GB2307489A

GB2307489A - Tiling insert and tiling method

Info

Publication number: GB2307489A
Application number: GB9524141A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jen Pu Peng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-11-24
Filing date: 1995-11-24
Publication date: 1997-05-28
Also published as: GB9524141D0; ZA9510399B

Abstract

A tiling insert (20 or 220) is positioned in the mortar between adjacent tiles. The insert may have spaced walls (22,24) which can receive mortar therebetween. In use, a first tile (10) is positioned on a mortared surface and then the tiling insert is adhered to the surface along one edge of that first tile. A second tile then sandwiches the insert between the tiles. The top member (30 or 230) covers the marginal edges of the tiles, thus improving the appearance of the joint.

Description

TILING INSERT AND TILING METHOD THEREOF FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to tiling and in particular to a tiling method which includes using tiling insert to be disposed between two adjacent tiles and the tiling insert structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, tiling requires mixing cement and sand with water first to form mortar and plastering the mortar so obtained on a surface to be tiled. Indication lines or mark lines are then provided as reference lines in doing tiling.

Tiles are placed one by one along the mark lines with a suitable gap left between every two adjacent tiles. Once all the tiles are placed in position, the overall surface are roughly cleaned. A secondary finishing job should be done after the mortar is cured which includes filling mortar again into the gap which was not completely filled during the primary working and conducting a throughout cleaning work.

This conventional tiling method, although working well, has several problems: (1) It requires to work twice, tiling and later finishing.

(2) It is hard to obtain a uniform gap or junction between two adjacent rows or columns of tiles.

(3) The tiles may not be placed in a strict alignment condition if the dimension or the size of the tiles are not consistent or vary to some extent.

(4) The tiles may become dismounted due to thermal expansion.

(5) It is hard to obtain a smooth and aesthetic junction between two adjacent tiles even a secondary finishing is conducted.

(6) The irregular junction between two tiles is easy to get dirty and causes contamination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide a tiling method which when incorporating with a tiling insert constructed in accordance with the present invention significantly reduces the overall working time in tiling and provides a higher quality of finished tiled surface, which tiling method comprises the steps of sequentially place tiles in a rows on a mortared surface by positioning the tiling insert closely next to one tile that has already been placed and fixed on the mortared surface and then placing a second tile closely to the tiling insert so as to allow the mortar to partially fill into an interior space inside the tiling insert. The tiling insert that has a precise line dimension and a smooth and aesthetic surface serves to shield and cover any irregularity and unevenness present along the edge margins of the tiles.The tiling insert that is partially embedded in the mortar also helps securing the tiles on the mortared surface when the mortar cures. The tiling method in accordance with the present invention provides the following advantages: (1) It requires only one time work and no secondary finishing is needed.

(2) The binding strength of the concrete between two tiles can be increased due to the use of the tiling insert.

(3) Since the irregular edge margins that may be present on the tiles are covered and shielded by the tiling insert, the junction line between two rows or columns of tiles is very straight without any distortion.

(4) Due to the partial filling of the mortar into the interior space inside the tiling insert, the tiles are not getting off the tiled surface due to thermal expansion difference caused by temperature change.

(5) It is easy to perform and the so finished tiled surface easy to clean and the contamination in the junction between tiles may be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a tiling insert constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention which is particularly suitable for use with tiles having slightly uneven edges; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the mounting of the first embodiment tiling insert between two tiles; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a tiling insert constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention which is particularly suitable for use with tiles having precise edges; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the mounting of the second embodiment tiling insert between two tiles;; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a tiling insert constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention which is particularly suitable for use with tiles having very uneven and even irregular edges; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the mounting of the third embodiment tiling insert between two tiles; Figs. 7-9 show the tiling process by using the tiling insert of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings and in particular to Figs.

