Facing the steps of a porch or flight of stairs using clinker tile material is rightfully considered one of the most successful options for decorating a porch group. Extruded clinker has great strength and abrasion resistance, practically does not slip in rain and snow. Laying clinker steps, material installation technology is not much more complicated than sticking any other ceramic tiles, if you follow certain work rules and manufacturer's requirements.

Features of using clinker tiles for facing steps of the porch

If you wish, you can find a huge amount of information materials that tell in detail about how to properly lay clinker steps. But most of the advice and recommendations on laying technology are based on pure theory, without taking into account the specifics of the clinker material, therefore they do not provide answers to working questions.

Before undertaking the laying of clinker tiles, the following must be taken into account:

• Buying good clinker is much more difficult than porcelain stoneware or natural stone tiles. Spanish and German tile materials are most in demand, there is practically no Russian clinker for facing steps, and the one that is is of very mediocre quality;
• As for any other ceramic materials, the technology of laying clinker tiles provides for the obligatory exposure of expansion gaps;
• Despite the high hardness and strength, clinker has a tendency to uncontrolled cracking when cutting, so before laying, first of all, you will need to master the technology of high-quality accurate cutting to size;
• The durability of the steps and expensive tiles in the first place depends on how correctly the brand of the adhesive mixture is chosen.

The steps of a porch or flight of stairs experience a huge load during operation. For example, the tearing force of moisture freezing at the joints can split heavy-duty clinker material up to 20 mm thick. Therefore, the laying technology involves the use of special glue of increased strength.

Advice! Trying to skimp on adhesives, grouts or impregnations is the best way to ruin the whole job.

According to most experts, the main cause of chips and defects is the poor quality of the adhesive composition or ignoring the technology of laying the clinker material. When facing steps, it must be remembered that any adhesives, especially for ceramics and clinker tiles, have a large shrinkage.

For certain brands of tile adhesive, the shrinkage value can reach half the shrinkage characteristic for fresh concrete. If you guess with the thickness of the adhesive layer and withstand the laying technology, then due to the high adhesion of the rough clinker surface, you can achieve durability of the facing of the steps for 20-25 years of use. Whereas for porcelain stoneware, the periodic gluing of rebounded facing tiles on the steps is considered quite an ordinary phenomenon.

Preparation for laying clinker on the steps of the porch

The technology of tile installation requires careful preparation for the process of laying the facing material. The process is usually divided into three independent sections:

• Preparation of the concrete surface of the steps of the porch. It will be necessary to remove all defects, sinks and influxes of concrete mass, cut the concrete surface of the tread and riser with a grinder so as to obtain the most flat base for tile gluing;
• Clean the concrete steps from dust and debris, apply two coats of acrylic deep penetration primer. This technology provides good waterproofing of concrete;
• If possible, plan the steps of the porch according to the number of tiles planned for laying so that an integer number of clinker elements fit across the entire width of the flight of stairs;
• Unpack all packages and mix clinker tiles from different packs into one mass. This allows you to even out the color and shade of the facing of the steps.

It may be necessary to additionally trim the clinker cladding. For example, tile material produced in Spain usually "sins" with the presence of extrusion flash and a wide variation in side sizes ranging from 2 to 5 mm.

In accordance with the technology, non-standard tiles must be sized and cut on the sides before proceeding to laying them. Otherwise, the width of the seams and the accuracy of the installation of the tiled material will “walk”, which will necessarily affect the quality and appearance of the steps of the porch.

Note! Corner clinker tiles, as a rule, are always smaller than ordinary ones, so laying and marking always start with corner elements.

After putting in order and priming the concrete surface of the steps according to the technology, it is necessary to perform a “dry” laying of the clinker. To do this, the calibrated clinker is laid out on steps with shrinkage gaps. Since the porch may have an expanding or rounded flight of stairs, the number of tiles on each step may be different, and in order not to be confused, each element is marked by the step number and position from the left edge. After that, the tiles are collected in a stack, starting from the right edge, the first tiles in the stack will be at the top.

Two ways to correctly lay the clinker material on the steps

Most of the problems with laying clinker tiles arise from mindless copying of the standard laying technology recommended by the manufacturer. For example, the Spaniards recommend making compensating gaps no more than 4-5 mm. For the hot Spanish climate, such technology installations are quite acceptable, since the “hot-cold” temperature difference on the steps of the porch is relatively small.

For our climate, according to the technology, it will be necessary to withstand a joint up to 10 mm thick. Moreover, in some video tutorials on styling technology, for example, as in the video

The exemplary laying of clinker tiles is carried out practically without a gap, with an “overflow” of the adhesive mass, which, after laying and pressing the tile, is squeezed out into the space under the capinos and, as a result, causes the edge to break off.

