Reclaimed Terracotta

Installing Terracotta Tiles

Terracotta has been used for hundreds of years as floors in the UK. The Romans had the art of heating rooms through the use of warmed terracotta down to a fine art. Fashions come and go as do the associated production skills. Whether the Romans left Britain or the Britain’s moved away from Roman power is still debated, either way over the next hundred years the use of Terracotta disappeared.

In more recent times the opening up of travel to warmer climes in the 70’s piqued our interest in the material. No self-respecting conservatory extension of the 80’s seemed complete without a floor of Spanish terracotta.

Fast-forward 30 years and once again we have returned to natural clay for our floors, and even walls. Whilst the climate in the UK can mean using Terracotta outside is tricky (the natural salts and compounds in the clay force their way through and out during temperature fluctuations causing fissures and holes), inside is a different story. The tactile surface and the beautiful colour variation lend themselves wonderfully to refurbishment projects. At Claybrook we offer two main types bought directly from source, both from local family run businesses:

> Claybrook Handmade Terracotta tiles are produced from natural materials and clays, so will vary in tone, surface texture and size. The nature of the handmade production can mean that pitting and uneven edges are normal and part of the product’s character.

> Claybrook Reclaimed Terracotta tiles are reclaimed from old houses and buildings in Serbia where they are unwanted, and are then cleaned and re-sized for use in future projects. The nature of this process means these tiles will vary quite widely in colour from pale yellows through to dark reds, and vary in tone, surface texture, density and size. In some cases, the tiles still bare the natural patina accumulated over many decades of use. 


A GUIDE TO INSTALLING TERRACOTTA TILES

The final floor colour can be significantly influenced by your choice of sealant. You can choose to either retain the natural tones, or intensify and darken the colour of the terracotta. Both sealing options offer protection against everyday spills, though we also recommend the application of a finishing product in order to strengthen that protection and make the floor easier to maintain.

While terracotta tiles are not recommended for use in areas that are constantly wet; such as wet-room floors or shower areas, using the correct sealing and finishing products will definitely help in areas where splashes and spills may occur, such as bathrooms and kitchens. If you are planning on installing terracotta tiles in a bathroom, please check with our Technical dept for more advice on installation and sealing methods. 

The most important factor in achieving a good finish is to use a tiler with proven experience of laying and sealing terracotta tiles, as the wrong application of adhesive, sealers, grout and finishing products can ruin these beautiful tiles, costing you time and money. 

CHECKS PRE-INSTALLATION

When you receive your order, please check that you have received all of your tiles and that they are in good condition. Damp tiles should be stored on end in a well-ventilated area, so they are thoroughly dry before installation. We recommend that prior to installation the tiles should be well shuffled and dry-laid to create an even blend of colour and tone across the floor. It is also a good idea to seal and finish 1 or 2 tiles before installation, so you and your tiler can agree how the tiles will look once laid. If you want to save your tiler time waiting for sealers to dry and to help with the removal any marks from laying the tiles, you can seal the tiles prior to work starting, just follow the guidelines on the container, or on the product’s webpage under the Suitability & Installation tab.

INSTALLATION PROCESS

Your tiler will need to correctly prepare the tiling substrate to ensure it is flat, level solid and clean before they start laying the tiles. 

When laying the tiles, they will need to brush any loose grit or dust off the back of the tiles to ensure a good bond with the adhesive. We also recommend they use Ardex Standard Set Flexible Tile Adhesive and apply it to both the substrate and the back of the tiles to create the best bond. 

After placing the tile on the adhesive, they can use their hands or a rubber hammer to level the tile surface. To cut the tiles, ideally they should use a water-cooled tile cutter, or if skilled enough they could use an angle grinder type cutter with the appropriate blade (i.e. unslotted and continuous). The suggested grout joint between the Handmade Terracotta tiles can vary from 5-8mm due to size tolerance and edge finish. On the Reclaimed Terracotta, these tiles feature an even higher size variation and will require a grout joint between 5-10mm to allow for this. 

