How to tile with Mexican tiles
What you will need:
Tile adhesive (we recommend a good quality adhesive such as Mapei)
Wide joint grout (available in a range of colours with recommend Ardex)
Disc cutter (either an angle grinder or a wet wheel table cutter)
Tile spacers
Notched trowel
Rubber grout float
Sponge
Read the instruction on the adhesive and grout packets before tiling.
- Prepare the surface you are going to tile onto so it is sound and flat.
- Plan the layout of your handmade Mexican tiles and decide on a starting point.
- Use adhesives appropriate to the surface you are tiling onto.
- Decide on the spacing of the Mexican tiles, usually between 3 to 5mm.
- Space tiles using spacers used at tile centres not corners.
- Apply adhesive to wall using a notched trowel. Add a blob of adhesive to the back of the tile.
- Put the tile onto the wall using sufficient pressure so that the ridges left by the notched trowel are flattened.
- Mix grout to a creamy consistency and press into the joints using a rubber grout float.
- Sponge off excess grout before it fully sets.
The tiles are rarely flat and may vary in thickness. Tilers should use their eye to make aesthetic judgements.
This is intended to be a rough guide for tiling. For more specific information please contact us by email or telephone 020 7613 0876.
Milagros is experienced tiling with handmade tiles. We will be glad to answer any of your questions.
Ordering
- There are 90 Mexican tiles per square meter and we suggest that you allow 10% extra for wastage while tiling.
- We recommend purchasing a sample tile to give a clear indication of the tile’s appearance and colour before buying them in quantity.
- If you want a mix of Mexican tiles, the easiest way to work out the amounts of each colour is as a percentage – for example, 30% Mexican white and 70% mustard yellow will give you a predominance of mustard yellow.
- If you have a number of areas that need tiling, work out the square meter of each area and then add them together.To put the tiles up you will need tile grout and tile adhesive. We recommend wide joint grout which comes in five colours: grey, limestone, white, sandstone and black.
- Colours shown on the website and printed publicity are not meant to be definitive. Photography, computer screens and printing cannot reproduce colours exactly.
Refunds and Guarantees
- We will replace goods if they arrive damaged. We may ask for photographic evidence if we need to notify the courier company. We ask that you inform us within 5 days.
- Refunds are given if the tiles are returned in person to the shop or warehouse or arrive back with us undamaged within 14 days of delivery.
- After 14 days a 20% re-stocking fee is charged if the tiles are returned 14 days after the delivery day of the tiles. We will accept part boxes but at a 50% restocking fee.
- After 90 days a 50% restocking fee will be charged.
- Delivery charges are non-refundable except for where the tiles are damaged.
- Refunds cannot be given once the tiles have been fixed onto the wall.
Inherent characteristics
- All dimensions are approximations, the size variation can be sometimes in excess of 2mm. (The tiles are not wholly flat or wholly square.)
- Surface irregularities can occur these are normal.
- Crazing and crackling of the glaze are inherent characteristics of hand-crafted tiles. The craze can be enhanced or dimished by the choice of grout.
- As with all tiles, handmade Mexican tiles can chip, nick or scratch. Tile edges may have slight chips. These should be used where cut tiles are required and the damaged edges can be removed.
Suitability
- The tiles are considered for indoor use only as they are not freeze-tolerant.
- These tiles are not recommended for kitchen worktops.
- Milagros tiles are suitable for bathrooms, kitchen and shower room walls when properly installed on a suitable substrate using an adhesive appropriate for the substrate.
- The handmade wall tiles are not suitable for floors.
Installation
- The handmade Mexican tiles are rarely flat and may vary in thickness. Installers should use their eye to make aesthetic judgements and ideally be familiar with laying handmade tiles.
- Wide joint grout is recommended as an average grout gap in excess of 3mm is normal. Our preference is for Ardex or Mapei grout and adhesive.
- We recommend not setting a firm date for a tiler until your tiles have arrived and been checked.
- Always check the tiles are correct on delivery and undamaged. Do not leave this until the tiler is on site.
- We do not advise sealing of our glazed tiles, although this can be done.
- Use a tiler who has experience of laying handmade tiles. You may wish to confirm the layout of the tiles and the size of the grout gap.
- The tiles are not completely flat and account must be taken of this when setting them on the adhesive in order to give them a firm bed.
- Milagros are experienced in laying Mexican tiles and we are happy to provide advice and technical support.
Maintenance
- Periodically check the condition of your silicon joints and repair if cracks appear. It is generally the grout that fails before the tiles.