There are two ways to properly install tile material:

• Hinged scheme with support of the riser on polypropylene wedges;
• Laying tiles and risers with an increased gap between the top and bottom tread tiles.

In both cases, a technique prohibited by official technology is used - contrary to the recommendations, the riser does not rest on the surface of the lower clinker tile, it is attached with glue to the vertical plane of concrete. Moreover, the gaps between the riser and the tread tile material have been increased from 6-7 mm to 10 mm.

What gives such a violation of technology? Firstly, the risk of the riser plate being squeezed upwards is reduced, as a result, the kapinos does not chip off even with severe watering and frost. The joint is filled with an elastic sealant that protects and at the same time compensates for the thermal expansion of the material. Secondly, the clinker lining of the step does not lose its appearance, since the seam is practically invisible from the side.

Clinker laying technology, option one

We start the laying process from the top step; according to the technology, it will be necessary to lay the corner elements from the left and right sides. Each riser tile will need to be cut with a grinder and adjusted to the size of the corner tread plate, since the corner due to the lateral extension of the kapinos is 15-20 mm smaller than the standard size.

After the riser, we lay the corner slab itself. We level the first riser and lay the rest on the glue, checking the vertical plane of the cladding with a level.

We lay out each riser on polypropylene wedges, with which you can easily adjust and fix the tile in a certain position. In this case, according to the technology, the distance between the upper edge of the riser and the base of the upper step should be 10 mm.

After laying the vertical slabs, we proceed to the facing of the tread. To level the surface, we use the previously laid corner clinker tiles. Part of the glue is applied to the concrete and rubbed with force over the surface, after which we level it with a notched trowel. We apply the second part of the glue to the tile and also make a comb, but in a perpendicular direction, as in the video

Each tile must be carefully aligned in a row with the help of a building level and a ruler along the horizon and along the overhang of the kapinos. In general, the tread of the step should have a slope of 3-4 o to ensure the flow of water.

After four to six hours, it is necessary to remove the remnants of the adhesive mixture from the joints, and after another day, grout using a branded waterproof material. The gap between the capinos and the upper edge of the riser is filled with silicone in the color of the step.

Laying tiles according to classical technology

Unlike the previous method, in this case, first of all, tread tiles are cut out, adjusted and laid. If the steps have numerous defects or not quite even surface geometry, then you can try to correct the situation using the technology of “suspended” laying of the clinker lining of the tread.

As in the previous case, each slab is carefully tried on at the location on the steps and, if necessary, cut to size. Thin tile material, up to about 10 mm thick, can be cut with a tile cutter. A thick clinker slab is cut with a grinder with the obligatory subsequent grinding of the end and edge of the material.

The next step is to lay the tiles on the adhesive in the usual manner. Since the concrete surface of the step base has not quite the correct geometry, an increased layer of glue is laid according to the technology to remove the tread plane. At the same time, a gap of 7-8 mm must be left between the vertical concrete plane of the step and the rear edge of the tile.

Immediately after laying all the clinkers, a small amount of mounting foam is blown into this gap. While the foam hardens, it is necessary to trim all the tiles horizontally. As a result, the clinker tiles are suspended on a thin strip of hardened foam. A thick layer of glue is not squeezed out, but evenly fills all the defects in the steps. The remains of the foam are cut off and proceed to the laying of the risers.

According to technology, the height of each vertical tile will need to be measured using a ruler or square.

6 mm is subtracted from the obtained value, this is necessary in order to obtain a gap of 3 mm between the lower and upper edges. Laying of riser clinker tiles on glue is carried out according to traditional technology. Part of the adhesive is applied with a spatula to the concrete, part to the tile, leveled with a comb and placed on the wall, as in the video

After the preliminary setting of the adhesive base, after about two days, all seams are carefully cleaned of glue residue and rubbed with a tinted mixture. As a grout, you can use Ceresit, diluted with Idrostuk-M liquid, which gives the composition good water-repellent properties.

Conclusion

After the grout has dried, the clinker tiles must be thoroughly washed and dried several times. It remains to solve the problem of sealing two horizontal seams located along the upper and lower edges of the riser. Using the tool, we press a layer of brown silicone along both edges. To smooth the silicone, pre-spray the sealant with soapy water and level with a plastic spatula. The clinker tiles laid in this way will easily survive the shrinkage of the concrete base of the steps and the most extreme temperature loads.

This article gives a brief description of clinker tiles: advantages and disadvantages, scope. The methods of mounting clinker tiles on the facade of the house, features and tips for laying are considered.