If they have not yet sealed the tiles, the tiles MUST be sealed before grouting.


'The final floor colour can be significantly influenced by your choice of sealant.'


SEALING AND FINISHING

For a natural/unaltered colour

Sealer – LTP Mattstone H20 

Finisher - LTP Ironwax Satin/Gloss 

Cleaner – LTP Floorshine

Sealing

Either before the tiles are laid, or before grouting the tiles, the tiles must be sealed with at least 2 coats of LTP Mattstone and 2 coats of the finishing product Ironwax Satin/Gloss. To ensure a good seal, apply the LTP Mattstone at 2-hour intervals until the sealer starts to sit on the surface. After the final coat of Mattstone, allow 45 minutes and then buff away any excess.

Finishing

Once the Mattstone sealer has been allowed to fully cure (12 hours), apply 2 coats of Ironwax Satin/Gloss with an hour between coats. Then allow 4 hours for the finish to cure before starting the grouting process using Ardex FL grout. If the tiler is not using our recommended Ardex FL grout, then please test your chosen grout on the surface of a sample tile, to ensure the grout can be cleaned away successfully. 

Once the grout has been applied and the floor is completely dry, then apply one final coat of Ironwax Satin/Gloss across the entire surface including the grout to provide the floor with a good level of protection. After 12 hours the floor can be walked on as normal. 

Ongoing Maintenance

For everyday cleaning, use LTP Floorshine at the appropriate dilution stated on the bottle. For spills, stains and the occasional deep clean, you can use EcoProTec Intensive Cleaner, again checking you are using the correct dilution. After using the EcoProTec Intensive Cleaner, you will need to re-apply the Ironwax finish.

For enhanced colour

Sealer - LTP Boiled Linseed Oil 

Finisher – LTP Ironwax Satin/Gloss 

Cleaner – LTP Floorshine 

Sealing

As above, the sealer can be applied to the tiles before they are laid, or at least 12 hours before grouting the tiles. Ensure you shake the bottle well and apply the product in accordance with the instructions on the bottle. Remember if using a roller, brush or cloth they must be appropriately washed out with white spirit and then disposed of carefully. Do not leave them exposed to direct sunlight, as if linseed is allowed to dry on a roller, brush or cloth, it can become self-combustible. 

Apply the product generously and evenly to the face and edges of the tile and continue to saturate for 3-4 minutes moving the product continuously with the roller or brush to ensure complete coverage. Allow 2-4 hours between coats and apply a minimum of 3 coats to ensure a good seal before grouting. 

The floor has a good seal once the linseed oil does not completely soak into the surface after 5-10 minutes. Be sure to remove any excess linseed with a lint free cotton or microfibre cloth after 30 minutes, otherwise the excess linseed can tackify on the surface and become very difficult to remove. 

Finishing

Once a good seal is achieved leave the sealer to cure for a minimum of 12 hours to cure, before applying the Ironwax Satin/Gloss. 

Apply 2 coats of Ironwax Satin/Gloss with an hour between coats. Then allow 4 hours for the finish to cure before starting the grouting process using Ardex FL grout. If the tiler is not using our recommended Ardex FL grout, then please test your chosen grout on the surface of a sample tile, to ensure the grout can be cleaned away successfully. 

Once the grout has been applied and the floor is completely dry, then apply one final coat of Ironwax Satin/Gloss across the entire surface including the grout to provide the floor with a good level of protection. After 12 hours the floor can be walked on as normal. 

Ongoing Maintenance

For everyday cleaning, use LTP Floorshine at the appropriate dilution stated on the bottle. For spills, stains and the occasional deep clean, you can use EcoProTec Intensive Cleaner, again checking you are using the correct dilution. After using the EcoProTec Intensive Cleaner, you will need to re-apply the Ironwax finish.


For advice on the best style to lay your tiles, or the best way to plan, cut or install your chosen tiles, contact our helpful Sales team or experienced Technical team at [email protected] or [email protected]