We recommend dry laying the sheets for ease of installation. The tile is mounted into interlocking, repeating sheets. A sheet guide is provided for most patterns. If any sheets need to be trimmed, DO NOT use a wet saw. Simply trim the mounting paper with a knife or tear the sheets by hand.

The tile should be installed over a well supported and flat sub-floor using a Portland cement based mortar (thin-set). The trowel used for spreading mortar should be a 1/16" or 3/32" giving complete coverage of the sub floor and working within the open-time guidelines of the mortar manufacturer.

The tile sheets should be pressed into the fresh mortar and then tapped with a wood block to ensure a flat surface and ensure good contact with the mortar. Spacing between the sheets and dislodged tiles are the responsibility of the installer and should be consistent with the mounting spacing with the sheets. If you have a border and field, we recommend starting with the corners and border tiles.

*DO NOT use a wet saw to cut the sheets. They will fall apart. 
If sheets need to be trimmed, use a knife or tear the sheets by hand.

After the mortar has set, two coats of a grout release should be applied to the surface BEFORE grouting the tile. This is especially true in the case of dark, heavily pigmented grouts. We highly advise against the use of dark grout. 

**We recommend Aqua Mix® Grout Release 

Unglazed porcelain tile is by definition a non-porous tile. The unglazed surface, however, is microscopically rough and can present some challenges in grouting. It is always best to follow recommendations of the grout manufacturer.

*RECOMMENDATION: We recommend a light/medium gray sanded grout. The sanded grout will not shrink away from the square edges of the historical square edged tiles and closely simulates the original installation method where the mortar was forced up between the tiles and became grout. Historically the color would have been a medium gray. Using grout outside the parameters of sanded grout is at your own risk.

**We recommend SPECTRALOCK® 1 by Laticrete.

Follow cleanup instructions of the grout manufacturer. Grout should be cleaned from the surface as the grouting progresses across the floor. After completing the final cleanup, protect the surface from traffic and other trades using heavy paper.

After the grout is cured and the tile is clean, seal the tile with a solvent based sealer. 

*RECOMMENDATIONS: 
 - STONETECH® Enhancer Pro™ Sealer by Laticrete
 - STONETECH® Impregnator Pro® Sealer by Laticrete