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| INSTALLATION. |
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 | Installation is crucial for a perfect end result.
It is of vital importance to ensure that all operations are carried out with care by skilled professionals, creating floor and wall coverings capable of lasting for years and years.
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| BEFORE INSTALLATION. |
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 | Ensure that the material is thoroughly inspected before installation: check in particular that the product is undamaged and the material all belongs to the same size in terms of name, shade and working size.
Inspect the product for any defects already visible before laying; if they are reported after installation, no warranty coverage will apply.
For the best results with regard to colour and appearance, experiment with the impact of the tiles used by arranging them on small areas without gluing them in place.
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| INDOOR INSTALLATION. |
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 | Laying using adhesivesis recommended. When laying with adhesives, the manufacturer’s instructions must be followed strictly.
Joints: joints allow the floor-system to settle and adapt to technical-structural variations in the building. Edilcuoghi advises laying all indoor floor tiles with joints of 2-3 mm, which may be increased depending on the type of product (e.g. for rustic types of tile).
Expansion joints are particularly important and must be created with great care: they compensate for any variations or settling of the structure, allowing for heat or moisture expansions.
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| OUTDOOR INSTALLATION. |
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 | Edilcuoghi porcelain floor tiles are totally frostproof, but to guarantee that the floor-system is a perfect success over time it must be laid correctly , following the requirements of the relevant regulations in the various countries.
The regulations in different countries may require specific characteristics for tiles used outdoors (e.g. anti-slip properties): select the materials in the Edilcuoghi collections which comply with the relevant regulations for the specific case. |
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| GROUTING THE JOINTS. |
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 | Joints must be grouted at least 24 hours after the tiles are laid, and after the floor has been thoroughly cleaned. Special grouting products must be used. When the grout starts to set, clean thoroughly, but do not use sand or sawdust to avoid removing the grout itself. |
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| FINAL CLEANING OF THE FLOOR AFTER INSTALLATION. |
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 | After installation, residues of mortar, cement, grout or adhesives, often invisible to the naked eye, are always left on the floor. These materials make the floor less attractive and may trap dust and dirt, giving the impression that the floor is hard to clean.
About 36-48 hours after grouting of the joints is completed, full, proper post-installation cleaning must be carried out using a descaler detergent chosen from the many specific products on the market, using it in accordance with the producer’s instructions. Normally the detergent, diluted in water in accordance with the instructions, must be applied to clean areas of a few square metres at a time, after which each area is rinsed several times and then dried.
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| PROTECTING THE FLOOR DURING CONSTRUCTION WORK. |
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 | After installation and final cleaning, it is essential to ensure that the floor is well protected against any damage which might be caused by further construction work, by covering it with suitable material.
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