Go Big or Go Home – Why Very Large Format Tiles are catching up?
Tile sizes are becoming larger, in India. Now we have consumers demanding tiles as large as 12 feet, for installation on interior floors, walls, or external facades. Gone are those days, when the ubiquitous 2 by 2 feet tile were the norm in tiling. The modern-day consumer is willing to pay for tiles that offer functional value but at the same time does demand more bang for the buck.
Very Large-format tiles give that – ‘more bang for the buck’. The very nature of having such tiles installed means that you have minimum grout lines, implying lesser maintenance. The added benefit is that the grout joints disappear in the design. This lends a spacious feel with premium aesthetics to your living space.
For the uninitiated, any tile with its largest side greater than 1000 mm is a ‘very large format tile’.
No wonder, having very large format tiles installed in your house is now the ‘in-thing’. But did we say that installing such tiles can be a tricky and messy affair? Or not? Let’s find out…
Cement or Adhesives?
Over the years, cement slurry was the defacto material of choice to install tiles. But Cement’s chemical composition doesn’t allow it to retain water. In scientific terms, because of Cement’s high heat of hydration, it tends to lose water quickly and shrinks.
So when you use cement slurry to install tiles, cement shrinks by losing water and is, thus, unable to bond with the tile surface. Consequently, the shrinkage also creates unintended hollow spaces below/beside the tile, thereby making the tile susceptible to debonding or cracks.
We have established that the installation of tiles with cement slurry is highly problematic. Now, let’s talk about the installation of very large format tiles.
Very large-format tiles undergo heat curing in roller furnaces. Hence, they come with natural warpage and flexibility (slight bend, otherwise not noticeable to the human eye). Imagine cement slurry losing water and shrinking after the installation of these tiles. The natural warpage of these tiles pronounces the issue of hollow sounds and drastically increases the probability of the following occurrences:
- Tenting of tiles
- Cracks at the edges (especially when spacers are not used)
- De-bonding of tiles
With the tile installation using cement slurry, would you invest so much time and resources, just to witness the tiles of your choice crack and de-bond someday? No, right? That’s what we thought.
It is because of the above reasons why Tile Adhesives make sure the intended bonding with the tile occurs. How do we ensure that?
Tile adhesive is a special formulation of various ingredients, dosed with polymers to retain water(self-curing property) during adhesion with the tile. Thus, greatly enhancing the quality and longevity of the tile installation.
More so with very large format tiles, wherein the adhesion must sustain, allowing for the lateral movement arising due to the natural warpage and flexibility of such tiles.
Presenting MYK LATICRETE 335 Maxi
We designed 335 Maxi with a ‘special and unique’ formulation to flawlessly install Very Large Format Tiles, Thin Body, Laminate Tiles, and Stones for both exterior and interior surfaces.
The formulation of 335 Maxi is ‘special and unique’ because it is a multipurpose partially light weight, highly polymer modified and highly flexible adhesive for installation of very large format and thin body tiles on most of the substrates, to accommodate movements.
Features & Benefits of 335 Maxi
335 Maxi also exceeds ANSI A118.4 shear bond strength requirements, complies with EN/ISO with a C2TES1 classification, and exceeds IS 15477:2019 – Type 3/TS1 adhesive standards.
Be Progressive. Be Bold. Be Creative.
Be it the external facade, interior floors or interior walls, very large format tiles offer tremendous functional benefits and great value for money. And 335 Maxi makes that possible for you and your clients by giving you the confidence to be bold and creative while working with very large format tiles with consummate ease.
335 Maxi is a perfect demonstration of a ‘progressive adhesive technology’. With 335 Maxi’s innovative & unique capabilities, we make it easier for you to recommend very large format tiles for your clients.
So what’re you waiting for? Be Progressive. Be Bold. Be Creative. Need assistance with tile installations for your client’s site? Reach out to us and we will respond to you within 24 hours.
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