Cement tiles can be placed outside as long as the tiles are properly impregnated. In addition, they should always be placed on a cement screed/concrete. This prevents moisture from penetrating the tiles and they cannot freeze to pieces in frost. We do recommend placing cement tiles under a canopy such as a veranda to protect them somewhat from the elements. The pigments in cement tiles are organic and can fade over time if they are left in the open air. It is therefore also advisable to provide an outdoor floor with a new impregnation layer such as Color Deepener every year. It is best to do this before the winter so that they are well protected from the elements. This product brings out the colors and gives the tiles a beautiful appearance again. Have the tiles become dirty during the year? Then first clean them with Dirt Remover before you re-impregnate them with color deepener. Read the tips or watch the video with the Azule products on how to do this best.

Moroccan tiles are made from clay from Fez, Morocco. The glazed top layer is quite thin. This means that Zelliges that are placed outside can freeze and break. Nevertheless, they are often used outside, such as under verandas, above an outdoor kitchen and on walls as a decorative finish. If they are placed outside, it is important that the joints are properly grouted so that no water can get between the joints, which can later freeze again and therefore expand, causing the tiles to crack. Bejmat and Platta tiles are slightly thicker and stronger and can be used outside. However, the joints must also be taken into account here. Since they are handmade products and no tile is the same, there is a possibility that some tiles are less sturdy than others and that cracks can occur in frost.

Spanish tiles unfortunately cannot be placed outside due to frost. The Spanish tiles can contain crackle which can absorb moisture, if this freezes the entire tile will burst.

Marble Mosaic Marble is a natural stone and is therefore suitable for outdoor use. Please note that marble can wear out due to exposure to rain and strong winds and can discolour due to bright sunlight. Think of the sandstone buildings of the past. This is minimal but we would like to mention it.

Yes, that is possible in most cases. The most important thing is that a good primer is used. This primer ensures good adhesion of the tile adhesive to the existing tiles. There are special primers for tiling over existing tiles. Also ensure that the substrate, i.e. the existing tiles, is reasonably flat. With a good tile adhesive such as the Weber Tile Adhesive prescribed by us, small irregularities can be compensated for.

Yes, that is possible in many cases. There are a number of things that are important when placing tiles on a wooden surface:
- The surface must be firm and rigid without being able to move too much.
- If tiles are placed over an old work floor, it must be ensured that the construction under the work floor is strong enough to bear the weight of the tiled floor.
- There must also be sufficient crossbeams to ensure that the floor does not move when you walk over it and therefore does not bounce.
- One option is to mount additional underlayment plates on the work floor on which the tiles can then be placed. This will provide additional rigidity to the floor.
- Use a special primer that is suitable for placing tiles on wood.
- Use a flexible tile adhesive and a flexible grout

If cement tiles have to connect to another floor, such as a wooden floor or a cast floor, it is important to determine the required thickness in advance.
A wooden floor is usually 2 cm thick. It is possible that it will be thicker if a sound-absorbing underlay is used.
Cement tiles are approximately 1.6 cm thick and come out to a thickness of 2 cm incl. tile adhesive. This thickness usually fits well with wooden floors.
By working with a well-filling tile adhesive, you can still play with the thickness of the floor to ensure it fits well with another floor.

The joint between the two floors can be covered with special strips that are available for this purpose at almost all DIY stores.
If a strip is not desired, work will have to be done very neatly and tightly to ensure that the two floors flow smoothly into each other.
However, keep in mind that a wooden floor always expands or shrinks slightly. This can cause problems.
With a cast floor or a monolithic (troweled) floor, shrinkage or expansion can also occur. If the other floor has been in place for a while and has hardened well, and there are any expansion joints, then the chance of cracks occurring is much smaller. However, it is not unwise to leave a small joint of 2 mm between the floors so that any movement of the floors can be absorbed. After some time, the joint can be filled with a flexible sealant or joint in the colour of the floor so that it is hardly noticeable. You can also have the floors connected with an acid-free sealant edge, which you can buy in the same colour as your joint so that it is not noticeable.

Cement tiles Keep a joint of 2 mm. Thicker is ugly and thinner is almost impossible to joint. We do not recommend placing them cold against each other (without joint), but only on walls where the tiles are not exposed to moisture or dirt. On a floor, the tiles must always be jointed.

Moroccan tiles such as Zelliges and Bejmat tiles Zelliges and Bejmat tiles can be placed tightly against each other. The unevenness that remains must be filled with grout. Without grout, water/moisture can get between the tiles and tiles can come loose from the wall. Joints of 1 or 2 mm are also used to ensure that the tiles are sufficiently protected by a joint edge. This is particularly used in very wet areas such as showers.

