Installing Zellij tiles requires more attention from the tiler than traditional tiles, as the tiles often curve slightly and have a varying thickness. This is because Zellij tiles are 100% handmade – a fantastic handicraft product from times soon gone by.
Follow this guide to achieve the best results during installation and for everyday use.
Download Guide as PDFInspect the delivered tiles before installation, and let us know as soon as possible if there is anything wrong – all complaints must be made before installation.
Open several boxes at the same time and pick up the tiles and place them in piles at the work site, to mix the natural color variations of the tiles as much as possible.
Sort out the tiles that have larger chips on the edges or on the surface and use them later for cuttings.
The edges of each zellij tile are hand-cut with a chisel hammer, and therefore more irregular than conventional tiles.
Make sure the substrate is clean and stable before installation.
Allow for 1.5-2 times greater consumption of tile adhesive than usual, to compensate for the differences in the thickness of the tiles.
Apply tile adhesive with a 14 mm notched trowel and place the tiles carefully in relation to each other. Pay particular attention to adjusting the height of the tiles to avoid edges that stick up.
Installing zellij tiles is a mosaic job: the tiles must be turned and turned each time they are placed, like a puzzle piece, to get as narrow joints and as level an installation as possible.
We recommend that zellij tiles are installed with a very narrow joint as close as possible, to get the most beautiful result.
Place and align the tiles by hand. Never use a hammer or other tool when laying, as the tool can easily damage the tiles.
When cutting the tiles, a traditional tile cutter or a wet cutter is used.
Make sure that both the tiles and the joints are cleaned and completely free of dirt and dust. The tile adhesive must have dried for at least 24 hours before grouting.
Choose a grout color that is as close to the color tone of the tile as possible. Mix the grout to a yogurt-like consistency that can get into the narrow joints. Grout the tiles and clean with clean water and a sponge.
When the joint is completely dry, the tiles are polished with a dry cloth and all glazed surfaces are exposed to joint compound.
Wash the tiles with a mild soap solution for regular cleaning.
Stains, lime residues, etc. can be removed with Fila Cleaner or Borup Kemi Rengøring til Marmor og Terrazzo.
Apply the detergent and let it work for 3-4 minutes, then scrub thoroughly with a rough sponge. Finally, clean and wipe the tile with clean water.