What is clinker tiles

Clinker itself is a finishing material of artificial origin, the birthplace of which is considered to be Holland. As early as the beginning of the 19th century. clinker - an artificial stone with high strength indicators - began to be produced for finishing the facades of houses and paving roads.

Modern technology for the production of clinker tiles is as follows:

• shale clay mixed with additives and pigment additives is fed to the extruder, which is then passed through special holes (the so-called tile molding process);
• the finished flat “tape” of clay is cut into equal parts, after which the blanks are conveyed to the kiln for firing by a conveyor. The temperature in the furnace reaches 1300 C, as a result of which clay billets, passing a path of 150 m along the "tunnel", are sintered and form a high-strength material with a uniform consistency.

Pros and cons of clinker tiles for facade decoration of houses

Clinker tiles for facade cladding have their own advantages and disadvantages.

• Resistant to adverse weather conditions. Clinker tile has increased frost resistance and heat resistance, it does not fade in the sun, does not absorb or pass moisture, and is resistant to aggressive environments.
• High strength. Clinker is “not afraid” of small scratches or other small mechanical damage.
• Durability. Such tiles can be used for decades - they will not lose their appearance due to their excellent heat-resistant properties. In addition, clinker tiles are wear-resistant, therefore, in addition to facade decoration, they are also used for finishing plinths and walkways.

As for the shortcomings, there are only two main ones:

• Relatively high brittleness. Clinker tiles will withstand any impact, up to “testing” it in aggressive environments, however, it is very “afraid” of impacts - perhaps due to thermal firing.
• High price. Clinker is clinker, and its prices are often very high. For comparison: ordinary porcelain stoneware, compared to clinker tiles, will cost 370 rubles / m2, while clinker tiles will cost an average of 1000–1200 rubles / m2. Manufacturers write off prices for clinker tiles on the complexity of the manufacturing technology of such tiles.

Types of clinker tiles

There are two types of tiles that are divided:

• in appearance: rectangular and square tiles are produced, which have a different color scheme. Tiles of various textured surfaces (smooth and rough) are also produced, which are an imitation of bricks or paving stones.

• according to the field of application: clinker tiles are used as finishing steps of stairs and walls - inside and outside the premises. Depending on the application of the tile, its properties also differ: for example, clinker tiles of increased wear resistance with a rough (anti-slip) surface are required for steps, and tiles with a smooth coating can be used for the facade.

Brief instructions for installing clinker tiles

The installation technology of clinker tiles involves the following steps:

• Substrate preparation for laying
• Preparation of the glue mixture
• Laying tiles
• Grouting

Let's consider each stage in more detail.

Clinker tile installation technology

There are two fundamentally different ways of laying clinker tiles for facade decoration - “dry” and “wet”. Each of the methods has its own characteristics.

"Dry" laying method

It does not require the preparation of an adhesive solution, and the installation is carried out using panels, which are elements fixed on the base. Expanded polystyrene is used as the basis, which also acts as a heater. Tile panels are supplied complete with fasteners designed specifically for fixing them to the walls.

Advice: with a perfectly flat surface, the installation of thermal panels with clinker tiles can be done directly on the base of the wall with self-tapping screws or dowels for concrete. If the surface is uneven, then it is desirable to make a supporting frame - from wooden or metal profiles (with mandatory control of the level of the racks).

If you make a frame for the panels yourself, you can additionally insulate the structure by laying heat, steam and waterproofing.

The design of such thermal panels is a three-layer element: clinker, polystyrene foam, sand. The layers are fastened together in such a way that the clinker surface is the third, finishing layer - such a “pie” has excellent sound and heat insulation properties.

It should be noted that the dry method uses clinker tiles for a ventilated facade.

Pros: light weight, ease of installation (after installation, no additional work is required to seal the seams), no need to strengthen the foundation of the house (as opposed to using real brick as a facing material), moisture resistance, ease of maintenance. Reinforcement of panels contributes to rigid fixation of the form and prevention of their deformation.

Cons: high (compared to conventional clinker tiles) cost of the panels themselves.

"Wet" laying method

It differs from “dry” by the use of an adhesive solution. At the same time, the facade cladding is made piece by piece, i.e., by separate elements. Clinker tiles are glued to the prepared surface using special adhesive mixtures.

Important: "wet" method of mounting clinker involves the use of a substrate of insulation, fixed on a primed wall with self-tapping screws. Thermal insulation is additionally reinforced and leveled; after that, the tiles are laid.

This technology for installing clinker tiles is similar to laying tiles - the surface is also marked, aligned according to the level of the elements, and crosses are installed to align the tile joints. The adhesive mixture should be applied with a fine-toothed trowel. The final stage is grouting.