Spanish tiles and Metro tiles Keep a joint of 2 mm. Thicker is usually not nice. Thinner is, but that is difficult to joint. Lately we have seen the trend to lay these types of tiles without a joint. That often looks very cool. Keep in mind that a joint is the protection against moisture. So in wet areas that is not recommended.

Large ceramic tiles Keep a joint of 2 mm. Thicker is usually not nice. Thinner is but that is difficult to joint.

Choosing the right grout color is important for the look of your tiling. Here are some guidelines to help you:

1. Do you want a smooth and uniform effect? ​​→ Choose a grout color that matches the tile
Light tiles → light grout (white, cream, light gray)
Dark tiles → dark joint (anthracite, black, dark gray)
Advantage: The joints are less noticeable and the tiles appear to be one whole.

2. Do you want a striking contrast? → Choose a contrasting grout colour
White tiles → black or dark grout
Dark tiles → white or light grout
Advantage: The tile pattern really pops.

Please note: Light tiles and dark grout may cause some 'grout veil' when washing. Ensure proper cleaning.

3. Do you want a natural, timeless look? → Choose a neutral grout colour. Beige, sand, taupe or light grey go with many tile colours.
Advantage: Timeless and less sensitive to dirt than white joints.

4. Do you want easy-care joints? → Avoid white on floors! Lighter joints are more sensitive to dirt and discolouration. On floors, (dark) grey, anthracite or taupe is often the best choice. In bathrooms, preferably choose a mould-resistant joint mortar.

Always pay close attention to whether the grout is suitable for your (coloured) tiles.

Are you in doubt? Test different grout colours with a piece of grout or a digital visualisation. Grout colour really makes a big difference in the look of your tiling!

Do you use our products?
Always follow the instructions on the packaging carefully. Use the indicated proportions and adhere to the indicated times. Our place and treatment schedules also give you clear instructions. Adhere to these. This is important for a good result!

There are different methods for this. You can finish Zellige with decorative strips, miter sawing, jointing or processing it in your plasterwork. We have a blog about this with images for clarification. Read all about finishing Zelliges here.

Yes, that is possible. There are a few conditions attached to this. The underfloor heating must be at least 6 cm below the tile surface, in the cement screed. The underfloor heating may never be heated higher than 30 degrees. So make sure that an intermediate thermostat is installed and that the pipes are never connected directly to the central heating. If the tiles have just been laid, 3 weeks must be allowed before the underfloor heating can be switched on. and even then the underfloor heating must be switched on via a “startup menu”. This ensures that the underfloor heating heats up very slowly, increasing by 1 degree every day. Heating up too quickly can cause hairline cracks or even tiles and joints that come loose. For other types of tiles, the same applies: the underfloor heating must be 6 cm below the tile and may never be heated higher than 30 degrees.

Floor: Yes, that is possible. What should be taken into account is that cement tiles can discolour over time due to the influence of a lot of water and soap/shampoo. The surface can also become rough. By properly impregnating the tiles and/or repeating this annually, the lifespan of the tiles is extended.
Wall: Yes, that is possible. The same applies to the walls: the tiles can become somewhat paler due to contact with a lot of water, soap and shampoo, but less so than when the cement tiles are applied to the floor. Good impregnation ensures a longer lifespan.

Rectified tiles are tiles that are mechanically cut to size after the baking process and have precision finished edges. This process ensures that the tiles all have exactly the same dimensions and sharp, right angles (usually 90 degrees).

What does it mean if the tiles are not rectified, not dimensionally stable? If tiles are not rectified and not dimensionally stable, this means that they have not been additionally trimmed or ground after the baking process to obtain exactly the same dimensions. This can cause (small) variations in size and shape. It is generally recommended to use a wide joint to accommodate dimensional differences.

Tile spacers are used to maintain an even joint width between tiles during installation. They ensure that the tiles are placed neatly and evenly, which is especially important for large surfaces and visually striking tile patterns.

When not to use tile spacers?
- Irregularly shaped tiles: With natural stone, hand-formed or rustic tiles, the edges can be irregular. A variable joint width is often used here, and tile spacers would disrupt the natural look.
- Tiles with a staggered pattern: With laying patterns such as herringbone, irregular pattern or a half-brick pattern with overlaps, tile spacers can disrupt the natural appearance or correct positioning.
- Tiles with a minimal grout (e.g. laid without a grout): Some design styles, such as cold-set tiles, do not require a grout.
- When using a levelling system: Some tilers opt for a levelling system (such as clips and wedges), which not only determines the joint width, but also corrects height differences between tiles. This makes tile spacers unnecessary.