Show #30/6504. Inside The Mind Of A Creative Landscape Designer

Steps For Installing Tile Outdoors

Eric thanks WAYNE for joining us on GardenSMART. Wayne has been doing this for many, many years and there is a tremendous amount of experience he has amassed. What are some of the most important things that one needs to remember if they want their tile job to look great? Well the most important thing is getting a good base under the tile, also making sure that everything is square and centered off of a wall, a foundation, whatever you are working off or with. When looking at laying a base you are using a type of river sand or coarse sand. This is a coarse river sand. Eric remembers the first tile job he did where it was just a bunch of bricks. He smoothed an area out, to make a little patio for his grill and about a year later it, it looked terrible. Wayne understands the issue, Eric probably didn't get a real good base under it. Eric notices that Wayne's crew is tamping the base down. Yes, it is very important to get that super compacted. Very important. Eric is interested in some of the products that Wayne likes to work with, some of the materials that Wayne specializes in? They they can lay any product but like working with HartStone, they have worked with the product since the first piece was made. And they're a HartStone master installer.

After they have the base compacted, everything leveled up and the product is in what is needed to finish the tile? They do some trimming, make sure all the lines are the same, then polymeric sand is added between the tiles, then they come back and put a sealer coat on it. What is the difference between polymeric sand and the coarse sand that Wayne is using for the base? Well the polymeric sand has polymers in it and once you get it wet it gets as hard as mortar. The sealers Wayne uses are specifically designed for tile and stone. It's a water based, penetrating sealer, they use on the stone. It's really good, doesn't allow any moisture into the stone. Eric thanks Wayne, it's fascinating watching his team work, they have got a great operation. Wayne says thanks.