Why you don't need to dip tiles in water before use?
Though tiling looks like a simple task, it has several intricacies involved. It is much more than just flattening the surface, laying the cement and mortar, and fixing the tiles. So, when you start the tiling project on your property, it is imperative for you to know all the related know-how to ensure a proper and successful installation.
One of the things that you need to know is whether to soak the tiles in water before using the same or not.
Do you need to soak the tiles in water?
You would have heard about the tiles being dipped in water before use, isn’t it? This was a common practice a few years ago. Now, due to technical innovation and improved manufacturing practices, new-age tiles from leading brands such as Johnson Endura do not require soaking.
The whole idea behind soaking or dipping or wetting of the tiles before fixing them was that the normal ceramic tiles were extremely porous. Since they had a lot of air pockets inside, if the tiles were laid directly, the tile would come out and not stick properly due to the poor bonding. This happens because the tiles soak up all the water and dry the cement underneath the tile. Due to this, the cement or mortar loses its adhesiveness. Initially, the adhesive may grip the tile, but as time progresses, it would eventually fall.
When the tiles get soaked in the water for an ample amount of time, the void created due to the air pockets are filled with water. The soaked tile would not absorb more water from cement. Due to this, the tile easily forms a strong bond with the mortar or cement.
So, the reason for soaking is to fill the air pockets below the tiles. As the tiles are put in the bucket, innumerable air bubbles keep rising. The moment they stop, indicating that the tiles are now ready to be applied.
The ‘New Age Tiles’ do not need dipping
The new and improved tiles do not need soaking. Since the tiles available today are made with a low porosity level, there is no dipping requirement. Also, especially for wall tiles, many masons have started using adhesives for installation and not cement and mortar, the challenging task of wetting the tiles in water is no longer needed.
This has helped the masons as well as property owners considerably. Since the cumbersome task of dipping the tiles in the water is not needed, it saves a lot of time and effort. This has resulted into significant reduction of the manpower requirement and has also accelerated the project.
You must consider installing easy-to-apply Johnson Endura tiles. The company offers a variety of tiles for various applications such as parking tiles, staircase tiles, outdoor tiles, cool roof, and wall tiles, elevation tiles, anti-static tiles, and more. Select one as per your needs and enjoy a durable and sturdy surface!
