BLOOM COLLECTION

The appearance and life of your floor depends not only on the excellent quality of our tiles, but also on the quality of fixing and polishing. Fine fabric deserves a fine tailor if it is not to be ruined! We therefore suggest that you do the installation through a contractor recommended by us. In case you already have your own contractor, we give below information which, if followed properly, will ensure a smooth, attractive floor. Our experience is that, despite these instructions, most contractors either have no experience of this type of cement tile, having at best worked with mosaic or Terrazzo tiles, or tend to cut corners especially on polishing which determines the final effect of the floor. In case you are not using a contractor recommended by Bharat, there will be an extra charge for demonstrating the correct technique or redoing the polishing as we will have to get our authorised contractors to do this.

Instructions for Laying:

1. Tiles should be fixed within a week of arrival on site. In case this is not possible, tiles should be stored in a covered area, or covered with plastic or tarpaulin. If tiles are moved and stacked roughly there is danger of damage to corners and edges.
2. Slight variation in shade of tiles from batch to batch may exist, due to variation in shades of cements and pigments. In case your tiles have a colour stripe mark on the edge, tiles of the same colour stripe should be laid at the centre and tiles of any other colour stripe should be laid on the periphery.
3. The base on which the tiles are to be fixed should be level.
4. Always buy the joint filling/ grouting mixture only from us along with the tiles. Use grouting mix within 30 days of despatch. Close bags / containers tightly between use.
5. Laying should normally start from the centre of the room going outward to the periphery. Gently laying out tiles in the desired pattern before fixing in mortar is advisable to avoid errors.
6. Fix tiles on an average 2cm to 3.5cm bed mortar with ratio not leaner that 7:1 (sand : cement) with a neat cement slurry on top. For better results we recommend a slurry of white cement for white cement based i.e. light colour tiles.
7. The next morning after laying, and not later, the joints are to be filled with a slurry of the grouting mixture. Joints should be properly cleaned with a blade before filling the same. Ensure that each part of the joint is filled with the colour which matches that part of the tile, and press it into the joint.
8. Ensure water is sprinkled on the tiles for at least 3 days to enable cement to set the joints.

Polishing:

1. The tiles should be polished with an Italian polishing machine a week after laying. The first coat of polishing is the most important one. It is the cutting / levelling coat and should be done using No.1 polishing stones (SuriPolex or CumiSynthetic stone). Do not use No. 0 stone.
2. After 1st coat of polishing, tiny pinholes will occur, which should be thoroughly grouted using our grout-mix to match the colour on the tiles.
3. Grouting is to be left for 2 days and cured with water before the tiles are subjected to the second coat of polishing using No.2 stone, followed by Nos. 3, 4, 5 X i.e. very fine stone (SuriPolex Synthetic stone). Ensure floor is washed with water between each polishing. DO NOT OVERGRIND THE TILES OR THE BACKING LAYER WILL SHOW.

Care:

1. Protect the floor from staining, damage, etc as a result of other agencies working on site.
2. Wet wood shaving, oil and varnish stains cannot be removed. Use Plaster of Paris or plastic or other durable floor covering if there is a time gap between fixing and polishing.
3. To avoid scratches, all furniture, ladders etc should be lifted, or dragged on a thick cloth.

Bharat’s formidable range of colours and designs make designing the interior of your house a snap! Each tile is handmade, with the possibility to custom design your floor based on the ideas and themes of your project. Living rooms, passageways, and even bedrooms can become works of art when floored with Heritage™ Tiles.