Are you wondering: what’s so special about natural stone? If so, you’ll want to know that it offers a very practical yet stylish solution for the floors and walls of your home. Also, along with adding retaining walls, installing natural stone tiles is considered one of the best home improvement options since it really changes the way you see your living space and boosts your home’s curb appeal tremendously. Of course, there are many mistakes associated with this home improvement task. Wondering what some of them are? Check the article below for the six most common mistakes to avoid when deciding to install natural stone!
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#1 Not preparing the surface
This is so common that you’ll find many folks online complaining about the consequences of not taking the surface you’ll be working with into consideration. Before installing new natural stone tiles, the surface will need to be properly prepared. What do we mean by that? For instance, proper preparation includes smoothing and cleaning the area. In other words: you’ll want to remove any dust or debris (no matter how insignificant the particles look at first sight) before laying your new natural stone tiles. This action will significantly enhance the adhesion. Also, you’ll want to remove any previous coating as it can slow down the adhesion process.
Neglecting the surface you’ll be working with is a common mistake when installing natural stone.
#2 The uneven spreading of grouts
Another common natural stone installing mistake is the one that happens when the grouts are unevenly spread as if they were handled in haste. Why’s this bad? Well, grouts can improve the waterproofing quality and must be spread slowly and steadily, not to mention – evenly. Before you start working on your wall or floor or wherever you’re placing natural stone, make sure you’re relaxed enough to handle the work with patience and care, using a support tool while spreading grouts. If you were to finish the ordeal quickly and in an inconsistent manner, here’s the result you’ll get: the material will dry out, and that’s not good. Remove any excess grouts from every single tile you install. This is the perfect time to tackle the material since the grouts will become very tough if you delay the process.
#2.1 A quick tip for pet owners
Natural stone can be a great addition to your landscaping, but what if you have a dog that likes to roam around in your yard? Luckily, stone landscaping is perfectly safe for dogs, and can even be used to create barriers and designate areas where your dog is allowed to go. So, after you have settled in your new home and want to make this space more pet-friendly, natural stone is the right solution.
Make sure you spread the grouts evenly without being in a hurry or something. You must do this with utmost patience and care.
#3 Applying the wrong adhesive
Well, this one surely deserves a spot on today’s list. Yet another common mistake related to installing natural stone tiles concerns working with the wrong adhesive. It can become a big problem, especially when installing natural stone tiles in the bathroom or any other humid place. Therefore you must apply waterproof glue to prevent moisture from getting inside well-fitted tiles. By using the waterproof kind, you’ll make sure that it will keep moisture at bay. Otherwise, there’s a fair chance your natural stone tiles might break or crumble, which you’ll agree is a disaster.
#4 Ordering an insufficient amount of tiles (not measuring)
You’ll want to know this is probably the commonest of mistakes folks make when installing natural stone tiles. While tiling a floor/wall, one might make mistakes, but not ordering enough natural stone tiles is a nightmare of epic proportions. That might be an overstatement, but one shouldn’t take this issue lightly. Quite the contrary! The design and color of natural stone tiles differ from batch to batch, so you might end up getting different tiles. Also, this whole process will cost you more when it comes to labor charges. As if that’s not enough, the item you’ve requested might become out-of-stock. So, how to avoid this awful scenario? You can do it by conducting accurate measurements before you do any purchasing. That way, you’ll ensure you’ve purchased a sufficient amount of tiles. Whether installing porcelain tiles or stone ones, getting the right measurements takes precedence.
Not doing your measurements properly might result in a nightmare that is ordering an insufficient amount of natural stone tiles.
#5 Using the adhesive on the corners of tiles
It’s a fact: many folks believe that dotting the corner of the natural stone tiles will result in a somehow stronger bond between them. That’s also why they choose to put tiny adhesive dots on each tile corner. This idea isn’t as good as it seems at first sight. The adhesive tends to shrink once it dries out completely, and because of that, it will create intense pressure on the tile corners, which will significantly improve the chances of breaking or cracking. There’s a reason to think twice before using adhesive on natural stone tile’s corners. All in all: try avoiding that altogether.
#6 Not consulting an interior designer
You can consider this one to be more optional than the rest. It isn’t a biggie if you choose not to hire an interior designer when installing natural stone. Everyone’s a bit of an informal interior designer, but if you want your natural stone to look fabulous, you might want to consider hiring a professional. Also, when choosing the one that suits your needs, don’t do anything before noticing some genuine interest and enthusiasm in them. You want someone who gets you, your home, and how the two of you function as a whole. It’s how they always say: the way you arrange your home reflects your personality better than a diary.