Pros: durability, aesthetic appearance, strength, easy installation, ease of care.
Cons: more time-consuming, compared to the "dry" method, the laying process.

Do-it-yourself installation of clinker tiles

Facing the facade of the house on your own is not a very complicated process, if you approach it with all responsibility. What is included in the self-laying of clinker tiles on the facade walls of the house?

Preparation of the base for cladding. Since the clinker tiles are laid on concrete or plastered surfaces, the base should be made almost perfectly flat. This also includes cleaning the surface of dust, cement residues, plastering (as needed), and applying a primer. It will be necessary to prime in at least two layers - to increase the adhesion properties of the base with the back side of the tiled surface.

Advice: heat-insulating material can be used for the substrate - it has a good bearing capacity, and additional wall insulation will not hurt. In addition, wall insulation reduces the formation of condensate, which has a detrimental effect on concrete structures.

Selection of good glue and preparation of the adhesive solution. As a rule, facade work requires high quality in everything, and finishing materials are no exception, especially since when carrying out outdoor work, both finishing and consumables are subject to increased requirements. Therefore, the adhesive solution for clinker tiles, which is used for facade cladding, must be of more than high quality, and have such qualities as moisture resistance, frost resistance, and good adhesive properties.

Important! Before lubricating the back side of the tile with glue, the surface must be moistened with water or a primer - this increases the adhesive properties of the finishing material.

The installation of clinker tiles. Laying should begin with window and door openings: measure the distance between the openings, calculate the laying boundaries, make all the necessary markings with a pencil. Perhaps this part of the process is considered the most important work - it is from them that tiles should be laid out so that the appearance of the facade looks neat and symmetrical. After the windows and doors are “dressed”, you can proceed to the corners of the house - today tile manufacturers produce special “corner” finishing materials, due to which there are no joints at the corners, and the corners themselves have a beautiful design.

Advice: as a rule, wall cladding with clinker tiles is carried out in sections of 1 m? - this is very convenient, especially if the walls are planned to be laid out “with patterns”. And the "extra" pieces of tiles can be cut off.

The last step in the installation of clinker tiles is the finishing of the outer window sill, after which the tile joints are grouted.

For grouting, certain skills will be required to level the tile joints. Since clinker tiles are different from conventional tiles, a “special” technology will be required to control the evenness of the lines of tile joints. Some experts recommend "working" with a round bar up to 8 mm in size.

Advice: since the clinker tiles are laid on the entire length of the wall in even rows, it is impossible to use beacon crosses, as is the case with ordinary tiles. In this case, an excellent solution would be to use a rod that is placed on a row of laid tiles. Round bars laid along the entire perimeter of the facade provide perfectly even seam lines.

As for sealing the seams, there are two ways to do it: either use the usual grout of the desired color (as when laying ordinary tiles), or use rods. The result will be much better, because in this case, straight lines are obtained. The bars are placed in dense rows until the tile is completely set with the wall surface, then the bars should be very carefully removed from the tile joints. After removal, the seams will look very clear and impressive, and the space between them can be rubbed - with any grout to match the common wall or in a different color.

In general, the process of facing the facade with clinker tiles practically does not differ from facing the internal walls with ceramic tiles. The difference lies only in the form and properties of the material, as well as in the type of adhesive mixture. Using the skills of laying tiles, you can independently install the clinker tiles on the insulation during the finishing of the facade walls.

Clinker tiles, made from baked clay, are an alternative facing material, the cost of which is much lower than that of natural and artificial stone. In the manufacture of clinker tiles, the method of single or double firing is used, which affects the quality characteristics of the material. Pressed single-fired tiles are characterized by high strength and low water absorption.

Products resulting from double firing have a more porous structure, since in the manufacturing process there is a complete removal of bound water from the material. Therefore, porous tiles have higher coefficients of water absorption and vapor permeability. These parameters also depend on the features of the finish of the front surface of the clinker tile.

Types of tiles

• Narrow and tall tiles with a glazed front surface, having standard dimensions of 120 × 65 × 8 mm and 280 × 85 × 9 mm, are called "boar". Such tiles are used when facing the socles of buildings, as they can withstand wetting from melted snowdrifts.
• Square tiles, produced with a glazed and unglazed surface measuring 600 × 600, 450 × 450 and 300 × 300 mm, are called porcelain stoneware. They are made by pressing under the influence of single firing. The facades are faced with porcelain stoneware, the dimensions of which are 1200 × 3600 mm.
• Clinker is called unglazed tiles, which are shaped like a "boar", imitating the front surface of an ordinary brick.

Quantity calculation

When carrying out facing works, two types of tiles are used: flat and angular. The calculation of planar cladding elements is carried out in square meters, and angular - in running meters. To calculate the area of ​​the surface to be covered, it is necessary to multiply it by the height. After that, from the result obtained, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe areas that are not subject to facing is subtracted: windows, doors and other openings. Manufacturers of clinker tiles indicate the number of planar elements in one square meter, while tile joints (fugues) are necessarily taken into account, each of which is 10-12 mm. If during installation the seams are of a smaller thickness, then it will be necessary to recalculate the number of tiles per square meter.

Important! Try to observe the joint size specified by the manufacturer, as this is a prerequisite for reliable and long-term operation of the facing surface.

Preparatory stage

Clinker tiles can be laid on any base - wooden, concrete, stone. At the stage of preparing the walls for facing works, it is necessary to achieve perfect alignment of their surface. It is advisable to knock down all the protruding bumps and plaster the recesses. The time spent on the preparatory stage will pay off with a quick and high-quality installation of clinker tiles. The beauty of the facade cladding depends entirely on the quality of the base preparation. The house, lined with clinker tiles, looks like a powerful brick structure.

Important! At the preparatory stage, a clinker tile laying scheme is selected from existing options that allow you to imitate various types of stone and brickwork. Many of them can be very difficult to make from bricks due to the need to comply with the technology of ligation with the wall.

Installation of clinker tiles

• Marking and cladding work should begin from the location of the natural “faults” of the facade (window and door openings). This approach will allow you to place whole tiles on the most visible places on the facade of the house. The cut clinker will be located closer to the plinth and cornice. Start laying clinker should be from the corners, for this they use special corner types of tiles, which allows you to get perfectly even corners.

Among the variety of tile grouts, two main types can be distinguished: cement and epoxy. We will tell you more about the choice of grout in the material:.

• The application of the adhesive solution is carried out with a notched trowel in such a way that grooves remain. When working with light tiles, use a spatula, the height of the teeth of which is 6-8 mm. Heavy tiles need a thicker layer of adhesive, which is obtained by using a trowel with longer teeth (10-12 mm).

Important! When performing facade cladding, the adhesive mixture should not be allowed to pass under the tile. Before starting work, experienced craftsmen conduct a test: they apply glue to the base, apply the tile and press it, and then immediately tear it off. In this case, the entire wrong side of the tile should be evenly covered with glue. The presence of voids is not allowed.

• A small amount of glue is applied to the wall with the expectation that it must be covered with clinker tiles within 20-30 minutes. Do not allow the adhesive solution to dry out, as this may affect the deterioration of adhesion. If you can not adapt due to the low speed of laying tiles, then it is better to apply glue not on the wall, but directly on each tile. It is possible to correct incorrectly laid tiles within 10-15 minutes after installation.

Important! In hot weather and strong winds, the drying of the adhesive is accelerated, so the area to be applied is reduced to a few tiles.

• It is more convenient to align the rows along the lace, which is pulled for every second row. Vertical seams are formed by eye or use a piece of tile that is inserted between two adjacent tiles. For these purposes, you can use a special cord, produced to facilitate the cladding work.
• After the clinker tiles are laid over the entire surface of the wall, proceed to. A mortar is applied to the tile joints from a metal scoop using a tool called "joint".
• The remains of dried grout that have fallen on the tile are removed with a stiff brush, and then with a softer brush until the dirt is completely eliminated. Glazed tiles are cleaned with a damp cloth.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to make a hole in the tile for communications or installation of fasteners. You will learn how to properly drill a tile on our website:.

Thermal insulation and finishing with thermal panels

In harsh climatic conditions, facade thermal panels with clinker tiles are used, which makes it possible to achieve not only a decorative design of the facade of a country house, but also the insulation of its walls. Thermal panels consist of two layers, one of which is a thermal insulating substrate made of polyurethane foam insulation, and the second is made of facing clinker tiles. The weight of thermal panels is insignificant, so their installation does not require strengthening the erected foundation. In addition, the load is evenly distributed over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wall.

Clinker tiles are valued for:

• high resistance to external influences;
• rich variety of surface textures;
• variety of colors.

Polyurethane foam used as an insulating substrate in thermal panels has several advantages:

• high ecological qualities;
• resistance to solvents, alkalis and acids;
• adapted to street conditions;
• resistance to damage by fungus and rot;
• incombustible material.

Important! Thermal panels reduce the cost of heating a country house by 40%. At the same time, in winter they help to keep heat in the house, and in summer they prevent the building from heating under the influence of scorching sunlight.

