Laying GeoCeramica®
Useful guide for laying GeoCeramica®
Unlike “normal” ceramics, the special foundation required for a stable terrace is already attached to the ceramic tiles. This makes GeoCeramica® quick to lay. Not only do you save on the cost of the foundation, you also save on the labour hours required to build a foundation. Consult this page, which includes an instructional video, or download the installation instructions directly.
View the instructions here!
Features of GeoCeramica®
- Tiles are always dimensionally stable
- Can be laid on a sand bed
- Suitable for all types of soil
- Perfect joints thanks to built-in spacers
Requirements for processing
- GeoCeramica® tiles
- MBI Tilemaster cutting blades
- Grout (MBI Weed-free grout sand or Aqua Color Joints)
- TRASS cement for stabilisation, if necessary
Instructions
Sand bed as a substrate
The unique feature of GeoCeramica® is that it can be laid directly onto the prepared sand bed. No special foundation is required and it is suitable for virtually any type of soil. We recommend clean masonry sand with a minimum thickness of 10 cm on a well-drained substrate. For soft or poorly drained substrates, such as clay or peat soil, a sand bed of at least 20 cm is recommended. Optionally, you can also replace the top 5 cm with a layer of road grit with a fraction of 1-3 mm. This has excellent draining properties. In that case, we recommend MBI weed-free sand as a jointing compound. Extra stabilisation by mixing in TRASS cement, a lime-free type of cement, is a good option. In this case, your patio will be less prone to subsidence. If you are going to use a cement-bound jointing compound (hard joint), a stabilised substrate is necessary. With a hard jointing compound, such as AquaColor Joints, we recommend stabilisation with 25 kg of TRASS cement per 8 to 10 m² of tiling, so that the substrate is stabilised but remains water-permeable.
Cutting GeoCeramica®
In places where the pattern does not fit, you can cut the tiles to size. When cutting, always use water cooling (tile saw table) to prevent damage from overheating. We recommend the MBI Tilemaster Ceramics for sawing GeoCeramica®. Available in two sizes, it can be used for stone saws and saw tables thanks to its removable shaft ring. Read more about cutting GeoCeramica® to size.
Grouting GeoCeramica®
Laying is quick and the special integrated spacers ensure perfect joints. Any professional or experienced DIYer can do this. For grouting GeoCeramica®, we recommend our MBI Weed-Free Grout or AquaColor Ceramic Joints.
Laying GeoCeramica® on tile supports
GeoCeramica® is also suitable for use on tile supports, even large formats. View the instructions here.
Laying Instructions 120x30 cm GeoCeramica®
Ceramic tiles in general often have a slight curvature. This curvature is tested and must fall within certain tolerances. These tolerances are determined over a certain distance. As the size increases, these values can vary further. In concrete terms, this means that the outer edges of our 120x30 cm tiles have a curvature that is permitted and acceptable, but must be accompanied by good advice.
As mentioned, a slight curvature is very normal in a ceramic tile. However, the unique 120x30 cm format does require extra attention for this reason. By laying the tiles in a half-brick bond, the most diverse values come close together. In some cases, this results in an irregular pattern. That is why it is better to lay the tiles in a 1/3 bond. This way, they look their best!
Installation video
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