Statement walls are all the rage these days, and wall murals are a unique take on them. They combine brilliant colors and intricate designs via patterned tile arrangements allowing for incredibly personalized walls and unlimited creative possibilities. They lend an organic look to offices, malls, churches, and homes and are either used in the form of a decorative panel, accent wall, or shower mural or as a backsplash in kitchens.
Challenges in Creating and Installing Wall Murals
For how bespoke and hand-crafted they are, it is apparent that they don’t come easy or cheap. More often than not, the murals are reproduced from existing canvases or images, and tiles are cut into a design basis the plan or images are transferred onto tiles through specialized custom-printing techniques. Seeing as wall murals require putting together pieces of various shapes and sizes, irregular width gaps, both tiny and large, and variances in thickness of tiles are common.
Limitations of Traditional Grouts for Murals
Traditional grouts, however, often can’t handle moisture, differences in gaps and tile thickness, and excessive movement and thus crack. In some cases, tile gaps tend to be too far apart, disintegrating the tile joint. Sanded grout which is conventionally used can also scratch the tile surface in the cases where the glaze isn’t solid enough. Also, a lot of glazed mural tiles have microscopic pores which can lead to discoloration of the tile while grouting, creating unsightly stains and ruining the mural altogether, specifically when the grout is in a conflicting shade/hue.
The Aesthetic Contribution of Grout Lines
All that being said, grout lines don’t just have a practical side to them. They also lend a mosaic look to murals, elevating their aesthetic. By bolstering the weight of a line, the tile joint can also be an integral element of the decorative process.
Introducing MYK LATICRETE SP-100 tile joint
After understanding these requirements and the gaps in the market in terms of catering to such complex applications, MYK LATICRETE devised the SP-100 tile joint. A stain-, germ-, and water-resistant grout that works with ceramic tiles and vitrified tiles, this product not only gives the wall mural more body, it also ensures it retains its beauty for years to come through its colour-fastness.
In addition, given that the tile joint is available in a range of colours, it can help amp up the composition either by creating a more muted look through seamlessness or by producing a strong decorative effect by way of a contrasting colour of grout. It is non-cracking or powdering, and chemical and temperature resistant offering advantages that far outweigh any other product in the market.
MYK LATICRETE’s Commitment to Innovation
All in all, MYK LATICRETE has time and again demonstrated its strength in providing innovative tile and stone installation materials.
