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At Island Stone, our glass tile series is a testament to our unique design and high quality materials. Installing our stone glass tile is an excellent way to bring diverse character to your space through our handmade and kiln fired batches of tile. Don’t be intimidated by the installation, take your time and your finished product will turn out beautifully! 

Some quick notes before your get started:

• Our glass tile is installed similarly to high grade porcelain tile, but less forgiving of poor preparation and workmanship.
• Glass expands more than ceramic ensure you have adequate expansion control joints including the perimeter.

Maximum distance between joints:

• Internally 20-25 feet (6-7.5 meters)
• Externally 8-12 feet (2.5-3.5 meters) 
• Grout joints should be a minimum 1/16 inch (1.5-2 millimeters)

Fixing

When notched troweling, it’s important to flatten the ridges when installing the translucent glass tile. If you don’t flatten the thin-set ridges, you will be able to see them through the glass!

• Note: You may need to allow extended drying times.

Cutting Tiles

When making straight cuts, we recommend “score and snap” tile cutters. Those with a “T bar” lever action from above are the best. We like the Sigma brand cutters. We have found that tile cutters using a point to split the tile often result in chipping.

Cutting Tips From the Pros

• Glass cuts better when warm.
• Drilling requires water-cooled machines of low revolution speeds. 
• Water-swivels fitted with hollow diamond core bits are best.

If you have anymore questions about cutting techniques or other information, contact the experts at Island Stone for all the answers!

Grouting

The finish of your tile will determine the kind of grout you should use during installation. We put together a little guide to make your life easier.

• Matte/Satin Finish: unsanded or sanded cement-based grout
• Beach Finish: sanded cement-based grout
• Gloss Finish (except Spindrift Pattern): unsanded cement-based grout or urethane-based grout
• Spindrift Gloss Finish: sanded cement-based grout or urethane-based grout. 

Remember: Use care when grouting gloss finish with sanded grout to avoid scratching

Tile edges are transparent, so it’s important to use grouts that match the color of the tile, or are slightly lighter. Your grout can influence the final color of your tile! Make sure you’re grouting only after the adhesive has cured to make a strong bond.

Grout Cleaning

After you’ve finished grouting glass, extra care is required when you clean up to ensure there’s no unwanted grout left over. Be sure to pay special attention to glass with a textured surface or if modified grouts have been used. Grout left on the surface will shadow on the tile back. Additionally, grout on a textured surface can be hard to see if the surface is damp, so it’s best practice to double check after it dries. 

Cleaning Grout Haze - Pro Tips

(Sulfamic acid is a mild cleaning acid is available at your local tile showroom or hardware store under the brands of AquaMix or TileCare. Follow the simple safety directions.)

• Do not wait longer than 1 day for the final cleaning, as hardened grout is extremely difficult to clean off!
• Apply a properly diluted sulfamic acid solution to tile surface using a brush or spray bottle. Follow manufacturers instructions to insure proper solution mix.
• Allow the solution to sit for 2 minutes or more before rigorously scrubbing the surface of the glass with a small scouring sponge or a small brush. 
• Clean with water and a clean sponge.