• Manypeoplefinditeasiesttopackthegroutintothejointsusingthe smallendofthegroutfloat(ratherthanthelongend).Thisisan appropriatemethod,however,youshouldstillusethelongendto scrapeexcessgroutoffofthetile.

• Afteryouhaveappliedthegrout,besuretowaittheappropriate amountoftimebeforeyoustartspongeclean-up.Touchgroutafter 30-60minutes.Groutshouldbefirm,notsoft.Ifthereisnoresidueon yourfinger,groutisreadytoclean.

• Useasdryaspongeaspossiblefortheclean-upsteps,otherwiseyou willlikelyjustbepullingpigmentoutofthegroutjoints.Thegoalisto notdisturbthegroutlines.First,useacircularmotiontoloosengrout hazeandtoolthejoints.

• Forasecondcleanup,usethespongetowipethesurfacediagonally acrossthetilesandgroutjointsholdingspongeflattothesurface.This shouldalsohelptosmoothoutthegroutjoints.Donotleaveexcess waterpooledonthejoints.

• Cleanthespongefrequently,andwringoutasmuchwateraspossible eachtime.

• Replacethebucketofclean-upwaterfrequently.

SPECIAL GROUTING TIPS:

Grout Sponge

TeC®SkillSet™How-ToProjectGuide

Floor Tile

Reverso en español

3 Simple Steps to a Beautiful Tile Surface

1. PREPARE THE SURFACE

2. SET THE TILE

3. GROUT AND CAULK

BEFORE yOU GET STARTED

Chalk Line Tool Tape Measure Framing Square

Pencil Carpenter’s Level Tile Nippers

Rubbing Brick Tile Cutter

Straight Edge Tile Spacers Buckets

Towels for Clean-up Rubber Gloves

Mixing Paddle Drill Notched Trowelthat corresponds to tile size

Grout Float Access to Clean Water

Choosing your setting materials:•Select the mortar (thin-set) that corresponds with your tile type. TeC®SkillSet™offersoptionsforawidevarietyoftiletypesincludingporcelains, ceramics,glass,quarry,stone,andothertiles.Wealsooffermortarsthatspecialize inlargetileapplications.

•Select the grout that goes with your application. °Sandedgroutsaretypicallyusedforfloorapplicationsforgroutjoints1/8”to1/2”. °Superiorgroutproductsforanyfloorapplicationinclude PowerGrout™orDesignColor™Groutwith GroutBoost®groutadditive.Availablein awidearrayofdesignercolors,these productsprovidestainresistance, highperformanceandeaseofuse.

Tools you May Need: 1. Prepare the SurfaceSurfacepreparationisoneofthemostimportantstepsinthetileinstallationprocess.Removeanythingthatwillbeinyourway.Coverallsurfacesthatyouarenottilingtoprotectthem.

Basic Substrate Preparation:•Substrate (tiling surface) must be free of contaminants. °Cleananddry. °Nogrease,sealers,dirt,dust,debris,wallpaper,etc. °Roughen(abrade)alllatexbasedpaintedsurfaces,existing

ceramictileorlaminates(ifyouaretilingoverthem).

•Ensure there are no holes or voids in the substrate. °Useanappropriatepatchingproductsuchas TeC®SkillSet™FastSettingPatchtorepairvoids.

•Substrate must be structurally sound and solid. °Nolooseareasor“bouncy”floors.Looseor“squeaky” floorsshouldbeglued,nailedorscreweddowntightly.

•Substrate must be flat and even before tiling. °Usea6’or8’longstraightedge(2”x4”)makingsure therearenogapsgreaterthan1/4”whenstraightedge isplacedacrossthetilingsurface.Useanappropriate patchingorlevelingproduct,suchas TeC®SkillSet™SelfLevelingUnderlayment.

• If you are tiling over concrete: newslabsmustbecured atleast28days.Patchholes,dipsandcracks.

• If you are tiling over plywood: plywoodshouldbeAPAGradeTrademarkedexposureI (Underlaymentgradeorbetter).Youmusthave2layersofplywoodwithaminimum totalthicknessof1-1/8”overfloorjoiststhatarespaced16”apart.Thesetwolayers mustbefastenedwithadhesiveandscrewsornailspermanufacturer’sinstructions.

• If you are tiling over old tile or vinyl linoleum: anyloosetilesmustbesecured. Linoleumshouldbestrippedandcleanedofanywaxesordirt.Linoleummustbe noncushionedandfullyadheredtosubstrate.

•Any section of wallboard or other surface that has been damaged by moisture must be replaced. Ifinstallingnewbackerboardbesuretofollow manufacturer’sinstructions.

2. Set the TileLayout & Cutting TileThebestlayoutsminimizethenumberofcuttiles,avoidusingcutsthatarelessthan1/2thewidthofthetile,andpositioncuttilessymmetrically(thesameonbothsidesofthewall).Typicallyitisdifficulttoachieveallofthesegoals,thereforeyouwillendupmakingcompromisesthatyieldthebestresults.

3.Grout and CaulkBefore you start:

1. Afteryouhavewaitedtheappropriateamountoftimeaspermortar instructions,makesuremortarisdryandtileisfirmlyset.

2. Removealltilespacers.

3. Tileshouldbecleananddry.

4. expansionjoints(wheretilemeetsadjacentwalls,floors,orfixtures)should notbegrouted.Instead,useCaulk(seeCaulkingSection).

NOTEExpansion Joints:Alltileinstallationsmustallowfor“expansionjoints.”Theseare1/8in.to1/4in.spacesalongthelengthwheretilemeetsadjacentwalls(roomcorners),floors,etc.

1 2 3

1. Placealoosetileatopthelastfulltileandpositionittobuttagainstthewallorcorner,oredgewheretilestops.

2.Layasecondloosetileoverthefirstandalignitwiththelastfulltile.

