrates change.
Acceptable substrates would include cement mortar
beds, gypsum wall board (dry areas only), and
concrete backer boards.
Step 1:
Use a modified flexible white thin-set mortar (meeting
the minimum specifications of ANSI 118.4 or ISO-
C2SI) or a 2-component, flexible acrylic thin-set
mortar system formulated for interior and exterior wall
installations. Using the flat side of a trowel to initiate
the bond coat, firmly apply the setting material to the
substrate.
Step 2:
With additional setting material, using a 3/16” x1/4” V-
Notch trowel, comb horizontal, full notches in one
direction to establish the proper depth of the setting
bed.
Step 3:
Using the flat side of the trowel, flatten the notches to
achieve a smooth, consistent setting bed
approximately 1/8” thick.
Step: 4
Apply sheets into the setting bed using light even
pressure to establish contact and eliminate any voids.
Step: 5
To achieve a uniform surface, tap lightly using a
wooden beating block and a hammer.
Caution: Do not use rubber floats or steel trowels for
this step.
Step: 6
Apply each subsequent sheet so that grout joints line
up and a consistent field is maintained.
Prior to setting each sheet, check the setting bed for
skinning (slight drying of the thin set surface). If
skinning occurs, remove thin-set and repeat steps 2 &
3.
Step: 7
To unify the tile surface from one sheet to the next,
use a wooden beating block and hammer, again
lightly tapping from one sheet to the next.
Grouting:
Adequate time must be given for bonding materials to
dry prior to grouting. This drying time may be
extended when membranes or larger glass tile are
used. Non sanded grout is recommended on glass,
metal, and stone tiles to avoid scratching. Sanded
grout can be used; however SPECIAL CARE MUST
be used. Sanded grout can easily scratch the surface
of glass, metals, and stone. Use only soft rubber
grout float, sponge, and cloth. Glass tile should be
clean and joints cleared to a consistent depth of
bonding mortar prior to grouting. This will help to
ensure consistent grout color and shadowing through
the sides of the glass tiles. Extended set time is
required when grouting glass tiles. Extra time and
care should be used to leave no heavy grout haze
that would take harsh chemicals to remove at a later
time. Refer to grout manufacturer’s instructions.
Cutting:
It is always recommended to use a wet saw with
cutting blade designed to cut glass tiles.
Cutting Thick, Etched or Textured Glass:
Use a diamond blade designed for cutting glass on a
wet saw. A blade for cutting glass is thin, has smaller
diamonds than a tile blade, has a continuous rim and
generally runs at a slower speed.
Note: A blade designed for cutting ceramic tiles is
coarse and will chip the glass. A ceramic tile cutter is
not recommended. Always cut glass tile with the
rotation of the blade into the back side of the glass
tile. Whenever possible cut edges should be sanded
and placed in corners where they can be covered or
hidden.
Cleaning – for routine cleaning, use a non-abrasive
cleaning compound recommended for either glass or
tile. Follow rinsing instructions carefully. A grout
sealer may be used to facilitate clean up.
Recommended By Aqua Mix:
Aqua Mix Concentrated Stone & Tile Cleaner
Aqua Mix Heavy Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner
Aqua Mix Stone Deep Clean
Recommended By Stone Tech:
DuPont-Stone Tech Professional Tile and Stone
Cleaner
Stone Tech KlenzAll