Some quick tips for a smooth installation of Wet Dog Tiles...

General:

- Inspect all material for any damage and let us or your dealer know as soon as possible.

- Make sure to have your client approve all pieces prior to installation. Use is acceptance, and no exceptions will be made.

Setting:

Use White Thinset only! Choose your trowel based on what is most appropriate for surrounding field tile, but as a guideline we suggest a 1/4” x 1/4” square notch for the wall and 1/4” x 3/8” for the floor.

For application of mesh-mounted murals and borders on vertical surfaces, use a high-quality non-sag thinset adhesive. Ridges in adhesive should be troweled flat to avoid excess thinset from bleeding into grout joints. Select a high quality, polymer modified thinset adhesive suitable for your substrate.

Note: In some cases, large “Friends” in murals and borders may need to be shipped loose (not mesh-mounted), to be installed on site separately. These should be back-buttered prior to installation to ensure full coverage.

Note: Ice Crystal mosaics, which use crushed glass, are not suitable for floor applications, or areas where freeze/thaw will occur.

** Unless otherwise specified, or an Installation Diagram is included with the order, assume that all designs which wrap multiple walls should be installed starting on the left wall with section #1, working to the right, wrapping any inside or outside corners as needed.

Sealing:

For borders and murals that include natural stone materials (“Pebbles”, “Skipping Stones”, & "Sea Stones"), a high quality “penetrating” stone sealer is recommended to be applied to the surface prior to grouting to aid in cleanup. Designs which include Ice Crystal mosaics must be sealed with a minimum of two coats prior to grouting. Most grouts require or recommend a sealer to be applied anyway, so the full surface may be sealed an additional time after grout is applied and cured for best stain protection and ease of cleaning. Any high quality “penetrating” stone sealer is suitable.

Grouting:

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:

Due to the varying height and texture of our borders and murals, grouting will require extra time and care. Make sure to plan for extra time to adequately blend any low and high areas as well as extra cleanup time for sponging so as to not hide any detail. A thorough and detailed grouting job makes all the difference in the final result of a Wet Dog installation. It may be helpful to use a combination of a standard rubber margin float and a softer polyproxylene float. Refer to our website photo gallery for examples of properly grouted installations.

Do not try to remove all grout haze with just one or two passes of the sponge. Grout needs a chance to set-up properly before final cleanup can be performed. Note: A toothbrush is a helpful tool for cleaning excess grout from detailed areas that a sponge cannot reach. It may also be helpful to use painter's tape to mask off more textures pieces where grout can easily be trapped.

A “Hybrid” Grout should be used on all mosaic borders and murals, never use an Unsanded Grout as the joint size is too large, which will result in shrinkage and cracking. Sanded grout may be used, however for any design that includes glass “Puddles” or “Currents”, take extra caution during application to avoid scratching the surface. A “Hybrid” grout, which is designed to work with a variety of materials and grout joint sizes, is highly recommended. *See below for list of recommended grouts.

- These are usually described as a “polymer-modified, color-consistant, non-shrinking, efflorescence-free grout".

- Please note that these are also fast-setting grouts, so only mix up enough to work with small areas at a time.

** Some of our “Friends” incorporate “land bridges” (recessed, unglazed clay connecting glazed areas included for strength). These can be seen on pieces such as the Crabs, Mermaid, Moose and others. THIS AREA IS MEANT TO BE COVERED WITH GROUT. Care needs to be taken to not remove too much grout from these areas when sponging. Grout will stick with no issues assuming it is mixed to proper consistency and is not “flooded” when sponging.

Note: Ice Crystal mosaics which use crushed glass will have minor surface bubbling which will occur naturally during the firing process. Only a like-colored grout is recommended for best results.

Recommended "Hybrid" Grouts: Laticrete Permacolor, Tec Power Grout, Mapei Ultracolor, or Custom Prism

For all installation questions: Call 603-835-8099 or e-mail: info@wetdogtile.com

*This is an abridged version, full installation instructions are available for download below*