3.Markthecutlineonthe“sandwiched”tile.Remembertoallowforgroutlinesandagapof 1/8in.to1/4in.wherethetilebuttswallsandothersurfaces.Duetovariationsinwall runs,eachtileshouldbebutted,measuredandcutindividually(ratherthantakingasinglemeasurementandcuttinganumberoftilesatonce).Forstraightcuts,useatilecutter.

“Polish”theedgeswitharubbingbrick.

Cutting

Installing GroutTeC®PowerGrout™orDesignColor™GroutmixedwithGroutBoost®stainresistantadditivearehighlyrecommended.Bothofthesesolutionscomeinawidearrayofdesignercolorsandprovidestainresistance,highperformanceandeaseofuse.Refertogroutpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

CaulkingOncegrouthascured,fillgapsatwallsandflooringtransitionswithcaulk.TheuseofTeC®Invision®ReadyToUseCaulkishighlyrecommended.Refertocaulkpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

Applying the Mortar & Installing TileBegininstallingatthecenterpointofthesurfaceandmoveoutward,onequarteratatime.Forfloors,worktowardtheexittoavoidsteppingoverfreshly-laidtile.Whenthisisunavoidable,kneelonaplywoodsheet.

1. Withtheflatedgeofthetrowel,applyadhesiveorthin-setattheintersectionoftheguidelines.Besuretoapplyanevencoat.Workonlyathreesq.ft.areaatatime,ortheareathatcanbecoveredwithtilesbeforethin-setoradhesivelosestackinesstothetouch(seepicture1).

2. Nowgobackand“comb”thematerialwiththenotchedsectionofthetrowel,formingridgesforbetteradhesion(seepicture2).

3. Pressthetileintopositionattheintersectionofthelines,withaslighttwistingmotion.(seepicture3).Donotslidethetileintoplace.Usespacersbetweentiles(seepicture4)tomaintainjointwidth.Installtileinastep-likefashion,workingupwardandoutward.Thispermitseasieradjustmentoftilesifthereisanerror(seepicture5).

CENTER POINT

Completeonequarterfirstbeforegoingtothenext.Ifthemortaroradhesivestartsto“skin-over”onthesurfacebeforeyoulaythetileonit,scrapeitoffandapplynewadhesive.

4. Periodicallychecktoseethatjointsarestraightandeven.Oncealigned,tampdowntileswithabeatingblockandmallettoensuretilesarelevel(seepicture6).Ifadhesiveorthin-setoozesfromjoints,wipewithwarm,soapywater.2/3oftilethicknessinthegroutjointsshouldbecleantoallowforgrout.

5. Cleantoolswithwarm,soapywaterwhileadhesiveisstillwet.

6. Lettilesitbeforegrouting;seeproductpackagingfordetailsonwaittimes.

OR

tecskillset_floortile-guide0811

Caulk

Caulk

ADJUSTEDSTARTING LINE

CENTER POINT

1. Findtheareacenterpointand,usingaChalkLineTool,snapperpendicularlines throughittodivideintoquarters.ChecktheintersectionoftheanglesusingaFraming Square;makesuretheyaresquare.

2.Beforeusingadhesive,drylayoutoneverticalrow andonehorizontalrowinaquarter(seepicture) allowforevengroutlinesandfor“expansionjoints”.

3.Adjustthestartinglinetofindthebestlayout. Pieceslessthanhalfatilewidearehardtocutand arelessvisuallyappealing.Ifendtilesarelessthan halfatilewide,repositiontheverticalcenterline. Iftheproblemisunavoidable,trytopositionthemin aninconspicuousarea.

2 in. x 4 in.

6 ft. - 8 ft. 1/4 in.

H.B.FullerConstructionProductsInc.1105SouthFrontenacStreet•Aurora,IL60504www.tecskillset.com

• Manypeoplefinditeasiesttopackthegroutintothejointsusingthe smallendofthegroutfloat(ratherthanthelongend).Thisisan appropriatemethod,however,youshouldstillusethelongendto scrapeexcessgroutoffofthetile.

• Afteryouhaveappliedthegrout,besuretowaittheappropriate amountoftimebeforeyoustartspongeclean-up.Touchgroutafter 30-60minutes.Groutshouldbefirm,notsoft.Ifthereisnoresidueon yourfinger,groutisreadytoclean.

• Useasdryaspongeaspossiblefortheclean-upsteps,otherwiseyou willlikelyjustbepullingpigmentoutofthegroutjoints.Thegoalisto notdisturbthegroutlines.First,useacircularmotiontoloosengrout hazeandtoolthejoints.

• Forasecondcleanup,usethespongetowipethesurfacediagonally acrossthetilesandgroutjointsholdingspongeflattothesurface.This shouldalsohelptosmoothoutthegroutjoints.Donotleaveexcess waterpooledonthejoints.

• Cleanthespongefrequently,andwringoutasmuchwateraspossible eachtime.

• Replacethebucketofclean-upwaterfrequently.

SPECIAL GROUTING TIPS:

Grout Sponge

TeC®SkillSet™How-ToProjectGuide

Floor Tile

Reverso en español

3 Simple Steps to a Beautiful Tile Surface

1. PREPARE THE SURFACE

2. SET THE TILE

3. GROUT AND CAULK

BEFORE yOU GET STARTED

Chalk Line Tool Tape Measure Framing Square

Pencil Carpenter’s Level Tile Nippers

Rubbing Brick Tile Cutter

Straight Edge Tile Spacers Buckets

Towels for Clean-up Rubber Gloves

Mixing Paddle Drill Notched Trowelthat corresponds to tile size

Grout Float Access to Clean Water

Choosing your setting materials:•Select the mortar (thin-set) that corresponds with your tile type. TeC®SkillSet™offersoptionsforawidevarietyoftiletypesincludingporcelains, ceramics,glass,quarry,stone,andothertiles.Wealsooffermortarsthatspecialize inlargetileapplications.

•Select the grout that goes with your application. °Sandedgroutsaretypicallyusedforfloorapplicationsforgroutjoints1/8”to1/2”. °Superiorgroutproductsforanyfloorapplicationinclude PowerGrout™orDesignColor™Groutwith GroutBoost®groutadditive.Availablein awidearrayofdesignercolors,these productsprovidestainresistance, highperformanceandeaseofuse.

