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VST Materials JSC., is one of Vietnam's leading manufacturers of Encaustic Handmade Cement Tiles, proudly supplying customers in over 34 countries across 5 continents since the 1970s.
Originating in 19th-century in Spain, encaustic cement tiles soon became a preferred flooring material for palaces, public buildings and prestigious residences across Europe and the Americas. Today, they remain highly valued for their timeless beauty, rich colors and distinctive handcrafted character.
Each tile is individually handcrafted using natural mineral pigments, premium cement, precision metal molds and hydraulic presses. Custom colors and patterns are available to meet architects' and designers' requirements, while the natural variations of handmade production ensure every tile is truly unique.
The craft was introduced to Vietnam in 1858 and has since been perfected by generations of skilled Vietnamese artisans. Today, Vietnamese handmade cement tiles are internationally recognized for their exceptional craftmanship, durability and timeless appeal, making them an excellent choice for residential, commercial, hospitality and heritage restoration projects.
Many of Vietnam's most iconic historical buildings - including Hochiminh City Central Post Office and the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon - still feature their original handmade cement tile floors, a testament to the enduring beauty and performance of this remarkable material.
The installation process is very simple and rapid to accomplish. However, great care should be taken so as not to damage tile surfaces and edges during installation process.
Step 1: Prepare a perfectly level concrete surface to install cement tiles. It is not recommend to lay down the cement tiles directly on a fresh concrete or a layer compacted cement/sand. Over time, this incorrect technique will create uneven floor tiles that could easily become loose, crack or break.
Be mind to calculate 20mm below the line of the intended floor height (15mm for 20x20 tiles and 4mm for mortar).
Step 2: The tiles can be installed by using either glue/adhesive or thin mortar layer bed. To have a good adherence of floors: 
Step 3: Laying tiles down. This step must be carefully handled to avoid of chipping out on edges. After laying the tiles, level tiles on floors by construction ruler and hands NOT rubber hammer to avoid of cracks. It is important to leave a very small gap (about 1mm) between the tiles.
Step 4: Immediately cleaned on the surface with humid cloths the exceeding adhesive cement on tile surfaces or edges. Otherwise such kind of stains will be very difficult to be removed later on, then leave the floors untouched and protected until the mortar to be dried naturally enough before grouting.
Step 5: Fulfill the joints by grouting liquid. Color of this liquid should be white for the most suitable in any case. Other colors can be used on owner preference. Remove all excessive grouting materials before it is dried.
Step 6: Wash the floors with soap and clean water and leave floors dried completely, then apply suitable penetrating sealer from qualified manufacturers to have the most expecting floor finishes. It is strongly suggested to test sealer with one single tile before apply the whole floor.
Step 7: Depending on traffic frequency, repeat this sealing process every 12-24 months.
TIPS
Step 1: Prepare a perfectly level concrete surface to install cement tiles. It is not recommend to lay down the cement tiles directly on a fresh concrete or a layer compacted cement/sand. Over time, this incorrect technique will create uneven floor tiles that could easily become loose, crack or break.
Be mind to calculate 20mm below the line of the intended floor height (15mm for 20x20 tiles and 4mm for mortar).
Step 2: The tiles can be installed by using either glue/adhesive or thin mortar layer bed. To have a good adherence of floors:
- Submerge tiles in a water basin before the installation.
- It is necessary to trowel glue or mortar on both surfaces of leveled surface and at back of tiles by using a toothed paint scraper.
Step 5: Fulfill the joints by grouting liquid. Color of this liquid should be white for the most suitable in any case. Other colors can be used on owner preference. Remove all excessive grouting materials before it is dried.
Step 6: Wash the floors with soap and clean water and leave floors dried completely, then apply suitable penetrating sealer from qualified manufacturers to have the most expecting floor finishes. It is strongly suggested to test sealer with one single tile before apply the whole floor.
Step 7: Depending on traffic frequency, repeat this sealing process every 12-24 months.
TIPS
- Encaustic cement tile is handmade product and made from natural materials so the tiles are subject to contain color variations. It is necessary to check tiles randomly before installation to have better distribution of tiles between laying areas to achieve the most uniform floors.
- Take care to align the tiles so that a regular pattern is maintained throughout the floor
- There will be some calcareous spots on tile surfaces as character of cement tiles to be naturally caused by reaction between chemical factors in cement and water. Those spots will be disappeared automatically from 1 to 2 months afterward of using
- Don't leave any space among the squares. Adjust the squares to form the design well
- A good leveling of your ground will facilitate its polishing.
- Ensure that the tiles are perfectly level throughout the installation, because cement tiles can't be reduced or water polished like marble or terrazzo.
