Tiling your wall with Zelliges? Here's how!

Do you want to tile your kitchen, bathroom, toilet or hallway with Zelliges? Are you unsure whether you can do it yourself or have a tiler do it? Read below how it works and decide for yourself.

What do you need:

- Zelliges , - Glue , - Grout, - Tile spacers , - Primer, - Tile cutter, - Glue comb, - Bucket, - Sponge, - Lint-free cloth, - Cement veil remover.

Start preparing:

• Have you been able to make a choice from our Zellige range of colours and shapes? Make sure you take an extra 10% for cutting loss, then you will definitely have enough in stock.
• Zelliges do not need any after-treatment, so that is very easy. We add the products such as glue, additive etc. to every order so that you have enough anyway. Let us know if you need something or not, then we will adjust the quote.
• These tiles are handmade and are therefore not colourfast. This means that there can be a colour difference between the tiles per box, or even within the box itself. This is part of the tile and ensures the processed effect, but it is smart to remove all the tiles from the boxes and place them together before gluing. This way you mix the colours and it is always good.
• Get a tile cutter. The Zelliges can also be sawn but are also easy to do with a tile cutter.

Are you ready?

• Make sure the wall is smooth and that it does not absorb any more moisture. If it is a new plasterboard or has recently been plastered, we recommend applying a primer to the wall first, this ensures that the wall does not absorb the moisture from the glue.
• Measure the space where you are going to place the tiles, it looks best if you work from the center outwards. This way you also have to cut/saw the least.

Here we go:

• Before you place the tiles on the wall, you should always soak them in a bucket full of water. The clay from which the tiles are made is so dry that otherwise all the moisture would be drawn out of the glue. Leave them under water for 30 to 60 seconds and then let them drain on a towel.
• Zelliges do not need to be glued but can be stuck, this means that you only need to spread glue on the wall. This way they will stick.
• These handmade tiles will all be different from each other. So you can stick them by eye, using a wall or slat as a guide.
• Make sure you have a piece of wood or something flat with which you can press several Zellige at a time, this will make them a bit flatter.
• Saw or cut the Zelliges into the desired sizes, taking the inferior tiles in the box with a hole or broken glaze.
• And start pasting!

Finish:

• Is the glue dry? (usually 24 hours later, depending on the thickness) Then you can add the Zelliges. You can choose not to do this, we do recommend this in the bathroom and kitchen because of the moisture and easier cleaning.
• As soon as the grout starts to dry (within half an hour), remove any grout that has ended up on the tiles with a dry cloth.

Finished!

That was it. Are you going to do it yourself? If you have any questions, email or call us. And we are always super curious about the result, so send a photo to Fieke@designtegels.nl and let us know what your Zellige - Plak - experience was like.