Interstyle Ceramic & Glass Tile

	Installation Guide for Interstyle glass tile (Download this document in Acrobat format) General - Interstyle manufactures Glasstyle by fusing clear glass with ceramic glazes. Glasstyle may be installed on interior or exterior wall areas, in wet or dry locations (even in hot or cold environments). Glasstyle is manufactured in 4 and 6 mm thicknesses for wall use. Glass differs from ceramic products, so extra caution and attention to installation instructions is recommended. Glasstyle should not be exposed to high abrasion, high impact and thermal shock or installed over flexible surfaces.
$anti-fracture$	Important - Since any crack in a glass tile is very visible, the use of a crack isolation membrane (ANSI A118.12-2005) over the entire surface is strongly recommended. Many substrates may continue to cure and shrink over a period of months, and a crack isolation membrane prevents shrinkage or movement of the substrate to mirror through the tile. If a crack isolation membrane is not used, neither the distributor nor the manufacturer will accept any responsibility should any cracking occur. Install only over well-cured, stable substrates. Allow for an expansion joint whenever substrates change.
	Installation - Use a white thin-set mortar (2-component, flexible, rapid cure, acrylic thin-set mortar system, such as Grani/Rapid by Mapei) formulated for interior and exterior wall installations. Spread the adhesive with a notched trowel following the manufacturer’s recommendations (in many cases a 3/16” V-notch trowel works well). Use the flat side of the trowel to smooth the ridges without removing thin-set. Use only the thin-set manufacturer’s minimum recommended thickness of thin-set. Do not overbuild the adhesive, as it will shrink and add stress or crack the glass. Spread only as much adhesive as will be covered with the tile within 15 minutes.
	Sheet mounted mosaics can be applied directly to the thin-set. 4” and larger tiles should be “back buttered” with the flat edge of the trowel to provide a void-free installation and good contact with the mortar bed. Firmly press the glass against the surface to prevent voids in the adhesive from showing through the glass.
	Install Interstyle Glasstyle on the wall leaving even spacing between tiles of at least 1/16” (1.5mm). Use plastic spacers whenever possible. Install control joints where the tile abuts restraining surfaces and around the perimeter of the tile work. Allow the adhesive to cure according to the manufacturer’s instructions (at least 24 hours). Grout with an unsanded grout to prevent scratching of the surface. Grout joints should be filled to approximately 2/3 of the thickness of the tile to allow light to reflect on the internal surfaces of the tile.
	Cutting - Select a method for cutting Interstyle glass tile according to the shape of the cut that you want to make. Note: Straight cuts generally do not result in additional stress on the glass tile, but notched cuts may add stress and cause cracking of the glass. Keep in mind that in many cases it may be easier and less expensive to mark your cuts and take the tile to a professional glass shop for cutting or drilling.
	Glass tile should be cut on a wet saw using a diamond blade designed for cutting glass. A blade for cutting glass is thin, has smaller diamonds than a tile blade, has a continuous rim and generally runs at a slower speed. Glass tile is cut with the glazed side up, the rotation of the saw blade should enter the glass from the glazed side. Ensure adequate water or coolant is provided. Whenever possible cut edges should be placed in corners where they can be covered or hidden. Keep in mind that in many cases it may be easier and less expensive to mark your cuts and take the tile to a professional glass shop for cutting or drilling.
	Blades for cutting glass tiles are made to fit most tile saws and are available from many tile distributors. A lapidary blade will also cut glass tiles cleanly. Interstyle has developed an inexpensive 4” and 7” electroplated diamond blade for use with a wet saw. Contact your dealer to purchase these blades.
	Plasplugs makes a small tile saw (DWW105US - contact Plasplugs at (800) 966-6400 that can be fitted with our exclusive diamond blade to make excellent cuts on Interstyle glass tile. Your Interstyle glass tile dealer will be able to supply you with our diamond blade and Plasplugs saw. Avoid delays by ordering a blade with the tile shipment. Hint: When cutting glass on the Plasplugs saw, place the glass with the smooth surface down. Avoid stress to the last portion of the cut by cutting slowly and by pushing the glass with a scrap piece of wood placed across the entire rear surface of the glass. Other manufacturers offer solutions for cutting glass: Makita manufactures a battery operated saw (model 4190DW equipped with 724-950-8V glass blade), contact Makita at (800) 462-5482. MK also makes special glass blades for their tile saws (model MK215GL, available from 7" to 12" diameter). Contact MK Diamond at 800 421-8830. A lapidary blade also makes a very clean cut on glass tiles.
	Cutting Curves. A ring or band saw designed for cutting glass makes cutting curves easy. For more information, contact Gemini Saw at (310) 891-0288 or Diamond Tech at (800) 937-9593.
	Drilling - Drilling a hole requires the use of a drill bit or coring drill that is designed for glass - if the drill and glass tile are not securely clamped in place, drill a small pilot hole through the glass to act as a guide. Always use a proper glass-drilling bit, keep the drill bit and hole lubricated with turpentine or water and drill at very slow speed. Start drilling from the back of the tile, then complete the hole by drilling from the face of the tile. Attempting to drill all the way through the tile from one side will cause the glass to chip off on the exit side of the hole. Important - Drill a hole 1/8" (3mm) larger than any anchors you plan to use. This will prevent the stress transfer from the fixture to the glass tile. Ensure anchors are well secured to the structure and do not allow the fixture to rest on the substrate or the glass.
	Cleaning - for routine cleaning, any non-abrasive cleaning compound that is recommended for either glass or tile (such as Windex, ammonia mixed with water, vinegar mixed with water, etc.) can be used. Follow rinsing instructions carefully. When etched glass tile (such Jaspers and Glassblends)are used on countertops and backsplashes where they could be splashed with cooking oils, the surface of the tile and the grout should be sealed with a tile sealer to facilitate clean-up (contact Aquamix at (562) 946-6877 or Miracle Sealants.

Back to technical

Installation Guide for Interstyle glass tile