Porcelain tile installations for vehicular use

Abstract

A method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use is provided. The method can include covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition; compacting the tile bed; installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and spacers on the compacted tile bed surface in a predetermined pattern, such that each respective porcelain tile includes a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; such that one or more spacers includes a base component positioned under adjacent tiles and a vertical component positioned between a sidewall of the adjacent tiles, such that the vertical component provides a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles; adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint to obtain a joint-filled porcelain tile surface; compacting the joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor; and activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.

1 . A method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use, comprising:
 covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed;   compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface;   installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface to obtain an intermediate porcelain tile installation, the plurality of porcelain tiles positioned in a predetermined pattern, wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; wherein one or more respective spacers comprises a base component positioned under adjacent tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles and a vertical component positioned between respective sidewalls of the adjacent tiles, the vertical component providing a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles;   adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint in the intermediate porcelain tile installation to obtain a first joint-filled porcelain tile surface;   compacting the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and   activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a second joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and   further compacting the second joint-filled porcelain tile surface with the compactor to obtain a compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a third joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and   further compacting the third joint-filled porcelain tile surface with the compactor to obtain a compacted third joint-filled porcelain tile surface.   
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 installing one or more edge restraints to a border surface in a position adjacent to the sidewall of the porcelain tiles on the border surface.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern is an interlocking pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base component of the one or more respective spacers comprises a substantially flat top surface and a substantially flat bottom surface, and wherein the vertical component projects upward from the top surface of the base component. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tile bed comprises a composition comprising components having a particle size in a range of ⅜ inch or less. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activating the polymeric sand composition comprises wetting each respective joint with water. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the activating the polymeric sand composition further comprises covering the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use with a water-resistant material for a period of 12 to 48 hours. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 compacting a native subgrade surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted subgrade surface;   covering the compacted subgrade surface with aggregate; and   compacting the aggregate with a compactor to obtain the compacted aggregate surface.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the aggregate comprises a plurality of stones, each having a stone size of about 1 to about 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more porcelain tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles comprises width and length measurements selected from 6″×12″; 8″×32″; 12″×12″; 12″×24″; 12″×36″; 16″×32″; 24″×24″; 6″×48″; and 48″×48″. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more porcelain tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles comprises a thickness of about 3 cm or about 4 cm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical component of each respective spacer comprises one or more elements having a thickness in the range of about 3 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a plurality of unpolished sidewalls. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a width ranging from about 6 inches to about 48 inches and a length ranging from about 8 inches to about 48 inches. 
     
     
         18 . A method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use, comprising:
 covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed;   compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface;   installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface to obtain an intermediate porcelain tile installation, the plurality of porcelain tiles positioned in a predetermined pattern, wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; wherein one or more respective spacers comprises a base component positioned under adjacent tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles and a vertical component positioned between respective sidewalls of the adjacent tiles,   the vertical component providing a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles;   adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint in the intermediate porcelain tile installation to obtain a first joint-filled porcelain tile surface;   compacting the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface;   further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a second joint-filled porcelain tile surface;   further compacting the second joint-filled porcelain tile surface with the compactor to obtain a compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface;   further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a third joint-filled porcelain tile surface;   further compacting the third joint-filled porcelain tile surface with the compactor to obtain a compacted third joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and   activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 compacting a native subgrade surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted subgrade surface;   covering the compacted subgrade surface with aggregate; and   compacting the aggregate with a compactor to obtain the compacted aggregate surface.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the activating the polymeric sand composition comprises wetting each respective joint with water; and   wherein the activating the polymeric sand composition further comprises covering the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use with a water-resistant material for a period of 12 to 48 hours.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the compactor delivers vibrational forces to the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface.