How to work with Flooring – Flooring Tips and Tricks

Flooring provide a smooth and level surface inside the building. It enhances the aesthetic of interiors  offers resistance against dampness, resulting in healthy environments indoors.  

In this video method of laying the floor using vitrified tiles and granite is shown. Flooring should be laid on base concrete of 1:4:8 which is provided with adequate slope. In the absence of base concrete the earth shall be properly sloped, watered, rampped and consolidated. The Base concrete or the RCC Slab shall be cleaned, wetted and not before the commencement of the Floor.

A bed of cement mortar having 1 part of cement and 4 to 6 parts of sand is to be laid to an Average thickness of 20 mm and minimum thickness of 10 mm for vitrified  tiles. The minimum cement mortar bed thickness shall be 12 mm for granite flooring.

The Mortar shall be spread, tamped and leveled. It should be allowed to hardened sufficiently to offer a stiff base for the tile to be set in place. Cement slurry of honey like consistency shall be spread on the bed @ 3.3 Kg of cement per square meter on which the tiles shall be fixed one after the other. The Tiles shall be gently Tab with wooden mallet till it is properly set and in level with the adjoining tiles.  The joints shall be kept as thin as possible, the spaces to be used for have uniform Joints. The Joint shall be cleaned off the grey cement slurry to a depth of 2 to 3 mm and all dust and loose mortar shall be removed. It shall be flushed pointed with White cement mixed with colour pigment to match the colour of the tiles.

For laying of the Granite slab, cut the slap to the required size and shape. The Bedding mortar shall be spread over the base concrete under each individual slab. The Granite slab then laid over it gently pressed with wooden mallet and leveled.  The Granite slab then lifted up and fresh mortar is added to the hallows of the bedding mortar. The mortar is allowed to harden slightly and cement slurry honey like consistency @4.4 Kg of cement per square meter shall be spread over the mortar.

The edges of the slab laid in place are speared with cement paste and then the next slab to be laid is placed in position. It is gently pushed and taped with wooden mallet till it is properly bedded and leveled with the adjoining slab  with as fine joint as possible. The cement paste that might use out through joints shall be cleaned off.

Flooring Summary:

Lay the flooring on a level and firm bed

Preferably source the vitrified tiles from the same batch to maintain uniform colour and pattern

Buy the tiles of reputed brand to ensure uniform dimensions and better quality.

Joints shall be as thin as possible Spacers may be used to maintain uniform thickness

Grout the joints using white cement mixed with suitable coloring pigment.

Spread the love