Tools you May Need: 1. Prepare the SurfaceSurfacepreparationisoneofthemostimportantstepsinthetileinstallationprocess.Removeanythingthatwillbeinyourway.Coverallsurfacesthatyouarenottilingtoprotectthem.

Basic Substrate Preparation:•Substrate (tiling surface) must be free of contaminants. °Cleananddry. °Nogrease,sealers,dirt,dust,debris,wallpaper,etc. °Roughen(abrade)alllatexbasedpaintedsurfaces,existing

ceramictileorlaminates(ifyouaretilingoverthem).

•Ensure there are no holes or voids in the substrate. °Useanappropriatepatchingproductsuchas TeC®SkillSet™FastSettingPatchtorepairvoids.

•Substrate must be structurally sound and solid. °Nolooseareasor“bouncy”floors.Looseor“squeaky” floorsshouldbeglued,nailedorscreweddowntightly.

•Substrate must be flat and even before tiling. °Usea6’or8’longstraightedge(2”x4”)makingsure therearenogapsgreaterthan1/4”whenstraightedge isplacedacrossthetilingsurface.Useanappropriate patchingorlevelingproduct,suchas TeC®SkillSet™SelfLevelingUnderlayment.

• If you are tiling over concrete: newslabsmustbecured atleast28days.Patchholes,dipsandcracks.

• If you are tiling over plywood: plywoodshouldbeAPAGradeTrademarkedexposureI (Underlaymentgradeorbetter).Youmusthave2layersofplywoodwithaminimum totalthicknessof1-1/8”overfloorjoiststhatarespaced16”apart.Thesetwolayers mustbefastenedwithadhesiveandscrewsornailspermanufacturer’sinstructions.

• If you are tiling over old tile or vinyl linoleum: anyloosetilesmustbesecured. Linoleumshouldbestrippedandcleanedofanywaxesordirt.Linoleummustbe noncushionedandfullyadheredtosubstrate.

•Any section of wallboard or other surface that has been damaged by moisture must be replaced. Ifinstallingnewbackerboardbesuretofollow manufacturer’sinstructions.

2. Set the TileLayout & Cutting TileThebestlayoutsminimizethenumberofcuttiles,avoidusingcutsthatarelessthan1/2thewidthofthetile,andpositioncuttilessymmetrically(thesameonbothsidesofthewall).Typicallyitisdifficulttoachieveallofthesegoals,thereforeyouwillendupmakingcompromisesthatyieldthebestresults.

3.Grout and CaulkBefore you start:

1. Afteryouhavewaitedtheappropriateamountoftimeaspermortar instructions,makesuremortarisdryandtileisfirmlyset.

2. Removealltilespacers.

3. Tileshouldbecleananddry.

4. expansionjoints(wheretilemeetsadjacentwalls,floors,orfixtures)should notbegrouted.Instead,useCaulk(seeCaulkingSection).

NOTEExpansion Joints:Alltileinstallationsmustallowfor“expansionjoints.”Theseare1/8in.to1/4in.spacesalongthelengthwheretilemeetsadjacentwalls(roomcorners),floors,etc.

1 2 3

1. Placealoosetileatopthelastfulltileandpositionittobuttagainstthewallorcorner,oredgewheretilestops.

2.Layasecondloosetileoverthefirstandalignitwiththelastfulltile.

3.Markthecutlineonthe“sandwiched”tile.Remembertoallowforgroutlinesandagapof 1/8in.to1/4in.wherethetilebuttswallsandothersurfaces.Duetovariationsinwall runs,eachtileshouldbebutted,measuredandcutindividually(ratherthantakingasinglemeasurementandcuttinganumberoftilesatonce).Forstraightcuts,useatilecutter.

“Polish”theedgeswitharubbingbrick.

Cutting

Installing GroutTeC®PowerGrout™orDesignColor™GroutmixedwithGroutBoost®stainresistantadditivearehighlyrecommended.Bothofthesesolutionscomeinawidearrayofdesignercolorsandprovidestainresistance,highperformanceandeaseofuse.Refertogroutpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

CaulkingOncegrouthascured,fillgapsatwallsandflooringtransitionswithcaulk.TheuseofTeC®Invision®ReadyToUseCaulkishighlyrecommended.Refertocaulkpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

Applying the Mortar & Installing TileBegininstallingatthecenterpointofthesurfaceandmoveoutward,onequarteratatime.Forfloors,worktowardtheexittoavoidsteppingoverfreshly-laidtile.Whenthisisunavoidable,kneelonaplywoodsheet.

1. Withtheflatedgeofthetrowel,applyadhesiveorthin-setattheintersectionoftheguidelines.Besuretoapplyanevencoat.Workonlyathreesq.ft.areaatatime,ortheareathatcanbecoveredwithtilesbeforethin-setoradhesivelosestackinesstothetouch(seepicture1).

2. Nowgobackand“comb”thematerialwiththenotchedsectionofthetrowel,formingridgesforbetteradhesion(seepicture2).

3. Pressthetileintopositionattheintersectionofthelines,withaslighttwistingmotion.(seepicture3).Donotslidethetileintoplace.Usespacersbetweentiles(seepicture4)tomaintainjointwidth.Installtileinastep-likefashion,workingupwardandoutward.Thispermitseasieradjustmentoftilesifthereisanerror(seepicture5).

CENTER POINT

Completeonequarterfirstbeforegoingtothenext.Ifthemortaroradhesivestartsto“skin-over”onthesurfacebeforeyoulaythetileonit,scrapeitoffandapplynewadhesive.

4. Periodicallychecktoseethatjointsarestraightandeven.Oncealigned,tampdowntileswithabeatingblockandmallettoensuretilesarelevel(seepicture6).Ifadhesiveorthin-setoozesfromjoints,wipewithwarm,soapywater.2/3oftilethicknessinthegroutjointsshouldbecleantoallowforgrout.

