Decorating with Talavera Mexican Tile

In Mexico a few contracting colors are used for decorating Mexican tiles including red, cobalt blue, terra cotta, orange and yellow. The colors deep and warm, often painted over white background creating rustic look. The most common application for reach and colorful Mexican tiles is kitchen back splash, bathroom wall, stair riser and fireplace mantel.

How to install Wall Talavera Mexican Tiles?

1. Mexican ceramic tile provides a beautiful, long lasting and almost maintenance free wall finishing. A part of interior home decor designs such as tabletops, floor accent inserts, baseboards, moldings and trims our Mexican tiles have also commercial application.
2. At Mexican Tile net we carry all sizes available through standard production as 1x1, 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 6x6, 2x4, 8x8, 12x12 as well as can develop easily custom shapes and sizes. Our talavera products are lead free.

Preparing the Wall

1. Mexican ceramic tiles can be installed directly on drywall, plaster and durox. Green drywall has been specifically designed for use in bathrooms and Mexican talavera tiles are good choice for bath application.

Installing Mexican Tiles

1. Identify the wall center and use a carpenter's level to mark intersecting vertical and horizontal lines. Starting at the wall center above the vertical reference line apply tile setting adhesive avoiding covering the lines. Spread the adhesive with the notched side of trowel.
2. Begin laying tiles from the wall center vertically towards the wall ends raw by raw. Preferably the last tile at both ends of each row are of equal size.
3. Firmly press each Mexican tile in place at the same time giving it a slight twisting motion to assure adequate contact of the tile with the adhesive underneath. Since Mexican tiles are hand cut meaning each tile is slightly different in size don't use tile spacers but instead lay the tiles about 1/4 inch apart to accommodate tile differences.
4. If you need to cut the tiles use water saw. Using a regular ceramic tile cutter mike damage the tiles because most of them are not entirely flat.

Grouting Mexican Tiles

1. About 24 hours after the tiles have been installed you can begin grouting the tiles. Because of relatively wide spaces between the tiles it is recommended to use sanded grout which is much stronger than regular type.
2. For bathroom and kitchen applications use tile grout including waterproofing agent or use liquid silicon afterworlds to seal it.
3. Apply grout on the tile surface at 45 degree angle in each direction. Press firmly assuring the grout fills up all spaces between the tiles deep by spreading the grout up and down. Clean the tile surface from any excess grout with a wet sponge and clear water and let it dry.
4. After about 30 minute use dry cloth to remove any grout haze from the surface.

Finishing Mexican Tile installation

1. Let the grout dry for a day and again wipe away any grout haze left after initial tile cleaning. For kitchen and bathroom walls use moisture resistant silicone caulking to seal all coroners, the same silicon should be used for sealing countertops and bathtubs.