Cleaning and Maintenance
The complete success of a floor covering made with FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti surfaces depends not only on the high technical and aesthetic performance of the materials, but also on a series of structural factors – such as the substrate, the bonding layer and the expansion joints – which contribute to the creation of a true floor system.
For this reason, it is essential that laying is carried out with the utmost precision and in accordance with correct professional practices. Laying can be carried out with either cement-based adhesives or traditional mortar. When choosing the most suitable adhesive, the manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed. In environments subject to intense foot traffic or the passage of heavy loads, the use of a glue-laying system is recommended to guarantee greater stability over time.
FMG materials, obtained from natural raw materials and through technologically advanced production processes, are designed to reproduce the nuances and imperfections of nature with rigour and fidelity. Any chromatic variations therefore constitute a distinctive feature of the product, which can be further enhanced by careful and conscious laying, capable of exalting the uniqueness of each slab.
In order to obtain a valuable final result, we recommend following certain operational instructions during the laying phase:
- Place at least 3 m² of material on the floor to check the overall aesthetic effect and proceed with laying by taking the slabs from several packs to obtain a harmonious distribution of the shades.
- Do not immerse the material in water before laying.
- Avoid marking the upper part of the materials with pencils or felt-tip pens, especially for polished surfaces.
- Wait 48-72 hours before subjecting the surface to ordinary traffic.
When laying with normal-setting adhesives, grouting should be carried out after 24-48 hours; with quick-setting adhesives, grouting is possible after 4 hours.
For sanded or polished surfaces, the use of tone-on-tone cement grouts is recommended, avoiding strong colour contrasts. The use of epoxy fillers or synthetic mortars (e.g. flexfuges) is not recommended, especially if they are in contrasting colours or if they are mixed with chemical agents (additives/lactic agents), as they can make subsequent removal of residues difficult.
Should you nevertheless choose to use these products, it is always advisable to carry out a preventive test on a small portion of the material.
Grouting should be applied with a rubber trowel, working on small areas at a time and removing excess with sponges or damp cloths (using clean water only). Alternatively, special cleaning machines can be used, acting while the grout film is still wet.
Proper post-installation cleaning is essential to enhance the brilliance of the surface and facilitate its maintenance over time. It is important to intervene immediately after laying using non-aggressive acid-based detergents, rubbing carefully and rinsing thoroughly with water to remove all traces of filler, adhesive and cement residues.
All commercially available cleaners are compatible with FMG surfaces, with the exception of products containing hydrofluoric acid or its derivatives, as per EN 14411.
In order to preserve the floor during any subsequent work (painting, installations, finishes), it is advisable to adequately protect it with PVC sheeting, AIRBALLS or technical fabrics.
Once installation and initial cleaning have been completed, it is essential to protect the floor until subsequent work has been completed. In any case, it is necessary to wait 48-72 hours before allowing normal pedestrian transit on the surface.
FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti proposes a complete system of products and services for laying, conceived to guarantee maximum aesthetic and technical results. Each stage of the process is designed to integrate with the next, with a view to a perfect synergy between materials, design and application.
All products are developed within the Iris Ceramica Group companies, to ensure maximum compatibility with FMG surfaces and obtain the best behaviour on site.
The service is available to designers, companies and clients who wish to rely on a qualified and competent partner, capable of ensuring reliability and high quality.
FMG surfaces, supplied in ground and single-calibre format – particularly the honed versions – are characterised by high dimensional accuracy. This allows the adoption of different laying systems, both closed and open joint.
Open-joint laying is often preferred for technical and regulatory reasons, as it offers greater guarantees in terms of the elasticity of the system and reduced risk of detachment or lifting. In addition, it allows for better distribution of any imperfections and ensures greater efficiency in filling and maintaining joints.
In the case of joints on polished surfaces, the use of flexible or synthetic mortars is discouraged, especially if they are in a contrasting colour, so as not to compromise the aesthetics and cleanliness of the tiling.
FMG surfaces, supplied in rectified and single-calibre format – particularly the polished versions – are characterised by their high dimensional accuracy. This allows the adoption of different laying systems, both closed and open joint.
Open-joint laying is often preferred for technical and regulatory reasons, as it offers greater guarantees in terms of the elasticity of the system and reduced risk of detachment or lifting. In addition, it allows for better distribution of any imperfections and ensures greater effectiveness in filling and maintaining joints.
In the case of joints on polished surfaces, the use of flexible or synthetic mortars is not recommended, especially if they are in a contrasting colour, so as not to compromise the aesthetics and cleanliness of the tiling.