5. Cleantoolswithwarm,soapywaterwhileadhesiveisstillwet.

6. Lettilesitbeforegrouting;seeproductpackagingfordetailsonwaittimes.

OR

tecskillset_floortile-guide0811

Caulk

Caulk

ADJUSTEDSTARTING LINE

CENTER POINT

1. Findtheareacenterpointand,usingaChalkLineTool,snapperpendicularlines throughittodivideintoquarters.ChecktheintersectionoftheanglesusingaFraming Square;makesuretheyaresquare.

2.Beforeusingadhesive,drylayoutoneverticalrow andonehorizontalrowinaquarter(seepicture) allowforevengroutlinesandfor“expansionjoints”.

3.Adjustthestartinglinetofindthebestlayout. Pieceslessthanhalfatilewidearehardtocutand arelessvisuallyappealing.Ifendtilesarelessthan halfatilewide,repositiontheverticalcenterline. Iftheproblemisunavoidable,trytopositionthemin aninconspicuousarea.

2 in. x 4 in.

6 ft. - 8 ft. 1/4 in.

H.B.FullerConstructionProductsInc.1105SouthFrontenacStreet•Aurora,IL60504www.tecskillset.com

• Manypeoplefinditeasiesttopackthegroutintothejointsusingthe smallendofthegroutfloat(ratherthanthelongend).Thisisan appropriatemethod,however,youshouldstillusethelongendto scrapeexcessgroutoffofthetile.

• Afteryouhaveappliedthegrout,besuretowaittheappropriate amountoftimebeforeyoustartspongeclean-up.Touchgroutafter 30-60minutes.Groutshouldbefirm,notsoft.Ifthereisnoresidueon yourfinger,groutisreadytoclean.

• Useasdryaspongeaspossiblefortheclean-upsteps,otherwiseyou willlikelyjustbepullingpigmentoutofthegroutjoints.Thegoalisto notdisturbthegroutlines.First,useacircularmotiontoloosengrout hazeandtoolthejoints.

• Forasecondcleanup,usethespongetowipethesurfacediagonally acrossthetilesandgroutjointsholdingspongeflattothesurface.This shouldalsohelptosmoothoutthegroutjoints.Donotleaveexcess waterpooledonthejoints.

• Cleanthespongefrequently,andwringoutasmuchwateraspossible eachtime.

• Replacethebucketofclean-upwaterfrequently.

SPECIAL GROUTING TIPS:

Grout Sponge

TeC®SkillSet™How-ToProjectGuide

Floor Tile

Reverso en español

3 Simple Steps to a Beautiful Tile Surface

1. PREPARE THE SURFACE

2. SET THE TILE

3. GROUT AND CAULK

BEFORE yOU GET STARTED

Chalk Line Tool Tape Measure Framing Square

Pencil Carpenter’s Level Tile Nippers

Rubbing Brick Tile Cutter

Straight Edge Tile Spacers Buckets

Towels for Clean-up Rubber Gloves

Mixing Paddle Drill Notched Trowelthat corresponds to tile size

Grout Float Access to Clean Water

Choosing your setting materials:•Select the mortar (thin-set) that corresponds with your tile type. TeC®SkillSet™offersoptionsforawidevarietyoftiletypesincludingporcelains, ceramics,glass,quarry,stone,andothertiles.Wealsooffermortarsthatspecialize inlargetileapplications.

•Select the grout that goes with your application. °Sandedgroutsaretypicallyusedforfloorapplicationsforgroutjoints1/8”to1/2”. °Superiorgroutproductsforanyfloorapplicationinclude PowerGrout™orDesignColor™Groutwith GroutBoost®groutadditive.Availablein awidearrayofdesignercolors,these productsprovidestainresistance, highperformanceandeaseofuse.

Tools you May Need: 1. Prepare the SurfaceSurfacepreparationisoneofthemostimportantstepsinthetileinstallationprocess.Removeanythingthatwillbeinyourway.Coverallsurfacesthatyouarenottilingtoprotectthem.

Basic Substrate Preparation:•Substrate (tiling surface) must be free of contaminants. °Cleananddry. °Nogrease,sealers,dirt,dust,debris,wallpaper,etc. °Roughen(abrade)alllatexbasedpaintedsurfaces,existing

ceramictileorlaminates(ifyouaretilingoverthem).

•Ensure there are no holes or voids in the substrate. °Useanappropriatepatchingproductsuchas TeC®SkillSet™FastSettingPatchtorepairvoids.

•Substrate must be structurally sound and solid. °Nolooseareasor“bouncy”floors.Looseor“squeaky” floorsshouldbeglued,nailedorscreweddowntightly.

•Substrate must be flat and even before tiling. °Usea6’or8’longstraightedge(2”x4”)makingsure therearenogapsgreaterthan1/4”whenstraightedge isplacedacrossthetilingsurface.Useanappropriate patchingorlevelingproduct,suchas TeC®SkillSet™SelfLevelingUnderlayment.

• If you are tiling over concrete: newslabsmustbecured atleast28days.Patchholes,dipsandcracks.

• If you are tiling over plywood: plywoodshouldbeAPAGradeTrademarkedexposureI (Underlaymentgradeorbetter).Youmusthave2layersofplywoodwithaminimum totalthicknessof1-1/8”overfloorjoiststhatarespaced16”apart.Thesetwolayers mustbefastenedwithadhesiveandscrewsornailspermanufacturer’sinstructions.

• If you are tiling over old tile or vinyl linoleum: anyloosetilesmustbesecured. Linoleumshouldbestrippedandcleanedofanywaxesordirt.Linoleummustbe noncushionedandfullyadheredtosubstrate.

•Any section of wallboard or other surface that has been damaged by moisture must be replaced. Ifinstallingnewbackerboardbesuretofollow manufacturer’sinstructions.

2. Set the TileLayout & Cutting TileThebestlayoutsminimizethenumberofcuttiles,avoidusingcutsthatarelessthan1/2thewidthofthetile,andpositioncuttilessymmetrically(thesameonbothsidesofthewall).Typicallyitisdifficulttoachieveallofthesegoals,thereforeyouwillendupmakingcompromisesthatyieldthebestresults.

