Semi Wet Mix Mortar Bed- (This is the most common technique used in Ireland)
Take a proper measurement of your Patio space and add 10% for offcuts.
100mm- sub-base that can be containing granules of compacted limestone, gritstone or any other such stone granules suitable.
Dig out the place and put this sub-base on the area in which you are putting paving slabs.
30mm - The main mix mortar base which consists of grit sand and ordinary portland cement (OPC) in the ratio of 4:1 or stronger.
To check please ensure that mortar is binding together and is not watery.
Apply the base mortar on the sub-base. Level the bed properly as this will carry the slabs.
Judging the right level of the bed and getting the right degree of rippling is very important so that the paving slabs can be placed properly at the same level thus eliminating inconsistencies.
Porcelain have very low water absorption and hence they need something to make the paving slabs stick properly to the base.
Use a brush to apply the slurry primer on the back of the paving slab properly just before placing it on full semi-wet mortar bed.
Ensure that you do not put any primer on the top surface.
After the primer has been put on back of tiles they can be laid on the mortar.
Using a rubber mallet is very important here to tap the paving slabs to correct level. The entire beauty of paving slabs depends on laying them to correct level.
Most of our porcelain pavers have rectified edges, which means you can go as low as 2mm joint. However we always recommend our customers to have minimum of 4mm Joint as this gives a proper tiling effect and makes the patio look pristine.
We recommend quality porcelain grout as its impermeable and gives higher coverage.
Remove any excess while grouting. Avoid foot traffic on the Patio for 24 hours.
The placing and installation is easy by this way, but the preparation work required needs to be much more Precise than First Method.
The Base here is Pre-Installed Concrete or such hard base on which Tiles can affixed directly without any need of Mix Mortar or other things.
(The Concrete base can be 70-100mm thick concrete (C7.5 or stronger) slabs or reinforced concrete.)
The tiles can be laid on top of concrete or such hard levelled surface with the help of a Tile Adhesive, which is an outdoor grade polymer-modified cement-based adhesive.
This Outdoor Tile Adhesive is spread over the concrete by a notched spreader to make sure that the depth of adhesive is uniform.
(The Required Thickness for the Bedding is specified by adhesive manufacturer>)
The tiles are than placed and pressed down on the adhesive. Pressing and fixing is done in a way to settle down falls and levels.
The Slurry primer like in the first method is to be placed on the back of the slabs before laying them.
We recommend Porcelain Grout as its impermeable and gives higher coverage.
Remove any excess while grouting. Avoid foot traffic on the Patio for 24 hours.