RECLAIMED MATERIALS: SERVICES AND ADVICE FOR SELECTING, LAYING AND MAINTAINING
The increasing use of reclaimed materials by architects and construction firms has resulted in a large availability of items on the market – especially floors and tiles – new, manufactured and treated to appear antique. The Vittorio Contini company offers exclusively original materials reclaimed from the demolition of mansions, buildings and private houses throughout Italy.
FINDING, CHOOSING, PRESERVING
Materials are evaluated at the demolition site considering the quality, quantity and state of conservation. The best pieces are recuperated, cleaned and stored with care, thereby made available to the customer (whether building firms, interior designers or private parties) ready for use. To the side of the page you can find some of the procedures used during and after salvage, as well as suggestions for the use and preservation of the materials.
The reclaimed materials offered by Vittorio Contini are, as much as possible, ready for laying and/or installation at the new destination. The cementina, graniglia and terra cotta tiles used for floors and ceilings in particular are cleaned from any salvage residue and washed, if washable, using high pressure washers, thus making them ready for laying. The operation of preparing the materials for resale is done manually, and each piece must meet rigid standards in their appearance and preservation in order to be offered for sale.
Depending on the selected material, the laying can be done using cement or glue. After laying, and before the final cleaning operation, it is best to wait several days to ensure the pavement is perfectly dry. The amount of time depends also upon the type of substrate which has been used. In dealing with original old reclaimed material, care must be taken to protect the floor over time. Depending on the intended use of the room different types of treatment can be used: generally speaking, the most advisable would be an application of water-repellent oil. It is advisable to wait a few days between each type of treatment. For interiors, to bring out the most of the brilliance of terra cotta, and the colors and finishings of cementina and graniglia, apply a generous layer of wax. We recommend the use of products which are not acid based.
Thanks to its typical artisan production, considering the originality and antiquity guaranteed by Vittorio Contini, the reclaimed cementina tiles present unique qualities such as:
– Slight color variations
– Lateral micro-fissures
– Borders and corners not perfectly squared
– Whitish glazing
Genuine reclaimed cementina tiles are almost always characterized by the presence of one or more of these traits, a sign of authenticity produced by time and hand work, which contribute to the magic and unique fascination of each floor made with reclaimed cementina tiles.
Floors in terra cotta, as well as those in cementina or graniglia tiles, can be treated against spotting by using a waterproof sealer or wax. It is strongly advised to do a waterproofing treatment. For the normal cleaning of old reclaimed floors we suggest the use of neutral detergents. Periodically, it is a good rule to repeat the protection and brighten the colors by applying liquid wax.
Ever more architects, building firms and private owners are opting for a rough natural look for floors in reclaimed stone, and emphasizing the rustic and irregular appearance of the floor, even creating attractive contrasts with elements of modern and industrial design. This choice also makes maintenance of the floor much easier, all that is needed is a periodical washing with water and neutral soap.
The shapes of antique reclaimed cementina tiles are varied according to the traditions and area where they are found. Vittorio Contini works in the entire country, guaranteeing a vast range of available shapes. The most common ones are:
25×25 – 20×20 – Hexagonal 14,5 per side – Hexagonal 12,5 per side (all sizes in centimeters). The function and destination of these floorings are just as varied: there are single designs, rugs, solid colors. The designs can be inserted in the pavement to create elegant, prestigious and one-of-a-kind environments. Reclaimed cementina and graniglia tiles go splendidly well with parquet, terra cotta and stone floors creating beautiful effects. The colors of floors in original pastina are soft and lustrous from the passage of time: an effect that is less obvious on the classic tones like cream, grey and red, and more evident in bright blue, aquamarine, black and violet which all have a veil that time has placed over their brilliance.