3.Grout and CaulkBefore you start:

1. Afteryouhavewaitedtheappropriateamountoftimeaspermortar instructions,makesuremortarisdryandtileisfirmlyset.

2. Removealltilespacers.

3. Tileshouldbecleananddry.

4. expansionjoints(wheretilemeetsadjacentwalls,floors,orfixtures)should notbegrouted.Instead,useCaulk(seeCaulkingSection).

NOTEExpansion Joints:Alltileinstallationsmustallowfor“expansionjoints.”Theseare1/8in.to1/4in.spacesalongthelengthwheretilemeetsadjacentwalls(roomcorners),floors,etc.

1 2 3

1. Placealoosetileatopthelastfulltileandpositionittobuttagainstthewallorcorner,oredgewheretilestops.

2.Layasecondloosetileoverthefirstandalignitwiththelastfulltile.

3.Markthecutlineonthe“sandwiched”tile.Remembertoallowforgroutlinesandagapof 1/8in.to1/4in.wherethetilebuttswallsandothersurfaces.Duetovariationsinwall runs,eachtileshouldbebutted,measuredandcutindividually(ratherthantakingasinglemeasurementandcuttinganumberoftilesatonce).Forstraightcuts,useatilecutter.

“Polish”theedgeswitharubbingbrick.

Cutting

Installing GroutTeC®PowerGrout™orDesignColor™GroutmixedwithGroutBoost®stainresistantadditivearehighlyrecommended.Bothofthesesolutionscomeinawidearrayofdesignercolorsandprovidestainresistance,highperformanceandeaseofuse.Refertogroutpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

CaulkingOncegrouthascured,fillgapsatwallsandflooringtransitionswithcaulk.TheuseofTeC®Invision®ReadyToUseCaulkishighlyrecommended.Refertocaulkpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

Applying the Mortar & Installing TileBegininstallingatthecenterpointofthesurfaceandmoveoutward,onequarteratatime.Forfloors,worktowardtheexittoavoidsteppingoverfreshly-laidtile.Whenthisisunavoidable,kneelonaplywoodsheet.

1. Withtheflatedgeofthetrowel,applyadhesiveorthin-setattheintersectionoftheguidelines.Besuretoapplyanevencoat.Workonlyathreesq.ft.areaatatime,ortheareathatcanbecoveredwithtilesbeforethin-setoradhesivelosestackinesstothetouch(seepicture1).

2. Nowgobackand“comb”thematerialwiththenotchedsectionofthetrowel,formingridgesforbetteradhesion(seepicture2).

3. Pressthetileintopositionattheintersectionofthelines,withaslighttwistingmotion.(seepicture3).Donotslidethetileintoplace.Usespacersbetweentiles(seepicture4)tomaintainjointwidth.Installtileinastep-likefashion,workingupwardandoutward.Thispermitseasieradjustmentoftilesifthereisanerror(seepicture5).

CENTER POINT

Completeonequarterfirstbeforegoingtothenext.Ifthemortaroradhesivestartsto“skin-over”onthesurfacebeforeyoulaythetileonit,scrapeitoffandapplynewadhesive.

4. Periodicallychecktoseethatjointsarestraightandeven.Oncealigned,tampdowntileswithabeatingblockandmallettoensuretilesarelevel(seepicture6).Ifadhesiveorthin-setoozesfromjoints,wipewithwarm,soapywater.2/3oftilethicknessinthegroutjointsshouldbecleantoallowforgrout.

5. Cleantoolswithwarm,soapywaterwhileadhesiveisstillwet.

6. Lettilesitbeforegrouting;seeproductpackagingfordetailsonwaittimes.

OR

tecskillset_floortile-guide0811

Caulk

Caulk

ADJUSTEDSTARTING LINE

CENTER POINT

1. Findtheareacenterpointand,usingaChalkLineTool,snapperpendicularlines throughittodivideintoquarters.ChecktheintersectionoftheanglesusingaFraming Square;makesuretheyaresquare.

2.Beforeusingadhesive,drylayoutoneverticalrow andonehorizontalrowinaquarter(seepicture) allowforevengroutlinesandfor“expansionjoints”.

3.Adjustthestartinglinetofindthebestlayout. Pieceslessthanhalfatilewidearehardtocutand arelessvisuallyappealing.Ifendtilesarelessthan halfatilewide,repositiontheverticalcenterline. Iftheproblemisunavoidable,trytopositionthemin aninconspicuousarea.

2 in. x 4 in.

6 ft. - 8 ft. 1/4 in.

H.B.FullerConstructionProductsInc.1105SouthFrontenacStreet•Aurora,IL60504www.tecskillset.com

• Manypeoplefinditeasiesttopackthegroutintothejointsusingthe smallendofthegroutfloat(ratherthanthelongend).Thisisan appropriatemethod,however,youshouldstillusethelongendto scrapeexcessgroutoffofthetile.

• Afteryouhaveappliedthegrout,besuretowaittheappropriate amountoftimebeforeyoustartspongeclean-up.Touchgroutafter 30-60minutes.Groutshouldbefirm,notsoft.Ifthereisnoresidueon yourfinger,groutisreadytoclean.

• Useasdryaspongeaspossiblefortheclean-upsteps,otherwiseyou willlikelyjustbepullingpigmentoutofthegroutjoints.Thegoalisto notdisturbthegroutlines.First,useacircularmotiontoloosengrout hazeandtoolthejoints.

• Forasecondcleanup,usethespongetowipethesurfacediagonally acrossthetilesandgroutjointsholdingspongeflattothesurface.This shouldalsohelptosmoothoutthegroutjoints.Donotleaveexcess waterpooledonthejoints.

• Cleanthespongefrequently,andwringoutasmuchwateraspossible eachtime.

• Replacethebucketofclean-upwaterfrequently.