1 and 2, wherein a tiling insert constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated with reference 20, is shown, the tiling insert 20 comprises an elongated body to be inserted between two adjacent tiles 10 (see Fig. 2), having a first side surface 22 and a second side surface 24, facing away from each other to be opposite to an edge surface 12 of the respective tile 10, with a pre-determined spacing distance between the two side surfaces 22 and 24.

The first and second side surfaces 22 and 24, in the embodiment illustrated, are respectively defined by outside faces of each of two spaced and opposite wall members 26 and 28 connected together with a top member 30 mounted to top edges of the wall members 26 and 28 so as to define a gap 32 between the two wall members 26 and 28 with an inside face of the wall members 26 and 28.

Preferably, each of the wall members 26 and 28 or the side surfaces 22 and 24 are inward concave, as shown.

However, it is not required to be so.

On each of the wall members 26 and 28, a plurality of holes 34 are formed to allow concrete mortar 36 to flow therethrough and into the gap 32 defined between the two wall members 26 and 28 so as to fix the tiling insert 20 in position when the concrete mortar 36 is cured.

Preferably, the top member 30 is upward convex to be located at a position higher than the tiles 10 so that when the concrete mortar 36 fills into the gap 32 between the wall members 26 and 28, an interior space 38 that has no mortar f'lled therein is left between an inner surface of the convex t > p member 30 and the surface 40 of the concrete mortar that is substantially flush with the tiles 10, as shown.

To anchor the tiling insert 20 within the concrete mortar 36, each of the wall members 26 and 28 is provided on a lower end thereof a barb 44 which is formed by inward bending the lower end of the wall member 26 or 28 to partially or substantially overlap the wall member itself.

To accommodate the unevenness or irregularity of the edges of the tiles 10, a side flange 42 extending along each of the side surfaces 22 and 24 is provided under the top member 30 so as to define a substantially plain surface of a width sufficient to cover the uneven or irregular edge margins of the tiles 10.

In mounting tiles, for example 10AA, 1OAB, 1OAC, 1OAD, in a row 14A, a first tile, for example 1OAC, is first placed in position on the concrete mortar and then a tiling insert in accordance with the present invention, such as 20AC, is disposed along an edge of the first tile 1OAC in a closely juxtaposing manner to allow one of the side flanges 42 thereof that is supported on the tile 1OAC to cover the edge margin of the tile 1OAC, as shown in Fig. 7, with concrete mortar 36 filling into the gap 32 between the two wall members 24 and 26 of .the tiling insert 20AC to secure the tiling insert 20AC in position. A second tile 1OAD is then placed next to the tiling insert 20AC, as shown in Fig. 8, with an edge thereof inserted under and supporting the other side flange 42 of the second tile 1OAD in a closely juxtaposing manner. When the concrete mortar 36 cures, the tiling insert 2OAC is fixed between the two tiles 1OAC and 1OAD with the side flanges 42 thereof covering and shielding the irregularity or unevenness of the tiles lOAC and lOAD. Thus no second time finishing of the junction between two tiles is needed.

It should be noted that although the tiling inserts shown in Figs. 7-9 are designated with the reference numeral 20 with a suffix letter AA-AC and BA-BC, CA-CC, DA-DC and EA-EC, they have exactly the same construction as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Also, the letter suffixes AA-ED of the reference 10 for the tiles is for distinguish purpose and thus not necessarily to indicate that the tiles are of different sizes or structures.

In mounting tiles lOBA-lOBD of a second row 14B next to the first row 14A that was just completed previously, a tiling insert 20HA constructed in accordance with the present invention with a length sufficient to cover all the tiles lOAA-lOAD of the first row 14A is arranged to juxtapose a common edge of all the first row tiles 1OAA-1OAD, as shown in Fig. 8, to have one of the side flanges 42 thereof supported on and covering the common edge of the tiles lOAA-lOAD of the first row 14A. Then tiles lOBA-lOBD of the second row 14B are disposed against the tile insert 20HA with an edge thereof inserted into under and supporting the other side flange 42 of the tiling insert 20 HA. The disposition of the tiles lOBA l0BD of the second row 14B is done with tiling inserts 20BA20BC located therebetween.