Thermal panels with clinker tiles are attached to load-bearing wall surfaces using special self-tapping screws. Since the installation of thermal panels is carried out without the use of "wet" work, the speed of facade cladding increases. There are also no restrictions on seasonal installation work. Thermopanels can be used all year round.

• Order clinker tiles immediately for the entire cladding area in order to exclude the possibility of deviations in the color of the material.
• Take tiles from four to five boxes so that there are no areas with a sharp color deviation.
• Protect tiles from dirt and dust during storage.
• Before laying the clinker tiles are pre-moistened with water.
• To level the structure of the masonry, the clinker tiles are sawn off with a special tool.
• Use adhesive solutions, including branded ones, recommended by the manufacturer of the facing material.

The article and video talk about how to lay clinker tiles correctly. When carrying out work, one must not deviate from the manufacturer's recommendations, which can be taken at a store that sells clinker tiles.

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For those who are thinking about how and how to decorate the facade of their house, consider what you need to know about clinker tiles in order to make the right choice, the technologies for laying it.

Clinker tiles are an excellent material for facade cladding.

Facade finishing:

• calculation of the need for tiles;
• surface preparation;
• methods of finishing facades: wet and dry.

Clinker properties

Advantages:

• high strength and wear resistance due to the layer of melted clay on the surface of the tile;
• moisture, heat and frost resistance (water absorption coefficient up to 2.5%);
• low specific gravity (15-20 kg per 1 sq. m. of surface);
• resistance to ultraviolet rays (does not fade in the sun);
• resistance to chemicals;
• environmental friendliness;
• a wide range of colors and textures;
• ease of daily care.

Flaws:

• brittleness (vulnerable to impact loads, including after laying);
• relatively high cost.

High technical characteristics make it possible to use clinker tiles for outdoor finishing works in various climatic zones.

Depending on the field of application, facing clinker is produced in the following types:

• technical - for paving roads;
• facing - for exterior decoration of facades and other surfaces;
• waterproof - for lining bases that are in contact with water for a long time (pools, saunas, baths);
• special - for complex artistic decoration.

Clinker tiles vary in size, color and surface texture.

With regard to the decoration of facades, consider facing clinker ceramics, which, in turn, is divided into:

• tiles;
• thermal panels.

Clinker tiles- this is a product made of baked clay, homogeneous throughout the entire thickness, laid on the base with the help of tile adhesive.

Clinker thermopanel- multi-layer finishing tiles, consisting of a front clinker layer and a base-insulation. Thermal panels are produced in the size of one tile or in the form of a fragment of several clinker products on a common basis. The thickness of the thermal panel can be from 4 to 8 cm.

Facade cladding

Finishing the facade with clinker tiles, like any other type of finishing work, consists of several stages, the overall result depends on the success of each of them. Let's consider these steps.

Finishing the facade with clinker tiles includes several stages

Calculation of the need for tiles

Each type of clinker tile includes two types of products:

• main - for facing flat surfaces;
• corner - for laying on corners.

The amount of basic clinker is measured in square meters, the need for corner material is measured in linear meters.

To independently calculate the amount of clinker tiles required for finishing the facade, you need to multiply the length of the facade in meters by its height and then subtract the areas that cannot be finished (window and door openings, the area adjacent to the porch facade) from the resulting value.

In order for the facing of the facade of the house with clinker tiles to be successful, you need to know exactly how much material is required

Clinker packaging usually indicates its consumption for facing one square meter of surface, taking into account the recommended joint width. If this value is absent, it can be laid out on an area of ​​​​1 square meter. imitation of brickwork from the selected tile, leaving 1-1.5 cm wide seams between the products, and calculate the amount of material in pieces. Depending on the quality of the material, 5-10% is added to the obtained value.

The consumption of thermal panels for finishing one square meter of base is indicated on the package, or the area of ​​\u200b\u200bone fragment is indicated.

To determine the need for corner tiles, measure in meters the length of all corner joints of the facade. By dividing the obtained value by the consumption of corner clinker for finishing a linear meter, the need for this material is obtained.

Surface preparation

The technology of facing the facade with clinker tiles requires preliminary surface preparation in the same way as finishing with another type of ceramics. First of all, everything mounted is removed from the facade: drainpipes, antennas, brackets, etc. Then they begin to remove the old cladding along with peeled tile adhesive and plaster. After removing the used finish, the surface is primed with two or three layers of a moisture-resistant primer with antifungal additives, after which the base is leveled.

A notch is applied to a smooth concrete surface to enhance the bearing capacity. Porous bases (shell rock, slag and aerated concrete) do not need a notch. The surfaces for laying those types of thermal panels that are mounted without a frame are carefully leveled to minimize the presence of voids between the cladding and the base.