SPECIAL GROUTING TIPS:

Grout Sponge

TeC®SkillSet™How-ToProjectGuide

Floor Tile

Reverso en español

3 Simple Steps to a Beautiful Tile Surface

1. PREPARE THE SURFACE

2. SET THE TILE

3. GROUT AND CAULK

BEFORE yOU GET STARTED

Chalk Line Tool Tape Measure Framing Square

Pencil Carpenter’s Level Tile Nippers

Rubbing Brick Tile Cutter

Straight Edge Tile Spacers Buckets

Towels for Clean-up Rubber Gloves

Mixing Paddle Drill Notched Trowelthat corresponds to tile size

Grout Float Access to Clean Water

Choosing your setting materials:•Select the mortar (thin-set) that corresponds with your tile type. TeC®SkillSet™offersoptionsforawidevarietyoftiletypesincludingporcelains, ceramics,glass,quarry,stone,andothertiles.Wealsooffermortarsthatspecialize inlargetileapplications.

•Select the grout that goes with your application. °Sandedgroutsaretypicallyusedforfloorapplicationsforgroutjoints1/8”to1/2”. °Superiorgroutproductsforanyfloorapplicationinclude PowerGrout™orDesignColor™Groutwith GroutBoost®groutadditive.Availablein awidearrayofdesignercolors,these productsprovidestainresistance, highperformanceandeaseofuse.

Tools you May Need: 1. Prepare the SurfaceSurfacepreparationisoneofthemostimportantstepsinthetileinstallationprocess.Removeanythingthatwillbeinyourway.Coverallsurfacesthatyouarenottilingtoprotectthem.

Basic Substrate Preparation:•Substrate (tiling surface) must be free of contaminants. °Cleananddry. °Nogrease,sealers,dirt,dust,debris,wallpaper,etc. °Roughen(abrade)alllatexbasedpaintedsurfaces,existing

ceramictileorlaminates(ifyouaretilingoverthem).

•Ensure there are no holes or voids in the substrate. °Useanappropriatepatchingproductsuchas TeC®SkillSet™FastSettingPatchtorepairvoids.

•Substrate must be structurally sound and solid. °Nolooseareasor“bouncy”floors.Looseor“squeaky” floorsshouldbeglued,nailedorscreweddowntightly.

•Substrate must be flat and even before tiling. °Usea6’or8’longstraightedge(2”x4”)makingsure therearenogapsgreaterthan1/4”whenstraightedge isplacedacrossthetilingsurface.Useanappropriate patchingorlevelingproduct,suchas TeC®SkillSet™SelfLevelingUnderlayment.

• If you are tiling over concrete: newslabsmustbecured atleast28days.Patchholes,dipsandcracks.

• If you are tiling over plywood: plywoodshouldbeAPAGradeTrademarkedexposureI (Underlaymentgradeorbetter).Youmusthave2layersofplywoodwithaminimum totalthicknessof1-1/8”overfloorjoiststhatarespaced16”apart.Thesetwolayers mustbefastenedwithadhesiveandscrewsornailspermanufacturer’sinstructions.

• If you are tiling over old tile or vinyl linoleum: anyloosetilesmustbesecured. Linoleumshouldbestrippedandcleanedofanywaxesordirt.Linoleummustbe noncushionedandfullyadheredtosubstrate.

•Any section of wallboard or other surface that has been damaged by moisture must be replaced. Ifinstallingnewbackerboardbesuretofollow manufacturer’sinstructions.

2. Set the TileLayout & Cutting TileThebestlayoutsminimizethenumberofcuttiles,avoidusingcutsthatarelessthan1/2thewidthofthetile,andpositioncuttilessymmetrically(thesameonbothsidesofthewall).Typicallyitisdifficulttoachieveallofthesegoals,thereforeyouwillendupmakingcompromisesthatyieldthebestresults.

3.Grout and CaulkBefore you start:

1. Afteryouhavewaitedtheappropriateamountoftimeaspermortar instructions,makesuremortarisdryandtileisfirmlyset.

2. Removealltilespacers.

3. Tileshouldbecleananddry.

4. expansionjoints(wheretilemeetsadjacentwalls,floors,orfixtures)should notbegrouted.Instead,useCaulk(seeCaulkingSection).

NOTEExpansion Joints:Alltileinstallationsmustallowfor“expansionjoints.”Theseare1/8in.to1/4in.spacesalongthelengthwheretilemeetsadjacentwalls(roomcorners),floors,etc.

1 2 3

1. Placealoosetileatopthelastfulltileandpositionittobuttagainstthewallorcorner,oredgewheretilestops.

2.Layasecondloosetileoverthefirstandalignitwiththelastfulltile.

3.Markthecutlineonthe“sandwiched”tile.Remembertoallowforgroutlinesandagapof 1/8in.to1/4in.wherethetilebuttswallsandothersurfaces.Duetovariationsinwall runs,eachtileshouldbebutted,measuredandcutindividually(ratherthantakingasinglemeasurementandcuttinganumberoftilesatonce).Forstraightcuts,useatilecutter.

“Polish”theedgeswitharubbingbrick.

Cutting

Installing GroutTeC®PowerGrout™orDesignColor™GroutmixedwithGroutBoost®stainresistantadditivearehighlyrecommended.Bothofthesesolutionscomeinawidearrayofdesignercolorsandprovidestainresistance,highperformanceandeaseofuse.Refertogroutpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

CaulkingOncegrouthascured,fillgapsatwallsandflooringtransitionswithcaulk.TheuseofTeC®Invision®ReadyToUseCaulkishighlyrecommended.Refertocaulkpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

Applying the Mortar & Installing TileBegininstallingatthecenterpointofthesurfaceandmoveoutward,onequarteratatime.Forfloors,worktowardtheexittoavoidsteppingoverfreshly-laidtile.Whenthisisunavoidable,kneelonaplywoodsheet.

1. Withtheflatedgeofthetrowel,applyadhesiveorthin-setattheintersectionoftheguidelines.Besuretoapplyanevencoat.Workonlyathreesq.ft.areaatatime,ortheareathatcanbecoveredwithtilesbeforethin-setoradhesivelosestackinesstothetouch(seepicture1).