This procedure is repeated, until all the rows, such as 14A-14E in Fig. 9, which comprise tiles lOAA-lOAD, lOBA-lOBD, lOCA-lOCD, lODA-lODD and lOEA-lOED, are completed. It should be understood that although in Fig. 9, a 4x5 tile matrix is demonstrated, the number of rows and the number of tiles contained in each row may vary as desired.

For tiles having high edge precision, namely the edges thereof are straight with no or invisible irregularity or unevenness, the side flanges 42 formed under the top member 30 may not be needed. This is illustrated as a second embodiment of the present invention that is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in which like reference numerals are used to designate like parts with a prefix "1". The tiling insert 120 of the second embodiment of the present invention comprises an elongated body having two side surfaces 122 and 124 which are defined by two wall members 126 and 128 spaced apart from each other a distance, defining therebetween a gap 132. A top member 130 mounted to top ends of the wall members 126 and 128 connects the wall members 126 and 128 together. Each of the side surfaces 122 and 124 are preferably inward concave, as shown, with a plurality of holes 134 formed thereon.A barb 144 is formed on a lower end of each of the wall members 126 and 128 by bending the lower end inward to partially or substantially overlap the wall member 126 or 128. Since the tiles 110 that define a gap to receive the tiling insert 120 therein has precise straight edge, there is no need to use side flanges, such as 42 of the first embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 to partly shield the edge margins of the tiles 110 so that the side flanges are eliminated in the second embodiment tiling insert 120. And instead of an upward convex top member of the first embodiment tailing insert 20, the top member 130 of the second embodiment tiling insert 120 is substantially flat to be arranged substantially flush with the tiles 110 when mounted between the tiles 110.

In mounting the second embodiment tiling insert 120, the holes 134 of the wall members 126 and 128 allow the concrete mortar 36 to flow therethrough for filling into the gap 132 between the wall members 126 and 128 and an non-filled interior space 138 exists between an inner surface of the top member 130 and the concrete mortar surface 140 inside the gap 132 due to the fact that the space 138 after the concrete mortar fills therein becomes a sealed space by means of the wall members 126 and 128 and the top member 130 so as to trap air therein.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a tiling insert constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the preset invention, generally designated with the reference numeral 220, is illustrated, in which like reference numerals are used to designate like parts with a prefix "2". The tiling insert 220 of the third embodiment of the present invention comprises an elongated body having two side surfaces 222 and 224 which are defined by two opposite sides of a single wall member 226 of a pre-determined thickness to respectively face edge side of a tile 210. The single wall member 226 has a corrugation 227 in which a substantially distance exists between the ridge point and the trough point thereof.

Preferably, a plurality of holes 234 are formed along the wall member 226 to allow concrete mortar 36 to flow therethrough for further securing the tiling insert 220 within the mortar 36.

A top member 230 is mounted to top end of the wall member 226 and extends laterally to define two side flanges 242 which may slight curved downward, as shown. Such downward curve of the side flanges 242 forms an interior space 238 between the tiles 210 and the side flanges 242 which may provide accommodation of thermal expansion of the parts and materials.

Since in the third embodiment, a single wall member 226 is used to replace the two spaced wall members 26, 28 of the first embodiment, the side flanges 242 takes a greater width for a given overall width of the top member 30 (230) so that it is possible for the third embodiment tiling insert 220 to cover and shield very uneven and irregular edges of the tiles 210.

In mounting the third embodiment tiling insert 220, the tiling insert 220 is disposed between two adjacent tiles 210 with the downward bent side flanges 242 supported on the tiles 210. The holes 234 of the wall member 226 allow the concrete 36 to flow therethrough for anchoring the tiling insert 220.

he corrugation 227 provides a spacing between the two adjacent tiles 210 to accommodate the thermal expansion thereof.