After leveling the surface, it is necessary to assess the condition of the base with a two-meter rail. If, taking into account level differences, the layer of tile adhesive under the clinker exceeds 1.5 cm, then the base, in the case of using conventional single-layer clinker, must be reinforced.

Facing is carried out no earlier than a week after reinforcement

Reinforcement is carried out by fixing a steel or fiberglass flat fine mesh on the surface of the facade. The mesh on the base is fixed with tension dowels or self-tapping screws on concrete so that there is a distance of 3-5 mm between the planes of the mesh and the base. Then, using a spatula, fill the mesh cells with tile adhesive and proceed with laying the clinker.

"Wet" method of finishing facades with clinker tiles

"Wet" is the technology of clinker cladding when laying tiles on tile adhesive. At present, clinker ceramics stickers are widely used on a facade insulated with a layer of ordinary or extruded foam plastic, on top of which mesh reinforcement is arranged to enhance the load-bearing capacity. Consider the technology of laying clinker, since the presence of thermal insulation on the base to be lined does not change anything in it.

"Wet" method involves the use of adhesive composition

markup

Finishing the facade of the house with clinker tiles begins with doorways, window openings and corners at the level of the outer window sill. The best finishing result is given by preliminary marking of window (door) openings and corners of the building for laying the corner elements of the clinker. Then they mark the spans between the slopes and corners, connecting the corner clinker in rows to each other and placing the trimmed tiles in the middle of the row.

The marking is carried out with the control of the horizon of the rows using a bubble or laser level, control cords or marks. A support bar is attached to the wall under the first row of tiles.

For clinker cladding, moisture- and frost-resistant cement-based tile adhesives are used, for example, RKS adhesive from the manufacturer Quick-mix, Ceresit CM-117 or Litoflex K 80 from Litokol. Some mixtures specifically indicate the suitability of the material for clinker handling.

When choosing a glue, be sure to familiarize yourself with all its characteristics.

A layer of adhesive is applied to the back surface of the tile with a trowel, the excess of which is removed with a notched trowel with a tooth size of 8-10 mm. Glue should be applied so much that its excess does not protrude from the seams onto the clinker, contaminating the tile.

When lining the plinth, glue is applied to both contact surfaces, and the tiles are selected twice as thick and twice as large.

In this regard, the reinforcement of the basement surface is mandatory. The first row of plinth tiles is laid just below ground level.

After applying the glue, the clinker is pressed against the base in the design place, and the final position is given to it with light blows of a rubber mallet. Clinker tiles are cut with a grinder with a dry cutter or a high-quality manual tile cutter.

To maintain a fixed width of the joints, imitating real brickwork, glass strips 0.8-1.0 mm wide are used, pieces of which are 2-3 cm long are inserted perpendicular to the surface into the joints. A day later, glass retainers are removed by turning around their axis with pliers.

"Dry" method of finishing the facade with clinker

Dry is the method of facing facades with clinker thermal panels. Complete with such a finishing material, fasteners for it are also sold. The panels are fastened to each other with the help of structural locks at the ends of the products, and fastening to the base is carried out with self-tapping screws through the mounting holes in the tile.

There are two methods for installing tiles: dry and wet.

Corner thermal panels are produced for facing corners, but their successful installation depends on the geometry of the building. Therefore, imitation of brickwork on the slopes and corners of the building is often done by plastering and cutting joints after laying thermal panels.

The technology of finishing facades with thermal panels is less laborious, saves time, but the cost of such material is much higher than conventional clinker tiles.

The "wet" method of facing allows grouting 2-3 days after laying the clinker. After the “dry” clinker finish, the joints can be overwritten immediately after installation. Properly selected contrasting combination of cladding and grout is the key to the aesthetics of the facade finish, so the color of the grout should not be close to the color of the tile.

An even more important point is the complete and thorough filling of joints and structural locks with a grout to prevent water from leaking under the cladding. Filling the joints of the plinth cladding is best done with reactive resin-based compounds, and the seams on the walls with cement-based mixtures.

An example of a grout mixture for facade clinker is the Ardex FL, Quick-mix RFS cement composition, and for the plinth - Cristallit, Ceresit CM17 and CM117, "Granite" or furan resins.

To fill the joints, a special clinker grout is used, which can be selected according to color

High-quality filling of seams is carried out with a construction gun for grouting. In this case, the prepared mixture should be sufficiently liquid. In the absence of this tool, you can use a dense plastic bag with a cut off corner, into which a grout is placed as it is consumed. The seams are filled flush with the surface of the finish, after which they are leveled and sealed with construction jointing. The jointing can be made independently from a metal tube cut along a diameter of 8-10 mm.