2. Nowgobackand“comb”thematerialwiththenotchedsectionofthetrowel,formingridgesforbetteradhesion(seepicture2).

3. Pressthetileintopositionattheintersectionofthelines,withaslighttwistingmotion.(seepicture3).Donotslidethetileintoplace.Usespacersbetweentiles(seepicture4)tomaintainjointwidth.Installtileinastep-likefashion,workingupwardandoutward.Thispermitseasieradjustmentoftilesifthereisanerror(seepicture5).

CENTER POINT

Completeonequarterfirstbeforegoingtothenext.Ifthemortaroradhesivestartsto“skin-over”onthesurfacebeforeyoulaythetileonit,scrapeitoffandapplynewadhesive.

4. Periodicallychecktoseethatjointsarestraightandeven.Oncealigned,tampdowntileswithabeatingblockandmallettoensuretilesarelevel(seepicture6).Ifadhesiveorthin-setoozesfromjoints,wipewithwarm,soapywater.2/3oftilethicknessinthegroutjointsshouldbecleantoallowforgrout.

5. Cleantoolswithwarm,soapywaterwhileadhesiveisstillwet.

6. Lettilesitbeforegrouting;seeproductpackagingfordetailsonwaittimes.

OR

tecskillset_floortile-guide0811

Caulk

Caulk

ADJUSTEDSTARTING LINE

CENTER POINT

1. Findtheareacenterpointand,usingaChalkLineTool,snapperpendicularlines throughittodivideintoquarters.ChecktheintersectionoftheanglesusingaFraming Square;makesuretheyaresquare.

2.Beforeusingadhesive,drylayoutoneverticalrow andonehorizontalrowinaquarter(seepicture) allowforevengroutlinesandfor“expansionjoints”.

3.Adjustthestartinglinetofindthebestlayout. Pieceslessthanhalfatilewidearehardtocutand arelessvisuallyappealing.Ifendtilesarelessthan halfatilewide,repositiontheverticalcenterline. Iftheproblemisunavoidable,trytopositionthemin aninconspicuousarea.

2 in. x 4 in.

6 ft. - 8 ft. 1/4 in.

H.B.FullerConstructionProductsInc.1105SouthFrontenacStreet•Aurora,IL60504www.tecskillset.com

• Manypeoplefinditeasiesttopackthegroutintothejointsusingthe smallendofthegroutfloat(ratherthanthelongend).Thisisan appropriatemethod,however,youshouldstillusethelongendto scrapeexcessgroutoffofthetile.

• Afteryouhaveappliedthegrout,besuretowaittheappropriate amountoftimebeforeyoustartspongeclean-up.Touchgroutafter 30-60minutes.Groutshouldbefirm,notsoft.Ifthereisnoresidueon yourfinger,groutisreadytoclean.

• Useasdryaspongeaspossiblefortheclean-upsteps,otherwiseyou willlikelyjustbepullingpigmentoutofthegroutjoints.Thegoalisto notdisturbthegroutlines.First,useacircularmotiontoloosengrout hazeandtoolthejoints.

• Forasecondcleanup,usethespongetowipethesurfacediagonally acrossthetilesandgroutjointsholdingspongeflattothesurface.This shouldalsohelptosmoothoutthegroutjoints.Donotleaveexcess waterpooledonthejoints.

• Cleanthespongefrequently,andwringoutasmuchwateraspossible eachtime.

• Replacethebucketofclean-upwaterfrequently.

SPECIAL GROUTING TIPS:

Grout Sponge

TeC®SkillSet™How-ToProjectGuide

Floor Tile

Reverso en español

3 Simple Steps to a Beautiful Tile Surface

1. PREPARE THE SURFACE

2. SET THE TILE

3. GROUT AND CAULK

BEFORE yOU GET STARTED

Chalk Line Tool Tape Measure Framing Square

Pencil Carpenter’s Level Tile Nippers

Rubbing Brick Tile Cutter

Straight Edge Tile Spacers Buckets

Towels for Clean-up Rubber Gloves

Mixing Paddle Drill Notched Trowelthat corresponds to tile size

Grout Float Access to Clean Water

Choosing your setting materials:•Select the mortar (thin-set) that corresponds with your tile type. TeC®SkillSet™offersoptionsforawidevarietyoftiletypesincludingporcelains, ceramics,glass,quarry,stone,andothertiles.Wealsooffermortarsthatspecialize inlargetileapplications.

•Select the grout that goes with your application. °Sandedgroutsaretypicallyusedforfloorapplicationsforgroutjoints1/8”to1/2”. °Superiorgroutproductsforanyfloorapplicationinclude PowerGrout™orDesignColor™Groutwith GroutBoost®groutadditive.Availablein awidearrayofdesignercolors,these productsprovidestainresistance, highperformanceandeaseofuse.

Tools you May Need: 1. Prepare the SurfaceSurfacepreparationisoneofthemostimportantstepsinthetileinstallationprocess.Removeanythingthatwillbeinyourway.Coverallsurfacesthatyouarenottilingtoprotectthem.

Basic Substrate Preparation:•Substrate (tiling surface) must be free of contaminants. °Cleananddry. °Nogrease,sealers,dirt,dust,debris,wallpaper,etc. °Roughen(abrade)alllatexbasedpaintedsurfaces,existing

ceramictileorlaminates(ifyouaretilingoverthem).

•Ensure there are no holes or voids in the substrate. °Useanappropriatepatchingproductsuchas TeC®SkillSet™FastSettingPatchtorepairvoids.

•Substrate must be structurally sound and solid. °Nolooseareasor“bouncy”floors.Looseor“squeaky” floorsshouldbeglued,nailedorscreweddowntightly.

•Substrate must be flat and even before tiling. °Usea6’or8’longstraightedge(2”x4”)makingsure therearenogapsgreaterthan1/4”whenstraightedge isplacedacrossthetilingsurface.Useanappropriate patchingorlevelingproduct,suchas TeC®SkillSet™SelfLevelingUnderlayment.