Although preferred embodiments have been described to illustrate the present invention, it is apparent that changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

1. A tiling insert adapted to be interposed between opposing edge sides of two adjacent tiles that define a gap therebetween during tiling a surface with a layer of curable securing material coated on the tiled surface, the tiling insert comprising: an elongated body having a first surface closely facing the edge side of a first one of the two adjacent tiles and a second surface facing the edge side of a second one of the two adjacent tiles, with a spacing distance present between the two surfaces of the elongated body sufficient to fit into the gap so as to form a junction between the two tiles; and a top member connected to the first and second surface to be at least substantially flush with top face of the tiles to provide an esthetics junction surface between the tiles.

2. The tiling inert as claimed in Claim 1, wherein two spaced and opposite wall members are connected to and depending from the top member, each having an outside face defining one of the surfaces of the elongated body and an inside face opposing each other to define therebetween the gap adapted to partially receive the curable securing material therein.

3. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each of the wall members has a plurality of holes formed thereon to allow the curable securing material flow therethrough into the gap between the wall members of the tiling insert.

4. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the top member has a side flange extending out of each of the wall members to be supported and covering and shielding the edge margin of the respective tile.

5. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each of the wall members has a lower end inward bent to define a barb for more securely anchoring the tiling insert within the curable securing material.

6. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each of the wall members has an inward concave outside face.

7. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the top member has an upward convex top surface.

8. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the top member has a substantially flat top surface.

9. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a single wall member is connected to the top member and substantially normal thereto to be fit into the gap between the tiles to allow two opposite sides extending from the wall member to be over and covering the edges of the respective tiles, the wall member comprising a corrugation formed thereon.

10. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the wall member has a plurality of holes formed thereon to allow the curable securing material to flow therethrough.

11. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the top member has two opposite sides that are bent downward so as to leave space between the curable securing material filled in the gap between the tiles and an inner surface of the top member to accommodate thermal expansion of the tiles.

12. The tiling insert as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the curable securing material comprises concrete mortar.

13. A tiling method comprising the following steps: (1) preparing a surface with mortar thereon; (2) placing a first tile of a first row on the mortared surface; (3) positioning a tiling insert along edge of the first tile, wherein the tiling insert comprising: an elongated body having a first surface closely facing the edge side of a first one of the two adjacent tiles and a second surface distant from the first surface to define therebetween a gap, and a top member connected to the first and second surfaces, and forcing the tiling insert downward to have the mortar partially fill into the gap of the tiling insert and a non-filled interior space formed inside the tiling insert with the top member being substantially flush with top side of the tile;; (4) positioning a second tile along the second surface of the tiling insert and positioning a second tiling insert closely along an opposite edge of the second tile; (5) repeating step (4) until the first row of tiles are completed.

14. The tiling method as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the first row of tiles defines a common edge and the tiling method further comprising the step of positioning a further tiling insert having a length sufficient to cover the common edge along the common edge and positioning tiles of a second row along the further tiling insert.

15. A method of tiling comprising the steps of adhering individual tiles to a surface adjacent to one another to define at least one row or column of tiles, wherein a tiling insert is inserted and secured between two adjacent tiles, said tiling insert being arranged to cover any gap between said two adjacent tiles.

16. A method as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said tiling insert is adhered to said surface in contact with an edge of one of the two adjacent tiles, and wherein thereafter the second of said two adjacent tiles is adhered to the surface such that an edge thereof is in contact with said tiling insert.

17. A method of tiling substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A tiling insert arranged for use in a method as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 17.

19. A tiling insert for interposition between two adjacent tiles adhered on a surface, said tiling insert comprising an elongate member having an elongate decorative surface carried by a support body member.

20. A tiling insert as claimed in Claim 19, wherein said support body member comprises two spaced webs.

21. A tiling insert as claimed in Claim 19, wherein said support body member comprises a single wall member.

22. A tiling insert substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.