A revolution is about to take place in the tiling industry with the introduction of stainless steel decorative tiles with a versatile design that will add style to any kitchen, bathroom, restaurant, bar and even as a feature wall.
There are many benefits to using stainless steel tiles. The tiles cannot burn or crack, graffiti can be easily removed, will not rust and is a stylish upgrade to the standard one piece splashbacks.
Available from Futura Tiles (Border Sheetmetal), the tiles are available in a wide variety of sizes, patterns, finishes and grades. Size ranges include: 65 x 290mm freeze, 290 x 290mm tile, 390 x 390mm tile.
Runaway Bay Designer Builder, Kerri Phillips, was so happy with the product that he installed the stainless tiles in his own kitchen and found cutting the tiles no problem at all.
"They provide you with special blades. It's a delicate operation, as long as you're careful it's fine," says Phillips.
ASSDA major sponsor, Fagersta Steels, supplies grade 304 stainless and patterned sheet from ASSDA member, Rimex Metals to Futura Tiles (Border Sheetmetal) to produce the tiles.
The tiles are also available in various Rimex patterns and finishes including the standard brush finish, 5WL and 6WL surface finishes.
Manufactured from grade 304 stainless as standard, the tiles are also available in grade 316 stainless for applications with a close proximity to marine environments.
Installing stainless steel tiles
Stainless steel tiles are basically the same as laying most floor and wall tiles. Cut tiles using similar ceramic grinding methods by using blades with 1mm steel cutting wheels.
Grouting
When grouting, apply grout to tiles leaving the protective film covering on the face of the tile. Use only fine, sanitised water resistant grouts and do not apply sanded or abrasive grouts. Remove excess grout with a clean sponge leaving a smooth grout line.
Removing film covering
Peel the protective film covering from the tiles, then with a clean sponge, remove any grout left behind from the edges of the covering. Leave approximately 30 minutes and dust off with a clean lint free cloth.
Protecting
After all dust film from the grouting has been removed apply a small amount of polishing oil to a clean rag and wipe with the grain of the tile to remove any excess oil. This will resist finger printing and water spotting and will enhance and protect the stainless steel surface.
Images courtesy of Karl Johnson, Futura Tiles (Border Sheetmetal).
This article featured in Australian Stainless magazine - Issue 29, September 2004.
