tegelastel

Teegelastel is the craft and practice of tiling, the installation of tiles on floors, walls, and other surfaces. It encompasses planning, substrate preparation, layout, cutting, bedding with adhesive, grouting, sealing, and finishing. A tiler assesses the site, selects materials suitable for the conditions (moisture, load, movement), and designs a layout that balances aesthetics with functional joints.

Preparation and layout are core stages. The substrate must be clean, flat, dry, and structurally sound; moisture barriers or waterproof membranes may be applied in wet areas. Layout planning often starts with reference lines and center points to determine tile sizes, patterns, and bevels. Common patterns include grid, running bond, diagonal, and herringbone. In large projects, expansion joints and movement joints are introduced to accommodate substrate movement.

Materials and tools. Tiles can be ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass, or mosaic. Adhesives range from cementitious thinsets to organic mastics, with epoxy grout used in specialty applications. Grout comes in cementitious and epoxy varieties. Essential tools include notched trowels, tile cutters or wet saws, nippers, spacers, a level, straight edges, a rubber mallet, grout floats, and cleaning rags. For outdoor or high-traffic areas, frost resistance and slip resistance are important considerations, as is proper drainage.

Applications and maintenance. Tegelastel is widely used in bathrooms, kitchens, living spaces, and exterior facades. Proper technique reduces cracking, lippage, and moisture problems. After installation, grout is cured and, where appropriate, sealed to protect against stains and moisture. Regular cleaning and periodic sealing of porous stones help maintain appearance and durability.