Tile FAQs

An anti crack membrane, also known as anti fracture membrane or decoupling membrane, is a barrier placed between the tiles and the substrate. This ensures that any movement or cracks, caused by movement, are isolated and do not transfer through to the tiles. This is particularly important if you are tiling onto substrates such as timber floors.

Standard wall and floor grout is not suitable for grouting worktops. Only an epoxy grout, such as Larsen's Epoxy Grout, should be used for grouting worktops.

Most wall and floor grout is water resistant. This means water can penetrate the surface of the grout but not affect the grout. To help prevent the grout from staining over time, it is best to seal the grout once installation is complete. Using a product such as LTP Grout & Tile Protector will help stop your grout from absorbing dirt and grime.

Dried grout on the surface of your tiles can easily be removed with LTP Grout Stain Remover. It can easily remove grout stains, cement residue, limescale and efflorescence. Please check that it is suitable for use on your type of tile before using.

When cleaning natural stone it is really important to use a PH neutral cleaner. PH neutral cleaners wont attack the surface of the natural stone. LTP Waxwash is PH neutral everyday cleaner ideal for natural stone tiles and other types of tiles.

Removing old sealers from natural stone is important if you are looking to renovate the natural stone tiles. LTP Solvex is a high performance stripper designed to remove most types of sealer from Travertine, Slate, Terracotta, Quarry. Ceramic and Porcelain tiles.

Before tiling any shower enclosure it is important to waterproof the area that is going to be tiled. This can be achieved by using Larsen’s Waterproof Tanking kit. This one kit has everything you need to waterproof a 4m² area such as your shower enclosure.

This will depend on the type of self levelling compound you buy. Larsen’s SLC 1550 Fibre Flex self levelling compound has a maximum depth of 50mm, which is considerably more than most ‘standard’ self levelling compounds.

To select the correct depth of tile trim for your tile you should use a tile trim one size up from the depth of your tile. For example if your tile is 10mm think use a 12.5mm tile trim. This will allow for the adhesive needed to hold the trim and tile in place.

Unfortunately painted surfaces are generally not suitable for tiling. A detailed examination of the painted surface should be made to decide whether it is suitable. Emulsion paint, lime-wash, distemper and similar finishes should be removed since they can possess poor adhesion to backing.

Yes natural stone does need sealing before installation. This helps protect the surface of the stone from collecting dirt, adhesive and grout during installation. Natural stone also needs sealing periodically after installation to ensure the beauty of the stone is preserved.

Whether you are cutting porcelain tiles, ceramic tiles or natural stone tiles, there are two factors which need to be considered before selecting which type of tile cutter to use. One is what type of tile are you trying to cut, and its thickness, the other is what type of cut are you trying to achieve i.e a straight cut or something more intricate. Depending on the answers to these questions you can decide whether it's best to use a rail cutter or a wet wheel cutter.

One of the issues with fitting mosaic sheets is they are flexible. Normally the mosaic tiles are stuck on a nylon or plastic mesh. This causes them to flop about when you are trying to fit them. To stop this issue use a Mosaic Mesh Backing Sheet to add rigidity to the mosaic sheet.

Yes, by using LTP Ironwax Gloss you can add a gloss finish to natural stone. It can be used on travertine, limestone, sandstone, slate unpolished marble, terracotta, Quarry tiles, bricks, terrazzo and concrete.

Use LTP Colour Intensifier and Stainblock Sealer to enrich the colours of you natural stone tiles. It can be used on limestone, quarry tiles, slate, terracotta, travertine and tumbled an honed marble. It will enhance the natural colours of the stone.

Use a tool such as the Vitrex Grout & Silicone Remover & Finishing Kit. This specially designed tool can help remove old grout and silicone.

When cleaning porcelain tiles it is important you don't remove any sealer that may have been applied. LTP Porcelain Tile Cleaner gently cleans porcelain tiles without removing any sealers.

For deep cleaning of paving slabs, natural stone, brick or concrete use LTP Powerstripper.

‘Lippage’ occurs when tiles laid next to each other are not laid to a uniform level. This exposes the edge of the higher tile forming a ‘lip’. In severe cases this can be a trip hazard. Using Vitrex L.A.S.H Levelling Clips and Wedges will help avoid ‘lippage’.

Both ceramic and porcelain tiles are both suitable for use around the home. Ceramic tiles can be used on walls and floors, where specified, that have low foot traffic. Porcelain tiles are denser and more durable than ceramic tiles which make them much better for high foot traffic areas.