Professional tile installation techniques

Installation always begins with a layout plan . Before preparing the glue, you decide where to start, how to close the walls, where the cuts will be made, and how to manage alignment with doors, corridors, central areas, and fixed elements (kitchen islands, fireplaces, custom-made furniture). Good marking out avoids having strips just a few centimeters wide in highly visible areas.

For large formats (60x60, 60x120, 80x80, slabs), precision is even more important: small errors accumulate and become evident. The installation pattern also plays a role: straight, running, staggered, diagonal, or herringbone (Italian or Hungarian for a wood effect). Each pattern requires calibrated measurements, cuts, and quantities of glue.

The choice of adhesive is not a casual one: there are cement-based adhesives of varying degrees of deformability, normal or rapid setting, single- or two-component, water-based or reactive. The type of tile (absorbent or compact), the size, the substrate, and the environment (interior, exterior, underfloor heating) determine the choice. The adhesive must be mixed according to the recommended doses and times, spread with appropriate notched trowels, and, for large formats, often combined with double-buttering (glue on both the substrate and the back of the tile) to ensure proper filling.

During installation, great attention is paid to controlling the level and unevenness between tiles (the so-called "step effect" or lippage). Mechanical leveling systems, calibrated spacers, and continuous checks with a spirit level and grazing light help maintain a uniform surface, especially when the tiles are very large and rigid.

Grout joints aren't a necessary evil, but rather a technical and aesthetic element. Their width depends on the tile size and the manufacturer's instructions; too-narrow joints on non-rectified tiles or on uneven surfaces increase the risk of cracking. The grout color significantly influences the final effect: tone-on-tone for a uniform result, subtle contrast to highlight the design, bolder choices to emphasize specific patterns.

In critical areas—corners, material transitions, wall/floor transitions, and transitions to balconies and terraces— elastic joints or special profiles are often used. These elements allow the materials to expand and move without cracking the tiles or joints, especially in large areas, with underfloor heating, or with significant temperature fluctuations.

The grouting phase must be handled with care: correct draft times, cleaning of grout residue before it hardens, and checking that the joints are full and even. Immediately after installation, the final result isn't visible; it's only after grouting and cleaning that the floor or wall design truly emerges.