• If you are tiling over concrete: newslabsmustbecured atleast28days.Patchholes,dipsandcracks.

• If you are tiling over plywood: plywoodshouldbeAPAGradeTrademarkedexposureI (Underlaymentgradeorbetter).Youmusthave2layersofplywoodwithaminimum totalthicknessof1-1/8”overfloorjoiststhatarespaced16”apart.Thesetwolayers mustbefastenedwithadhesiveandscrewsornailspermanufacturer’sinstructions.

• If you are tiling over old tile or vinyl linoleum: anyloosetilesmustbesecured. Linoleumshouldbestrippedandcleanedofanywaxesordirt.Linoleummustbe noncushionedandfullyadheredtosubstrate.

•Any section of wallboard or other surface that has been damaged by moisture must be replaced. Ifinstallingnewbackerboardbesuretofollow manufacturer’sinstructions.

2. Set the TileLayout & Cutting TileThebestlayoutsminimizethenumberofcuttiles,avoidusingcutsthatarelessthan1/2thewidthofthetile,andpositioncuttilessymmetrically(thesameonbothsidesofthewall).Typicallyitisdifficulttoachieveallofthesegoals,thereforeyouwillendupmakingcompromisesthatyieldthebestresults.

3.Grout and CaulkBefore you start:

1. Afteryouhavewaitedtheappropriateamountoftimeaspermortar instructions,makesuremortarisdryandtileisfirmlyset.

2. Removealltilespacers.

3. Tileshouldbecleananddry.

4. expansionjoints(wheretilemeetsadjacentwalls,floors,orfixtures)should notbegrouted.Instead,useCaulk(seeCaulkingSection).

NOTEExpansion Joints:Alltileinstallationsmustallowfor“expansionjoints.”Theseare1/8in.to1/4in.spacesalongthelengthwheretilemeetsadjacentwalls(roomcorners),floors,etc.

1 2 3

1. Placealoosetileatopthelastfulltileandpositionittobuttagainstthewallorcorner,oredgewheretilestops.

2.Layasecondloosetileoverthefirstandalignitwiththelastfulltile.

3.Markthecutlineonthe“sandwiched”tile.Remembertoallowforgroutlinesandagapof 1/8in.to1/4in.wherethetilebuttswallsandothersurfaces.Duetovariationsinwall runs,eachtileshouldbebutted,measuredandcutindividually(ratherthantakingasinglemeasurementandcuttinganumberoftilesatonce).Forstraightcuts,useatilecutter.

“Polish”theedgeswitharubbingbrick.

Cutting

Installing GroutTeC®PowerGrout™orDesignColor™GroutmixedwithGroutBoost®stainresistantadditivearehighlyrecommended.Bothofthesesolutionscomeinawidearrayofdesignercolorsandprovidestainresistance,highperformanceandeaseofuse.Refertogroutpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

CaulkingOncegrouthascured,fillgapsatwallsandflooringtransitionswithcaulk.TheuseofTeC®Invision®ReadyToUseCaulkishighlyrecommended.Refertocaulkpackagingforproductcapabilities,instructionsandlimitations.

Applying the Mortar & Installing TileBegininstallingatthecenterpointofthesurfaceandmoveoutward,onequarteratatime.Forfloors,worktowardtheexittoavoidsteppingoverfreshly-laidtile.Whenthisisunavoidable,kneelonaplywoodsheet.

1. Withtheflatedgeofthetrowel,applyadhesiveorthin-setattheintersectionoftheguidelines.Besuretoapplyanevencoat.Workonlyathreesq.ft.areaatatime,ortheareathatcanbecoveredwithtilesbeforethin-setoradhesivelosestackinesstothetouch(seepicture1).

2. Nowgobackand“comb”thematerialwiththenotchedsectionofthetrowel,formingridgesforbetteradhesion(seepicture2).

3. Pressthetileintopositionattheintersectionofthelines,withaslighttwistingmotion.(seepicture3).Donotslidethetileintoplace.Usespacersbetweentiles(seepicture4)tomaintainjointwidth.Installtileinastep-likefashion,workingupwardandoutward.Thispermitseasieradjustmentoftilesifthereisanerror(seepicture5).

CENTER POINT

Completeonequarterfirstbeforegoingtothenext.Ifthemortaroradhesivestartsto“skin-over”onthesurfacebeforeyoulaythetileonit,scrapeitoffandapplynewadhesive.

4. Periodicallychecktoseethatjointsarestraightandeven.Oncealigned,tampdowntileswithabeatingblockandmallettoensuretilesarelevel(seepicture6).Ifadhesiveorthin-setoozesfromjoints,wipewithwarm,soapywater.2/3oftilethicknessinthegroutjointsshouldbecleantoallowforgrout.

5. Cleantoolswithwarm,soapywaterwhileadhesiveisstillwet.

6. Lettilesitbeforegrouting;seeproductpackagingfordetailsonwaittimes.

OR

tecskillset_floortile-guide0811

Caulk

Caulk

ADJUSTEDSTARTING LINE

CENTER POINT

1. Findtheareacenterpointand,usingaChalkLineTool,snapperpendicularlines throughittodivideintoquarters.ChecktheintersectionoftheanglesusingaFraming Square;makesuretheyaresquare.

2.Beforeusingadhesive,drylayoutoneverticalrow andonehorizontalrowinaquarter(seepicture) allowforevengroutlinesandfor“expansionjoints”.

3.Adjustthestartinglinetofindthebestlayout. Pieceslessthanhalfatilewidearehardtocutand arelessvisuallyappealing.Ifendtilesarelessthan halfatilewide,repositiontheverticalcenterline. Iftheproblemisunavoidable,trytopositionthemin aninconspicuousarea.

2 in. x 4 in.

6 ft. - 8 ft. 1/4 in.

H.B.FullerConstructionProductsInc.1105SouthFrontenacStreet•Aurora,IL60504www.tecskillset.com