If the tiles are contaminated with cement-based grout, the mixture must be removed with a damp cloth or foam rubber.

Contamination with resin-based grout is carried out according to the instructions on the grout packaging. Failure to comply with these rules is fraught with loss of aesthetics of the surface area.

Conclusion

A high-quality facade decoration with clinker will not leave anyone indifferent, and if the financial side of the issue does not bother you, feel free to make a choice in favor of clinker tiles, the service life and aesthetics of which are measured in decades.

- a fairly simple process, but it is important to strictly follow the technology. The material does not require preliminary preparation, fastening is carried out with glue.

Tiles have a number of advantages over other materials:

• ease of installation;
• resistance to atmospheric and thermal action;
• ease of operation;
• large selection of colors.

Secrets of laying clinker tiles

• Pay attention to the weather - difficult weather conditions can harm the installation of the material.
• It is necessary to take into account the expansion joints, the arrangement of slopes - 2%, the need for waterproofing.
• The adhesive solution must be flexible. This is achieved by adding . The thickness of the adhesive layer should be up to 40 mm. Mixing the adhesive composition is carried out according to the instructions.
• The thickness of the concrete base on which the tiles will be laid must be at least 10 cm. If you decide to lay the clinker product in the garage, the layer must reach 20 cm.

Materials and tools

To lay clinker on any surface you will need:

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• glue;
• grout;
• rubber spatula;
• sealant gun;
• notched trowel;
• rubber mallet;
• crosses;
• masking tape;
• tile cutter;
• roller;
• clinker tiles;
• solution container;
• mixer;
• acrylic primer;
• plumb;
• polyurethane sealant;
• drill.

The expansion joints are filled with polyurethane sealant. The edges of the tiles are sealed with masking tape so as not to disturb them.

Laying on a horizontal surface

Laying clinker tiles on a terrace or on the floor in a house requires making sure that the concrete base is even. It must be remembered that a screed is suitable for laying tiles, which has “survived” for at least 3 months.

• The floor must be cleaned of dust and dirt and primed. For this purpose, "Concrete-contact" is suitable. It will increase the adhesion of the surface and the adhesive composition.
• First, remove the tile and mix - the material can be of different tonality.
• Then glue is applied to the surface with a notched trowel and the first row is laid.
• Then they put special crosses and put the second row. How evenly the tile lays down is checked by a level. If there are deviations, you can correct them with a mallet. Cut tiles with a tile cutter.

The adhesive composition can be purchased at the store or made independently. In the latter version, three parts of sand and 1 part of M 500 cement are taken. The components are mixed with a drill with a nozzle.

After the laying of the clinker is completed, you should wait 1 day and you can. For this, a cement mixture or putty is used. Grouting is carried out using a rubber spatula. If a solution remains on the tiles, and you did not remove it in time, a special composition will help get rid of the remnants of the mixture, which you can buy at a hardware store.

Walking on the tiles is allowed 3 days after installation.

Installation of clinker steps (video)

Laying on a vertical surface

Before laying, it is necessary to level and clean the surface of the walls. If you wish, you can insulate them with polystyrene foam. Don't forget to remove the old paint and prime the surface. If necessary, it is worth applying a plaster mesh.

Expanded polystyrene is attached to dowels-umbrellas or using a special mixture. Next, a reinforcing mesh is mounted, then it is puttied and primed.

When laying the material on a vertical surface, the same rules apply as when installing on a horizontal surface. If the clinker is laid on the entire wall, it is worth starting from the floor. In the event that there is a need to lay material from the middle of the wall, a bar is first attached to it, and the clinker is already being installed from it.

Grouting occurs after a day.

To seal the inter-tile gap, the composition of the same brand as the glue is used.

The composition is applied using a rubber spatula or a special syringe. In the latter case, the result will be better. If grout gets on the front of the tile, it is removed with a rag.

You can find out by reading the relevant article on our website.

Installation of clinker tiles on facades (video)

Important nuances

Clinker tiles are vapor-tight. In view of this, it is worth carrying out work with the surface on which the material will be laid so that condensation does not form between it and the tile. It is also necessary to increase the size of the tile gap to 12 mm. This will allow the floor and walls to “breathe”, since the grout used to fill the joints has good vapor permeability.

It is believed that before gluing the clinker tiles, it should be wetted so that the material does not absorb water from the adhesive. You can't do that!

Clinker is laid at an ambient temperature of at least 5 degrees. Otherwise, the installation does not have any particular difficulties, the main thing is to follow the technology and use high-quality materials.