We all want our suburban area to look beautiful and well-groomed. In particular, we are talking about the tiles that lined the garden paths, and for some, the entire territory near the house. Unfortunately, after a short period of time after installation, it loses its former attractiveness. Divorces appear on the tile, with which it is almost impossible to do anything. The situation is completely different in Germany. There and after several decades, the tile looks like new. What is the secret?
1. Causes of deterioration in the appearance of paving slabs
Many people think that if professional tilers do the laying of tiles, then there will be no problems, and they are wrong. There are some nuances that you still cannot avoid. First of all, it depends on the properties of concrete. Even the highest quality, strong tile, after a certain time period, begins to gradually collapse.
The second point, which should not be forgotten, is the effect of sunlight and precipitation. These factors lead to the fact that tile pigments become duller and lose color. The third is the appearance of efflorescence. White streaks on beautiful new tiles may appear a week after laying them. Efflorescence is not a tile defect, but rather a specificity. There is only one way to correct the situation - to provide the material with good protection.
2. What is the situation with paving slabs in Germany
Until the end of the Second World War, granite paving stones were laid everywhere in this country. It was this road surface that could be observed not only in cities, but also in a number of villages. The coating is practically indestructible, unless, of course, it is used in wartime.
During the fighting, everything was destroyed, including these granite roads. The Germans had to rebuild everything after the war, which they did. One of the priorities was the restoration of the territories of the yards. Between asphalt and tile, they chose the latter. Since German granite was unaffordable under the prevailing conditions, they decided to make concrete tiles.
It seems to be nothing special, only even where the tile has been lying for fifty or seventy years, it looks as if it was made yesterday. And in Russia, regardless of the region, after a few years it becomes dull, and some even begins to crack.
>>>>Ideas for life | NOVATE.RU<<<<
3. What's the secret
The Germans are a sensitive and even pedantic people. They approach everything seriously, thoughtfully. They are well aware that the tile coating is destroyed, deteriorated under the influence of a number of external factors. To prevent this from happening, the tile requires special protection. Therefore, in Germany, every three to four years, the coating is treated with a special composition.
At the same time, very often the Germans for this purpose do not take a domestic product, but a Finnish one. It costs less and is more reliable. In addition, it performs several tasks at once: in the autumn period it repels moisture, in winter it does not allow the material to collapse, and in the summer it does not allow the sun's rays to adversely affect the pigment (the tile does not change its color).
This composition is called Telakka. I use it almost all owners of private territories. After processing (using a brush, the agent is applied to almost every tile), the effect of a wet stone appears. As a result, the Germans for many decades forget about the need to replace the tiled floor with a new one.
It will be equally interesting and useful to know which do-it-yourself garden paths will become a highlight in a summer cottage or a private plot.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/111021/60841/