Sublimation on ceramic tiles, what? This question must reflect in your mind when you listen to the sublimation on tiles. Then you suddenly hold your device and open the Google search bar for further information about this type of sublimation. Be happy you are at the right place to get your answer.
So, how to do sublimation on ceramic tiles? Sublimation on ceramic tiles is easy just like the sublimation on any fabric. You just need to follow the tips and tricks that I’ll discuss in this article.
- Select the image.
- Rap up the tile with protective paper.
- Spread polyurethane.
- Leave the polyurethane to dry overnight.
- Print the sublimation image on the tile.
- Remove the sublimation paper.
In this article, I’m going to teach the sublimation of ceramic tiles step-by-step. So without any delay let’s just dig into the article.
How To Do Sublimation On Ceramic Tiles?
Sublimation is an amazing method to design your desired material. Similarly, As design lovers, we all want to decore our house floors, Bathrooms, and kitchens with different tiles. What a great idea if we sublimate our tiles by ourselves.
But, many of us are still not familiar with the fact that we can sublimate the tiles on our own. Just a few people know the technique of sublimation on ceramic tiles. So, Before we discuss the technique of sublimation on ceramic tiles let’s have a look at the things you need to remember before sublimation.
Things You Need To Remember Before Sublimation
Before we start the process there are some important things to keep in mind. Some main things to remember are given below:
- First of all, give deep thought to selecting the design according to the scheme and color of your home interior.
- Keep the substrate temperature above 100 °C to have durable performance.
- Dyes are one of the most important things for long-lasting design. So, use high-quality dyes for sublimation.
- The image size should be exactly the size of the tile.
- Remember sublimation does not work for all kinds of ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiles made of porcelain and earthenware material are best for sublimation.
Material Required To Do Sublimation On Ceramic Tiles
Here is a list of all the material that is required for the sublimation of tiles.
- Ceramic Tiles
- Sublimation paper (To transfer the image on the surface of the tiles)
- Sublimation ink and Sublimation Printer (Flatbed, Inkjet, or laser)
- Heat pressing machine
- Transfer paper and Heat-resistant tape.
- Heat-resistant glue (Used to attach the image to the tile after printing on the sublimation paper).
- Masking tape (to avoid movement while working)
- Scissors (To cut the extra paper or image)
- Sponge (For cleaning purposes)
- Goggles (To keep the eyes safe)
Steps To Do Sublimation On Ceramic Tiles
Step 1- Select The Image
First, you have to select the image you want to sublimate on the tiles. You can take a picture from any website or app like Canvas or can use self-taken photos.
The size of the image should equal the size of the tiles. A large image can also work well to some extent because you can cut out extra portions. But, don’t use a small size image for sublimation.
Step 2- Wrap Up The Tiles With Protective Paper
Take protective paper and wrap it around the tiles. Wrap up the protective paper, especially around the edges or corners of the tiles. The protective paper allows you to avoid any kind of damage while sublimation.
Step 3- Spread Polyurethane Liquid
Pour some liquid polyurethane on the surface of the tiles. Now hold a brush and spread the polyurethane liquid equally on all the tiles. Never use too much liquid and avoid dripping it down. Before allowing the liquid to dry place at least three pieces of cardboard under each tile. Separate the tiles with cardboard to prevent mess up.
Step 4- Leave The Polyurethane Liquid To Dry Overnight
Once you spread the polyurethane liquid over all the tiles and allow it to dry overnight. Give a good time to dry the polyurethane until it is ready to peel off.
Then peel off the protective paper when the liquid is dried completely. Now peel the protective paper and polyurethane layer together.
Step 5- Print The Sublimation On The Tiles
Once your tiles are prepared for the sublimation. Place sublimation paper into the printer and get the sublimated image on the paper. Then attach the picture using heat-resistant glue. Apply heat to the ceramic tiles under the heat press machine.
The applied temperature should be according to the thickness of the tiles. Thick tiles require higher temperatures and think tiles require a lower temperature. Mostly 6-7 minutes are enough to apply the heat at 400 ° F temperature.
Step 6- Remove The Sublimation Paper
Lastly, it’s time to remove the sublimation paper from the tiles. Then leave the tiles for some time and allow them to dry completely. And finally, your sublimated ceramic tile is ready.
| Note
Don’t forget to use heat-resistant gloves and Glasses to protect your hands and eyes during the sublimation process. |
What Temperature Do You Set To Sublimate Ceramic Tiles?
400 degrees Fahrenheit is the appropriate temperature to set for a few minutes. Around 6-8 minutes are enough for sublimation on the ceramic tiles. Time can be adjusted between 6 to 8 minutes according to the length and width of the tiles.
Can We Do Sublimation On Ceramic Tiles?
Of course, we can do sublimation on ceramic tiles. Many people are still not aware of the sublimation of ceramic tiles. But, in reality, sublimation has become the best method to design tiles for home decoration.
Conclusion
Many sublimation lovers are not aware of sublimation on ceramic tiles. But the sublimation on ceramic tiles is a really easy task now. You just need to follow some simple steps to complete the process. All of the steps are described one by one above in the article. Hope you liked reading the article and if you have any question you may ask in comment box.
